Impact Measurement and Management Learning Lab Series: Contextual Responsiveness in the New Normal

This knowledge brief seeks to capture the key takeaways from the recent series of three Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) Learning Labs hosted by the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, South Africa Chapter (ANDE SA) in partnership with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. These learning labs explore the importance of understanding impact in context, engaging multiple stakeholders to ensure appropriate contextual perception and the need to guarantee accurate reporting and impact measurement. This enables greater transparency in the data collection process, improved ability to interrogate assumptions leading to greater data-driven decision making to appropriately measure ones’ impact – be it at an intervention or organisational level. Overall, these learning labs emphasised the importance of being contextually responsive and stakeholder inclusive in the design of impact metrics. A need was recognised to understand beneficiary priorities and ensure that the interventions are culturally and contextually relevant.