So , it ’ s tricky to measure outcomes and claim them as ‘ ours ’, but we would still advocate trying to answer the bigger questions , rather than just measure outputs . It is certainly valid to want to ‘ deliver education to 300 children ’, and this might be a good intermediate output measurement of our progress , but this won ’ t tell us if our education was any good , or if anyone was actually paying attention . So it won ’ t tell us if we were successful in creating the outcomes we want - changes to attitudes , behaviours or the safety of our roads .
It is important to develop aims that are both achievable , and can be measured , and this might mean a mixture of ‘ outputs ’ and ‘ outcome ’ measures . Remember outcomes can be harder to prove ( and harder to demonstrate that it was our actions that led to them ), but outputs can be a little artificial if measured on their own .
Ask yourself : Can you actually measure what you want to achieve ? If not , are there any valid ‘ proxies ’ that you could measure instead ?
Outputs : Number of children shown video , number of leaflets distributed , number of people taking a safe driving pledge .
Outcomes : Observed levels of handheld phone use *, number of serious collisions where mobile phone use is recorded as a factor **, self-reported attitude and / or behaviour change .
You need to make sure that the outputs and outcomes you identify are logical and possible given your chosen approach ( we know , we ’ ve not got to that bit yet , but it ’ s coming ). Logic mapping is a really useful way of working through your idea to see if there are logical links between one activity and the next , ending up with the outputs and outcomes you want . If there are gaps in the logic , then what you are planning won ’ t get you when you want go . A really useful guide to this process is the DfT ’ s Logic mapping : hints and tips 1 .
* Of course , we need to consider if we have displaced the danger on to hands-free use ….
** Of course , we need to consider if anything has changed in police recording practices ….
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¹ DfT ( 2010 ) Logic mapping : hints and tips for better transport evaluations . Available from https :// www . gov . uk / government / publications / logicmapping-hints-and-tips-guide