Developing Indicators of Success

By John Hamerlinck

Here is just a quick post while this is still on my mind. Recent conversations at our forums on assessment and evaluation and an inquiry from a colleague regarding indicators reminded me to share a few useful tips that I’ve collected over the years. None of these are my original ideas, but I can’t recall the individual sources – except for the first one, which I got from Geralyn Sheehan.

• Never a story without a number – never a number without a story
• Indicators arise from values. We measure what we value. We value what we measure.
• Indicators must be: 1) meaningful, 2) robust and technically sound, 3) sensitive and 4) capable of being reported regularly.
• Measure what you want to be.
• Measure the cause not just the effect.
• Don’t fall into the trap of measuring what is easily measurable rather than what is important.
• Effective indicators give you information while there is still time to act.