What is impact?

Implement

Monitor and

evaluate

Learn and adapt

Design

“Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended”

OECD-DAC (2002)

“Impact is defined as the difference in the indicator of interest (Y) with the intervention (Y1) and without the intervention (Y0). That is, impact = Y1 – Y0”

White (2009)

Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact

  Intended Positive unintended

Negative unintended

Foreseen Planned programme goals

Predicted spill over effects

Predicted risks or side-effects

Unforeseen Emergent programme goals Nice surprise Calamity, mishap

or backlash

Adapted from Andre Ling, 2014

How do we reconcile these definitions?

1. Use – intended, forecasting or measurement2. Focus – pre-defined variables or open3. Level of change – individuals, households, organizations, environment4. Degrees of separation – direct effect or convoluted effect5. Change trajectory – static or dynamic6. Homogeneity of benefits – uniform or variable

betterevaluation.org

odi.org/rapid