In evaluation circles, an indicator is best described as the measurable form of something. Indicators can be applied to all elements of an impact pathway, from inputs through to impacts, but are often used to define measurable forms of our goals for a particular activity.So... an input indicator might relate to the amount of money or time we are investing in a program to achieve the results we expect.Say, we want people's wellbeing to improve as a result of a social enterprise activity. To measure this, we need to get specific about which people the activity is aiming to help, what particular kinds of wellbeing we're trying to improve (e.g., people's social connections, self-confidence, physical health, mental health), and how much wellbeing improvement we hope to see among these people over what time frame. Using SMART indicators1 - that is, indicators that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound - is commonly recommended good practice in evaluation and impact measurement.The Seedkit Indicators Library provides indicators for a variety of organisational features, activities, outcomes and impacts. You can use these as they are or tailor their wording for your organisation's needs. You can also create entirely new indicators for your organisation's use. If you're getting SMART about it, remember that the Seedkit system helps you document changes over time via the dashboard feature when you input new information against the same indicator more than once.1. Doran, G.T. (1981) There's a SMART Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives. Journal of Management Review, 70, 35-36.
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