In the social investment space, measuring project outcomes and impact is often considered only at the end of a project lifespan to highlight the work that has been done. However, this loses the true value of impact measurement, which is the early identification of bottlenecks and developmental areas, and thus the opportunity to course-correct based on data. Our experience as Tshikululu has shown us the value of planning for impact measurement and data collection right from the beginning of a project to ensure that future assessments are built on a strong foundation. In reality, however, this is not always possible. We have found that we need to be flexible in how we conduct impact assessments, acknowledging any limitations while we seek to meaningfully measure impact.
