II.B: METRICS & INDICATORS
Choose indicators [to enable] feedback for stakeholders to understand performance and how it is measured. Other Information:
The selection of indicators and metrics for assessment is necessarily a value-based decision, since ultimately we measure
what we deem important. A metric can be thought of as a numerical unit of measurement, such as ROI (return on investment),
while an indicator is a metric tied to one or more targets, such as GDP (gross domestic product), so that it can measure the
degree to which specific goals are being met. Indicators must be chosen with care: they become the feedback mechanism for
allowing internal and external stakeholders to understand performance and how it is measured. Indicators also become points
of reference that serve as part of the rationale for making decisions, both in the short- and long-term. They should be chosen
in the context of the logic model for an initiative. Indicators build on outputs, which are basic metrics of success in quantitative
terms, such as number of trainings delivered or number of people participating in a program. Outputs themselves are basic
indicators of a sort. But more high-level indicators are also needed to measure how well an initiative achieves the short-term
outcomes and long-term impact it is intended to. Different stakeholders may have different criteria for determining whether
a program is successful. While some parties may be more interested in knowing whether certain outputs have been delivered,
others may measure success only by the amount of impact an initiative made on the outcomes of interest. By consulting a variety
of stakeholders in designing an evaluation strategy, researchers can confirm their agreement on a causal framework and establish
agreed-upon indicators to measure success. The application of newer, more participatory and bottom-up design strategies provides
new opportunities to fine-tune and improve the metrics used, reflecting what matters most for the targeted population.
Indicator(s):
|
