Scaling Brief #4:  
Scaling glossary 
This scaling brief was developed by CGIAR Science  in Brief #2 on principles and Brief #3 on approaches and 
Leaders and scaling specialists to provide guidance for  tools. The glossary builds partly on definitions provided 
the design and implementation of major CGIAR initiati- by the CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy and 
ves (see Brief #1 for more background information).  the CGIAR glossary of terms for monitoring, evaluation, 
It explains key terms of relevance, building on those learning, and impact assessment.
already recognized by the CGIAR, and which are used  
Beneficiaries Intervention
The individuals, groups, or organizations, whether  A project, program, policy, or other initiative taken by 
targeted or not, that benefit, directly or indirectly, from actors aimed at influencing behaviors or outcomes.  
the chain of events that research has contributed to. In terms of scaling, certain interventions can be aimed  
at developing and scaling an innovation. 
Impact
A durable change in the condition of people and their Monitoring 
environment brought about by a chain of events to  A process of continuous or periodic collection and  
which research, innovations, and related activities have analysis of data to compare how well a project, program, 
contributed. or policy is being implemented against expected  
progress and results, in order to track performance 
Innovation against plans and targets, to identify reasons for under 
A new idea, product, service, and/or solution capable of or over achievement, and to take necessary actions to 
facilitating impact through innovation systems involving improve performance.
multiple partners and enablers.
Outcome 
Innovation package A change in knowledge, skills, attitudes and/or  
The combination of innovations that are needed for  relationships, which manifests as a change in behavior, 
scaling in a specific location or context. to which research outputs and related activities have 
contributed.
Innovation system
The interlinked set of people, processes, assets, and  Partners 
social institutions that enable the introduction and Organizations or individual stakeholders that the  
scaling of new ideas, products, services, and solutions CGIAR collaborates with to achieve its goals.
capable of facilitating impact.
This is output of a CGIAR working group 
and not CGIAR official position.
Projected Benefits Analysis Tool Scaling Scan
An upcoming scaling tool that is aimed at designing A scaling approach that helps to formulate and assess the 
frameworks for the initial screening of projects/ scalability of scaling an innovation in a specific context  
investments (see Brief #3 for a description). (see Brief #3 for a description).
Research Scaling strategy
Generation and communication of data, information A set of coherent activities, stakeholders, and stakeholder 
and knowledge on an empirical basis. engagement models to enable scaling.
Responsible scaling Science
Responsible scaling requires ethics of co-responsibility  Rigorous hypothesis-based research.
for ensuring that the impacts from the innovation are 
well captured by the intended beneficiaries and minimi- Science of scaling versus practice of scaling
zing negative societal or ecological consequences, whether The science of scaling is research on which scaling 
these impacts are intentional or not and whether they  approaches and practices work in certain contexts and 
can be fully foreseen or not. why. Science of scaling can inform the practice of scaling 
which is the use of those strategies and practices. Ideally 
Scaling the two are linked in a virtuous feedback loop (See annex 
Scaling of innovations is a deliberate and planned effort of Brief #3 for more information).
to enable the use of innovations to have positive impact 
for many people across broad geographies. Stage-gating
A recognized performance management approach used  
Scaling approach to manage the process of design, testing, validation  
An integrated set of scaling tools and procedures that and scaling of both technological and non-technological 
can be used to design and implement scaling activities in CGIAR innovations (see Brief #3 for a description).
different contexts.
System
Scaling Readiness A set of interacting entities and processes that form a 
Scaling Readiness is the name of a scaling approach complex whole.
described in Brief #3. As part of this approach, scaling 
readiness is also the combined score of innovation rea- System transformation
diness and innovation use. Scaling readiness reveals the A major shift – bringing about significant positive change 
potential and key bottlenecks in an innovation package for the majority of people involved – in the governance 
for a specific scaling objective and context. and functioning of a system. It requires action from  
multiple stakeholders who work toward common goals 
along transformation pathways.
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Fund International Agricultural Research (FIA) 
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
This is a common output of members of the CGIAR Science 
Registered offices Leaders community, the CGIAR System Management Office, 
Bonn and Eschborn, Germany other members of the CGIAR interested in scaling and  
the GIZ/CGIAR Task Force on Scaling.
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36
53113 Bonn, Germany Foto (Cassava Thailand):  
Neil Palmer Photography for CGIAR
E beaf@giz.de
I www.giz.de December 2020