Which data is relevant?

After you’ve worked out the logistics, it’s time to address the content of the analysis.

The key question to pose: What exactly do you want to find out through the social-impact analysis?

Your answer to this question is important because it alone determines how complex the analysis should be. The more concrete you are in specifying the kind of information you need, the better you can plan (and the more manageable the seemingly mammoth task will become).

  • Thinking processes and impact as one!

    While evaluation and reporting processes of the past focused primarily on project activities and processes, the results achieved by a project are today a key focus.

    In the context of impact-oriented project implementation, it’s important to consider the process as well as the results. On the one hand, you want to know what concrete results the project is achieving. On the other, you also want to know which aspects of the project are effective in facilitating or hindering results from being achieved.

Develop the questions for your impact analysis with an eye to your logic model. Doing so will help you structure the process and set appropriate priorities. Keep in mind that some unplanned effects may appear. Thus, you should also ask:

  • What target groups have we failed to reach?
  • What objectives have we failed to fulfill?
  • What unexpected positive results have occurred?
  • Were there any negative results?

Questions for impact analysis, derived from the logic model:

get_appDownload figure here

Monitoring and evaluation questions based on YEA’s logic model:

Logic model: questions for the case study example YEA get_appDownload figure here

Note that the questions you pose at the beginning of a project differ from those which you are confronted with during the run of the project or when it is completed. It is therefore necessary to return regularly to the guiding questions of your logic analysis.

In order to improve overall buy-in, it’s a good idea to involve all relevant stakeholders in this process, including external third parties and institutions. You should have already identified your stakeholders in your context analysis.

Before closing this chapter and exploring the question of how to track project progress, we invite you to test your knowledge in the next test!

Now that you know which questions to ask, the next chapter discusses how to keep progress in your line of sight.

  • You learnt so much... Didn't you?
    We’re happy that you’re using the Social Impact Navigator and hope you like what you see, read and experience. To help us do a better job of helping organizations like yours, we’d love to get your feedback here (and it takes less than five minutes)!
previous Costs
next Test your knowledge (V)