Measuring Impact: Beyond the Numbers
“Ladies, how did you assess a project's impact when you had no numbers?” a colleague of mine inquired earlier today. As we are right in the middle of the fateful self-evaluation storm, numbers have become our unlikely companions - our best friends and our worst ennemies, respectively.
Honestly, I still struggle to measure the impact of the e-learning modules I've whipped up on manager requests or the direction of a project I'm currently spearheading, which often feels like a wild goose chase. However, the impact is undeniably there, even if it doesn't neatly fit into numerical boxes.
Imagine this: a manager asks for onboarding training, even if there haven't been new hires since 2021. You dive into research, craft a top-notch learning framework, and put solid instructional design principles to work. That, my friend, is your impact, plus a ticket to future impact-land when recruitment starts again.
Likewise, when you're knee-deep in a project that's as clear as mud, you're still collaborating with other teams, digging through research, and dedicating your time to solving problems, even if you're not entirely sure where it's all heading. That, too, is your impact, plus a potential treasure trove of lessons.
“If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.”
Lord Kelvin
Certainly, metrics have their merits. They offer a clear and unbiased means of gauging performance and are impressive additions to resumes. They provide valuable feedback for improvement and guide resource allocation.
While numbers can be valuable, they aren't the be-all and end-all. It's easy to think you need to measure everything, but there's a significant impact you have on both yourself and others that can't be quantified.
Turns out, impact isn't just about numbers; it's about the journey, the relationships you create, the skills you pick up, and the lessons you gather along the way. It's about how you do something and what it teaches you, or doesn't.
“Impact isn’t always about numbers.
It’s about the transformation we see in ourselves and in our learners’ abilities and confidence.”
