Wie definieren und messen Sie Ihre Social-Impact-Ziele?

Social impact in the public administration context is a complex and multifaceted concept that refers to the positive or negative effects that public policies, programs, and services have on the well-being of the collective-- that is, individuals and communities. It is a measure of how well public administration is achieving its goals of improving the lives of citizens and making society more just and equitable. Social impact ventures are generally thought of having an altruistic bent in that revenue generation, while important, is secondary to the venture's positive and lasting effects on society at large.

Social impact has a preceding assumption that the way we've been doing things as a species isn't working (and in fact is leading us off a cliff). The more you are invested in the status quo, the more you will resist the mere notion that things need to change. Social impact also carries the implicit belief that we can do something to improve. Without that hope, there's no reason to fight for a better world.

At the end of the day, regardless of what label we use, what really matters is the net effect of our actions - is the world a better place because of what we are doing?

“You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” - Peter Drucker. We measure what matters to us. In business, we measure revenue and expenses. Sports measures every at bat, shot on goal, possession, win and loss. For a loved one in the hospital, we care deeply about their heart rate or blood pressure. We measure impact because we care about improving the way to world works. But we have to narrow down the metric. The world is way too complex. Better to pick one KPI where we can move the needle. Ending global homelessness is a worthy goal, but overwhelming. Instead, focus on what you can influence - like reducing short-term homeless population in a certain community.

We must measure social impact in public administration to ensure that public policies and programs are effective and are making a difference in people's lives, to make better and more informed decisions, to better allocate resources and improve their effectiveness, to build public trust in the name of transparency and hold public officials accountable if said programs fail to advance public interests, to attract and retain funding, measure and quantify said social impact to improve the design and implementation of future programs, promote program and policy innovation and creativity, build better partnerships, and promote and communicate value of said social impact programs to the public at large.

Many people think that measuring social impact is only necessary to satisfy funders. However, this shouldn't be the primary motivation behind it. By adopting a lean measurement approach, organizations can gain insights into their stakeholders' needs, aims, and challenges when it comes to adopting their products or services. Measuring impact need not be complex. Instead, qualitative listening should be the main focus. Thanks to modern impact measurement platforms, data collection time can be minimized and impact analytics can be automated. The advantage of this is that you can continuously enhance your product or service to better meet the market's demands. Commencing early can help you break away from relying solely on funders.

Choosing the right impact goal is a lot like Tom Peter's framework in "Good to Great," the Hedgehog concept. Think of a traditional 3 circle Venn diagram. Where do these overlap? Start with what are you personally (or organizationally) passionate about. Without that intrinsic fuel source, your efforts will stall. What is the need where your unique abilities can make the most difference? Where can you best marshal the resources (funding, volunteers, awareness, partners, advocacy) to make this successful? The greater the overlap in those three circles, the more you will be set up for success with your impact goal.

To define a social impact goal, use the following format: "[Problem]" is a challenge that [target audience] faces due to [cause]. This leads to [impact] and calls for a [solution]. For instance, children from low-income families (target audience) in rural communities face a lack of access to quality education due to limited infrastructure and resources (cause). This results in a significant learning gap and hinders their academic and personal growth (impact), necessitating an innovative and sustainable education intervention (solution). If you draft such a strong goal, you can articulate the theory of change. To learn more about this subject, read this article which gives a structured approach.

There are many different ways to measure social impact. Quantitative methods use data to measure the impact of public policies and programs, such as the number of people served, the cost of the program, and the changes in outcomes that can be attributed to the program. Qualitative methods use interviews, focus groups, and other qualitative data to understand the lived experiences and outcomes of said public policies and programs on the target population. Mixed methods combine quantitative and qualitative methods above to get a more comprehensive understanding of a venture's social impact.

Use Targeted Universalism to create a universal goal, then measure which groups are furthest from that goal. Created targeted strategies for those groups and bring all towards the aspirational universal goal.

Let's talk about your goals and why they matter. Your organization's purpose goes beyond just making money—it's about connecting with people on a deeper level. Take a moment to think about what "purpose" means for your company and how it can make a difference in the lives of those you serve. Are your team goals aligned with this bigger purpose? And how do your programs create opportunities for people to find meaning, learn, and connect with what really matters? When it comes to building social impact, asking these questions is key to reaching your goals and growing your programs. It's all about understanding how your efforts fit into the larger picture and making sure they're making a real difference in people's lives.