IPDET Online Workshops

Indicator Development

Date: September 9-13
Level: Introductory
Plenary sessions: 2:00 – 5:00pm CEST
Fee: CHF1.275,00

DESCRIPTION

Indicators determine our lives – not only as evaluators or commissioners of evaluations. We are using clocks indicating time, signal lamps indicating standby functions, bioindicators indicating environmental conditions, litmus paper indicating the degree of acidity, national products indicating economic power, and so on. In general, indicators are used for preparing decisions in a very broad variety of situations – and we are using indicators because we are not able (at least in the situation) to measure the object directly.

A good indicator will help make the right decisions on behalf of its evidence. As evaluators, we need indicators to assess the quality of the evaluand, particularly its direct effects or indirect impacts. Monitoring is using indicators because they are easier and faster to measure, showing progress or project performances just in time for steering decisions. Commissioners need indicators for choosing the right consultant for their proposed evaluation. In other words, indicators are essential for any kind of decision made in evaluations.

The main target of this workshop is to introduce into the steps for developing indicators and to emphasize the main elements that must be respected. During the week in September, we will develop indicators for a given topic and discuss solutions proposed by the participants. The material on the platform is meant to prepare the participants for this task.

In general, the workshop is divided into five different parts. The main task of indicators is – as the name suggests – indication, this means to reflect the construct behind the measured object. There is a theoretical assumption behind the use of an indicator: the clock, for example, is not measuring time but producing a precise sequence sometimes adjusted by central atomic clocks. The process of linking measurement with theoretical constructs is called operationalization and is the focus of the first part of this workshop.

Many discussions are about the quality of measurement of indicators which, for sure, are of certain importance. Discussed are validity, reliability and objectivity, the key quality criteria for measurement. However, in context of indicators, the importance of measurement quality is a bit different because the quality of indication is at least at the same level and also linked to utilization and opportunities, especially in monitoring. This is the topic of the second part.

Pragmatism is for sure always important in development cooperation and the expenses for monitoring and evaluation must be adequate. Precise measurement is expensive and in many cases, it is not necessary to invest in improving measures because the reduced quality is maybe already adequate for the monitoring or evaluation task. Adequacy of indicators will be discussed in the third part and the given opportunities for measurement are in focus.

Finally, the most important aspect of indicators is its usability and the utilization for defined purposes. While discussing indication and measurement quality, the aim of these activities should not be forgot. All the steps and decisions on developing indicators, guaranteeing a certain quality and the practical procedures to apply them must be discussed on behalf of its utilization. This will be the topic of the fourth part in the workshop.

The fifth and last part of the workshop is the practical perspective for developing indicators. On the platform, there will be some guidelines, manuals, and checklists useful for the development of indicators. During the week in September, they will be used as instruments for the practical part of the workshop.

OBJECTIVES

The participants:

• Should understand the main tasks and functions of indicators.
• Know different forms of indicators and their requirements.
• Know about the key elements of indicators and indicator definitions.
• Be able to develop indicators in a participative and appropriate way.
• Be able to decide about the quality of different indicator proposals.
• Be able to use indicators for different purposes.

RECOMMENDED FOR

The workshop is appropriate for all people who are working with indicators. This includes:

Evaluators and commissioners who use indicators for assessments.
Practitioners and project managers who use indicators for monitoring.
Policymakers and parliamentarians who use indicators for decisions.

Indicators are part of our everyday work-life, and a lot of decisions are made on results of indicators, e.g. what was it like before we started our program and how did it develop until now, what can be influenced by what measures, what works and what not, what will probably last and how risky are our activities. Indicators are used because they are available, they are reducing the complexity of social facts and therefore they are easy understandable and giving us clear advises for conclusions. Therefore, we are depending on the quality of indicators sometimes without even recognizing the risks we are facing by using poor indicators, merely preferred because they are cheap and easy to access. This workshop will give you an overview of how to “live” with indicators and its limitations – there are no “perfect” indicators. Furthermore, it will help you optimizing your indicators and indicator systems by giving you some advice on indicator development.

LEVEL

This is a workshop on beginners’ level. No previous knowledge about indicators or indicator development are necessary. There is also no linkage between the workshop and specific topics, so no advanced knowledge in any field of development cooperation is needed. Some experiences in measurement are for sure helpful, but also not a requirement for this course.

PREREQUISITES

There are no prerequisites for starting this course, but before the face-to-face week the participants should have worked through the material on the internet platform carefully and completely.

Tuition Fees

A tution fee is charged per workshop. Please see all details here.

Please note that for better resource allocation, NO SCHOLARSHIP will be offered in the IPDET 2024 Online Workshop.

Certificate

Participants will be awarded an official IPDET workshop participation certificate.

Community Building

IPDET provides virtual space to meet and exchange with the international evaluation community beyond the workshops. We highly encourage you to join! Find all community activites here.