The focus of Outcome Mapping is on people. The originality of the methodology is its shift away from assessing the development impact of a programme (defined as changes in state - for example: poverty alleviation, or reduced conflict) and toward changes in the behaviours, relationships, actions or activities of the people, groups, and organisations with whom a development programme works directly. This shift alters the way a programme understands its goals and assesses its performance and results. Outcome Mapping establishes a vision of the human, social, and environmental betterment to which the programme hopes to contribute and then focuses monitoring and evaluation on factors and actors within that programme's direct sphere of influence. The programme's contributions to development are planned and assessed based on its influence on the partners with whom it is working to effect change. Outcome Mapping does not deny the importance of changes in state (such as cleaner water or a stronger economy) but instead argues that for each change in state there are correlating changes in behaviour.

There are three stages of Outcome Mapping:

The first stage, Intentional Design, helps a programme establish consensus on the macro level changes it will help to bring about and plan the strategies it will use. It helps answer four questions: Why? (What is the vision to which the programme wants to contribute?); Who? (Who are the programme's boundary partners [individuals, groups, and organisations with whom the programme interacts directly and with whom the programme anticipates opportunities for influence]?); What? (What are the changes that are being sought?); and How? (How will the programme contribute to the change process?).

The second stage, Outcome and Performance Monitoring, provides a framework for the ongoing monitoring of the programme's actions and the boundary partners' progress toward the achievement of outcomes. It is based largely on systematised self-assessment. It provides the following data collection tools for elements identified in the Intentional Design stage: an Outcome Journal (progress markers); a Strategy Journal (strategy maps); and a Performance Journal (organisational practices).

The third stage, Evaluation Planning, helps the programme identify evaluation priorities and develop an evaluation plan.

Intentional Design
Step 1: Vision
Step 2: Mission
Step 3: Boundary Partners
Step 4: Outcome Challenges
Step 5: Progress Markers
Step 6: Strategy Maps
Step 7: Organisational Practices

Outcome & Performance Monitoring
Step 8: Monitoring Priorities
Step 9: Outcome Journals
Step 10: Strategy Journal
Step 11: Performance Journal

Evaluation Planning
Step 12: Evaluation Plan

Outcome Mapping introduces monitoring and evaluation considerations at the planning stage of a programme. Outcome Mapping moves away from the notion that monitoring and evaluation are done to a programme, and, instead, actively engages the team in the design of a monitoring framework and evaluation plan and promotes self-assessment. By using Outcome Mapping, a programme is not claiming the achievement of development impacts; rather, the focus is on the programme's contributions to outcomes.