SMART
S= Specific
M=Measurable
A= Attainable
R=Realistic
T=Time bound
Indicators, are an important component of Monitoring & Evaluation interventions worldwide. But its very important to have SMART indicators because when you do, implementation of projects becomes meaningful.
In a nut shell, there are two broad types of indicators namely the qualitative and quantitative indicators. What is a qualitative indicator? well this is an indicator that cannot be easily measured using numbers and therefore it focuses on peoples beliefs or opinions. However on the contrary, quantitative indicators provides information to track outputs. As the name suggests, quantitative indicators are easy to quantify while qualitative indicators cannot be easily quantified and are therefore subject to peoples beliefs or opinions.
Indicators are used as a basis to measure whether there is progress and whether corrective action should be taken. With indicators, its easy to establish benchmarks and easily create targets. With indicators, project management can be able to make informed decisions on a timely basis.
The importance of indicators
Whether you like it or not, indicators are among the most important thing if not most important aspect of M&E. Without M&E, there is no way you are able to tell whether progress has been made. Imagine if there exams conducted before graduating from the University, do you honestly think we could really tell whether this graduate is fully equipped to enter the Job market? At the beginning, indicators are important to define how the programme will be measured. Indicators serve two purposes in the programme implementation and end of programme assessment phase.
(1) Indicators provide M&E coordinators to continually assess progress and highlight critical areas which need improvement;
(2) Indicators allow evaluators to make an assessment of programme impact.
Characteristics of Good Indicators
Good indicators play an important role in that they make it easy for project management to make informed decisions. Remember the SMART indicators on the onset of this article ? Well to have good indicators is one thing, but having them SMART is even better. The thing is, if you are going to be effective in Monitoring and Evaluation, you have to have them SMART. But what does this mean in practice. Here is an example;
Good Indicator
> Average Net Income of Employees
Bad Indicator
>Madness among mentally retarded
Don't ask me why this previous one is a bad indicator because its self explanatory. Now there is something you have to understand with SMART indicators, where people get it wrong usually is on having an indicator that is measurable and realistic. Average net income is measurable but is Madness levels measurable? Well its really hard to. Its easy to set targets for Net Income however, is it easy to set targets for Madness? Can you say you want to remove madness among mentally retared by end of 2019? That is unrealistic.
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