Practical Guide to Capacity Development in a Sector Context

This Practical Guide to Capacity Development in a Sector Context has been compiled to accompany Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s Capacity Development Framework and Action Plan.1 Its purpose is to provide ADB staff and other development practitioners with a set of tools and instruments that can be used to guide capacity development processes. The range of tools and instruments compiled in this guide starts from a sector-wide perspective (political economy and governance features) then moves down to capture individual stakeholders’ perspective. This guide also includes tips for change management and reform processes. The use of the guide and the tools in the country partnership strategy (CPS) preparation process and other ADB business processes is explained in the overview section. The tools are intended for use in governments’ diagnostics and analytical work; pre-CPS analysis and assessments; and economic, thematic, and sector work (ETSW). The outputs are intended to feed into sector diagnostics and subsequent sector road maps. The tools in this guide have to be used selectively based on sound judgment—they are not intended to be applied sequentially in a short and compressed period of time. The dynamics of a country-led dialogue, analysis, and formulation process related to capacity development must guide the use of the instruments. As a complement to ADB’s Capacity Development Framework and Action Plan, this guide includes tools and instruments developed by other organizations.