Impact assessment framework

Getting to grips with an overall impact assessment framework can help:  

•  understand the value of monitoring and evaluating 

•  recap on good practice 

•  recap on core principles, from ethics to transparency and beyond  

•  explore the role (and limitations) of quantitative and qualitative monitoring  

•  avoid challenges and pitfalls  

•  differentiate the purposes and approaches for Process Evaluation, Impact Assessment and Value for Money evaluations 

•  consider where you need additional expertise or support 

This is a report. It can be read all together, or the table of contents browsed for key sections. 
These include:

 decision-making criteria and results for an appropriate evaluation approach, as applied to HUB-IN. Based on HM Treasury and Public Health England*. (Figure 2 in the report)

• project logic model, illustrating the four key impacts that HUB-IN expects to drive (as per the Grant Agreement) and how. To reflect the current reality of the project, outcomes have been split into short-term (likely detectable within project timelines), and medium-term (likely detectable after project timelines). As part of the monitoring, city teams and key stakeholders assess progress at regular intervals and identify areas for continual improvement. (Figure 7 in the report)

• example mechanisms to collect data for each expected impact shown in project logic model above (Figure 7 in the report), split by the following characteristics: 
  • Quantitative – can be counted or given a number (measures quantities) 
  • Qualitative – can be described in language (measures qualities) 
  • Objective – based on verifiable real-world observations 
  • Subjective – based on personal perceptions, feelings and opinions
     

  Through these varying combinations, cities will have a balance of data types that help to understand the progress of their intervention towards its objectives and to balance “the story behind the numbers” with the “numbers behind the stories”. 

  The data collection methods shown in the figure are example mechanisms that can be used for the common indicators that all cities will collect. Additional collection methods will exist for the bespoke indicators in each city and will be proposed in D5.2 (tailored methodologies for each city). 

Consult with colleagues who have experience in economics, social sciences, environmental sciences, statistics or qualitative research. Impact assessments requires some knowledge of data collection and analysis techniques, and experts will be able to advise or support. Local universities can sometimes supply students willing to support your research.

Related content:

• Logic model 

•  Adapted Monitoring for Each City – examples (D5.2 submitted, to be finalised and uploaded)