The SDI 5-Step Capacity Transfer Framework is the named methodology behind every SDI engagement — diagnostic, design, delivery, application, and measurement. It is the difference between delivering a training event and transferring durable capability. Every programme we run, every consulting engagement we accept, and every cohort we certify runs through these five stages. Each stage has defined inputs, outputs, and a quality gate that must be cleared before the engagement moves to the next stage.

The framework is externally auditable. Clients receive documentation at each stage, and post-engagement M&E reports map delivery back to the original diagnostic. We do not treat methodology as marketing — we treat it as a delivery contract.

Step 01 — Discovery & Diagnostic

Inputs: Buyer brief, stakeholder list, baseline assessment per delegate, sector context, capability gaps identified through structured interview.

Process: Two weeks before any delivery begins, every delegate completes a 15-minute online baseline assessment covering sector knowledge, role context, and a real workplace challenge they want the programme to address. The Delivery Lead produces a cohort heatmap identifying skill gaps, sector mix, and tailoring opportunities for the instructor.

Output: Cohort heatmap, tailored curriculum brief, named-instructor assignment, stakeholder confirmation.

Quality gate: 100% baseline completion required before Day 1. No exceptions.

Step 02 — Curriculum Design

Inputs: Diagnostic output, sectoral accreditation pathway, named instructor profile, buyer constraints (timeline, cohort size, venue).

Process: Bespoke curriculum designed by the named instructor, drawing on SDI’s sector-specific case libraries and aligned to the relevant accreditation pathway (SETA, PMI, ACCA, CIPS, CPD). Curriculum is reviewed by a second senior associate before delivery. Where sector context requires, client-specific case studies are integrated into the curriculum.

Output: Programme curriculum (5-day structure or equivalent), pre-work pack, application project brief, materials list.

Quality gate: Curriculum sign-off by both the named instructor and a peer senior associate.

Step 03 — Delivery & Coaching

Inputs: Approved curriculum, named instructor, cohort of 12–24 delegates, materials, venue/platform.

Process: Instructor-led delivery with a defined daily structure: 90-minute concept block → 60-minute case workshop → 45-minute peer coaching circle → 30-minute reflection. Real-time feedback captured via polling app. The Delivery Lead attends the first 30 minutes of Day 1 and the last 30 minutes of Day 5 to confirm quality and handle any setup issues.

Output: Daily feedback ratings, peer coaching notes, delegate reflection journals, instructor observations.

Quality gate: Daily instructor rating ≥ 4.5/5. Below this triggers immediate escalation and corrective intervention.

Step 04 — Application Project

Inputs: Programme frameworks, delegate’s real workplace challenge (identified in Step 01), instructor and peer support.

Process: Each delegate completes a real workplace change project during weeks 2–4 of the programme, applying programme frameworks to a live challenge in their own institution. Optional bi-weekly group coaching sessions with the instructor (60 minutes, cohort of 6). Project artefacts are submitted to a shared workspace and reviewed against a structured rubric covering knowledge application, project impact, presentation quality, and reflective practice.

Output: Project plan, mid-point check-in notes, final artefact (report, presentation, or implementation plan), rubric assessment.

Quality gate: 80% project completion required for certification. Delegates who do not complete the application project receive a Certificate of Attendance only — not the full SDI Certificate.

Step 05 — Measure & Certify

Inputs: Application project artefacts, panel assessment, cohort feedback, baseline-to-endline comparison.

Process: Each delegate presents their application project to a panel (instructor + sector guest). Assessment rubric covers knowledge application (40%), project impact (30%), presentation quality (15%), and reflective practice (15%). Successful delegates receive the SDI Certificate + CPD points + alumni network access within 48 hours. The Delivery Lead produces a structured M&E report for the buyer covering attendance, satisfaction, knowledge gain, project outcomes, and 90-day impact indicators. At day 90 post-engagement, a follow-up impact survey measures workplace application.

Output: SDI Certificate (blockchain-secured), CPD points allocation, M&E report, 90-day impact survey results, alumni onboarding.

Quality gate: ≥ 75% pass rate at panel assessment. ≥ 60% delegate satisfaction. ≥ 50% 90-day workplace application rate (target lifts to 60% in Year 2).

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Why the 5-Step Methodology matters

The capacity-building market is full of training providers who deliver events. SDI delivers outcomes. The 5-Step Framework is the structural reason for that difference. By forcing diagnostic before design, application before certification, and measurement after delivery, the framework ensures that every engagement produces durable institutional capability — not just a delegate who attended a workshop.

For buyers, the framework is a procurement protection: it makes delivery auditable, outcomes measurable, and failure visible. For delegates, the framework is a quality promise: the certificate they earn is earned, not awarded. For SDI, the framework is the brand: it is the named, defensible methodology that distinguishes us from competitors who sell training hours without a methodology.

The framework in practice

The SDI 5-Step Capacity Transfer Framework has been applied to engagements with national treasuries, reserve banks, donor-funded programmes, and corporate L&D teams across 22+ African countries. Selected engagement outcomes are documented in our Case Studies page; full case study packs are available under NDA to qualified buyers.

Talk to us about your engagement

If you are evaluating SDI for an upcoming capacity-building engagement, ask us to walk you through how the 5-Step Framework would apply to your specific context. We will explain how the diagnostic would be scoped, who the named instructor would be, what the curriculum would cover, what the application project structure looks like, and what M&E indicators we would track. Book a consultation to start the conversation.