ACMImodellen

ACMImodellen is a term used in Danish academic and policy analysis literature to refer to a framework for explaining how public interventions produce outcomes. The acronym ACMI—standing for Actors, Context, Mechanisms, and Impacts—guides the analysis by organizing evidence around who is involved, the surrounding environment, the processes that translate actions into results, and the results themselves.

The model emphasizes causal pathways and is used for theory-driven evaluation, program design, and comparative case analysis across sectors such as health, education, and urban planning. Its versatility allows researchers to map complex interactions without presupposing a single linear cause.

Methodologically, analysts identify relevant actors and their interests, describe the policy or organizational context, specify the mechanisms by which actions are expected to generate change, and articulate the expected or observed impacts. Data collection commonly includes interviews, document analysis, and, where possible, quantitative indicators to triangulate findings.

History and regional usage: The ACMImodellen emerged in Danish academic discourse in the late 1990s and has since been applied across disciplines; in English-language literature, similar approaches are often referred to as the ACMI model or, more broadly, as theory-driven evaluation frameworks such as the theory of change and logic models.

Strengths of the ACMImodellen include its focus on causal mechanisms and its adaptability to diverse contexts. Limitations include the risk of oversimplifying complex causal webs and the reliance on subjective interpretation when mapping actors and mechanisms. See also: theory of change, logic model, program evaluation.