> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://urd.gitbook.io/compass/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://urd.gitbook.io/compass/learning-and-adapting/setting-up-a-learning-oriented-meal-system.md). # Setting up a learning-oriented MEAL system A MEAL system is only as good as its ability to drive decisions. Too often, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are designed to satisfy reporting requirements — producing data that is collected, compiled, and filed, but rarely used actually to improve what is happening on the ground. A learning-oriented MEAL system starts from a different question: **not "what do we need to report?" but "what do we need to know — and when — to make better decisions?"** The CHS provides the reference framework for this. Commitment 7 asks organisations to continuously adapt and improve based on feedback and learning. But Commitments 1 and 2 — related to relevance and effectiveness — are equally at stake: a project that does not learn cannot remain relevant. And Commitment 5 — on feedback and complaints — is a direct source of learning that too few organisations systematically connect to their adaptation processes. The diagram below illustrates the various connections between the CHS's commitments within a learning-oriented system.

*Diagram - The CHS in a learning-centered system (source : Groupe URD)*

Building a learning-oriented MEAL system does not require additional resources or sophisticated tools. It requires **clarity about what matters, consistency in practice, iteration in planning and deliberate space for reflection** — at the right level, at the right moment. *** ### Learning cycles The COMPASS recognises that learning operates at different speeds and rhythms within a project. Rather than treating it as a single activity — an evaluation, a report, a workshop — it is more useful to think of **three interconnected improvement cycles**, each with its own frequency, purpose, and ownership.

* **The continuous monitoring cycle** operates at the pace of day-to-day and week-to-week project management. It is embedded in team meetings, field observations, community feedback, and operational decisions. Fast, lightweight, and owned by field teams, this cycle is the frontline of adaptation — the mechanism through which a project stays connected to reality on the ground. It does not require external expertise or dedicated resources. It requires intentional habits. * **The regular cycle** operates at key project milestones — monthly or quarterly reviews, mid-term assessments, or structured reflection moments with partners and communities. It takes a step back from daily operations to ask whether the project is still on track, whether initial assumptions hold, and whether adjustments are needed at a strategic level. This is where monitoring data, community feedback, and field observations are brought together and analysed. * **The slow cycle** operates beyond the individual project — annual organisational reviews, end-of-project evaluations, capitalisation processes. Its purpose is not to adapt the current project but to ensure that what was learned shapes the next one: improving organisational practices, informing future programme design, and contributing to collective knowledge in the sector. This is where learning becomes transformation. These three cycles are not sequential — they **feed each other continuously**. The regular cycle generates the raw material that the intermediate cycle analyses. The intermediate cycle surfaces the deeper questions that the slow cycle is designed to answer. And the slow cycle, if genuinely used, reshapes how the next project enters its regular cycle. Together, they form the backbone of an **adaptive project management approach** — one that is robust enough to function under pressure, light enough to be maintained with limited resources, and meaningful enough to drive real improvement in the quality and relevance of assistance. > **Link to CHS Commitment 7** — *"Communities and people affected by crisis can expect that organisations will continuously improve their programmes based on feedback and learning."* The three improvement cycles are the operational expression of this commitment. Adaptation during implementation, honest reflection at key milestones, and genuine improvement over time are not separate activities — they are a single, continuous obligation towards the people we serve. For small and under-resourced organisations, starting with the regular cycle is the most accessible and highest-impact entry point. For small and under-resourced organisations, the most important starting point is **continuous learning**: low-cost, high-frequency, and directly connected to the people you work with. The sections that follow are built around that priority. *** ### Learning loops Learning and adaptation are not simple, linear processes. In reality, there are several levels of learning depth, depending on what we choose to examine and adapt. Learning loops function like a lens that allows us to zoom in or out on different levels of a problem. As presented in the diagram below, triple loop learning questions different levels of a situation :

				Cover image
Single loop learning	WHAT are we doing ?	Leads to minor adjustements in actions	Focus =⇒ Optimization	Capture d'écran 2026-05-07 144916.png
Double loop learning	WHY are we doing this, and with WHOM?	Leads to changes to policies, objectives, or strategies	Focus =⇒ Reorientation	Capture d'écran 2026-05-07 145017.png
Triple loop learning	WHY	Leads to transformative changes in organizational culture, mission, and identity, and it demands deep reflection on core values, biases, and motivations.	Focus =⇒ Transformation	Capture d'écran 2026-05-07 145039.png

*Source :* *https://www.complexsystemsframeworks.ca/*

*** ### How learning cycles and learning loops complement each other? Both theories are actually addressing the same issue: **to what extent is an organization willing to learn?** One describes the levels of this learning (learning loops), while the other describes the pace at which each level can occur (learning cycles).

Learning loops and learning cycles - *Source: Groupe URD*

**Illustration with an example** **at project level**: An NGO has been distributing nutritional supplements for three years. Malnutrition rates are not declining.

Single loop

**Questions asked**: Are our distributions reaching the right recipients? Are the rations adequate? **Response & action:** Improve logistics, train staff, correct targeting errors → Optimized execution. **Result**: distributions are flawless… but malnutrition persists. That's not enough; we need to go up a level.

Double loop

**Questions asked**: Is our individualized distribution strategy the right approach to solving the nutrition problem? **Response & action:** We discover that the problem is systemic: unsafe water, breastfeeding practices, and the local food market. **Result:** We shift our focus: moving toward integrated WASH activities combined with awareness-raising. That's an improvement—but still limited.

Triple loop

**Questions asked**: Who has defined what “malnutrition” means in this context, and based on what criteria? Why have we sought technical solutions to what may be a political, land-related, or cultural problem? How does our organization generate knowledge about the communities it serves? **Response & action**: Knowledge has always been produced by outside experts. Communities have never defined the problem. The category of “vulnerable beneficiary” has obscured the dynamics of power and access to land, which is a root cause of malnutrition at the local level. **Result**: The organization is transforming its methods for co-creating knowledge with communities. We have laid the groundwork for a sustainable solution, rooted in local realities and developed in collaboration with local stakeholders

> The risk of staying solely at the level of the simple loop is that you end up merely finding the right answers to the wrong questions. The basic principle behind this conceptual method is as follows: **When you face a problem, don’t forget to question the problem itself before seeking a concrete and practical solution**. The following sections of this chapter will provide you with practical tools that you can apply at every stage of your project to implement learning cycles and loops.