Table 1 Definitions of the steps of humanitarian programme design as applied in this research

Developing programme proposals

Assessment of the population’s humanitarian needs in general and consideration of how to strategically respond to and prioritise activities which can meet needs in a coordinated fashion

Problem exploration phase where available literature is assessed to map what is already known about behaviours, and ultimately define the specific behaviour and target group of the intervention

Conduct additional contextual learning with the target population to address knowledge gaps

Translate learning into intervention activities by identifying malleable factors and potential change mechanisms

Resource mobilisation

Secure funding to implement the humanitarian response programme and ensure proposed work is aligned to both donor requirements and to the work of other actors

Ongoing negotiations and relationships with donors throughout programme design and implementation

Programme implementation and adaptation

Deliver the programme—including piloting the approach on a small scale, training staff, and putting mechanisms in place to support iterative adaptation

Coordination, information management, capacity and sustainability

Ongoing coordination between humanitarian actors working within the same region (both within and between sectors) with the aim of sharing learning, reducing duplication and maximising the efficiency of the response in being able to meet population needs

Ongoing information management to support programmatic learning and share resources and insights that could strengthen programme quality

Mapping of capacity gaps among humanitarian response actors and subsequently developing or identifying appropriate resources, trainings or capacity sharing opportunities to address these gaps

Inclusion and implementation of initiatives which are designed to support recovery and resilience building, sustain programming, or transition programming into the hands of local actors