Our well-meaning agents are looking to change lives for the better – but do their intended beneficiaries even see their proposed solutions as vital or achievable?

For instance, if an agent’s goal is to make a sector more environmentally sustainable, how can they get their beneficiaries to see the value in switching to completely new materials or methods of working?

Or if an agent wants to build a brick and mortar store selling essential medicines in a particular area, can the target beneficiaries get to the proposed shop location easily, or will they need to walk too far or pay too much for transport that it then isn’t worth the trip?

It’s important our change agents talk to and get feedback from members of their intended target demographic, to see if they are willing and able to accept their offerings, or to find out where improvements can be made.

And if our agents already have active customers in one area, can they cultivate a customer base in other districts or cities? Or if they want to upgrade or modify their products, have they conducted focus groups to test that their customers won’t shun the upgraded versions?