Module 5: Plotting the Course (Theory)
Burke and Wills
The following account is taken from: State Library, NSW, https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/burke-and-wills/tragic-end
The explorers made very slow progress towards Mount Hopeless. Their lack of strength and the death of their camel meant that transporting water was nearly impossible, and they spent days shuffling between two of the expedition camps on Cooper Creek.
The local Indigenous people were hospitable, providing them with fish and showing them how to make a bread-like substance from seeds called nardoo. Unfortunately, Burke remained suspicious of the natives, and rumour has it he eventually drove them away by shooting at one of them.
Despite being close to a water source and a good supply of nardoo, the explorers grew weaker. Wills describes feeling nourished by the nardoo, but continuing to get frailer regardless of how much he consumed. Experts have suggested that perhaps the explorers were preparing the seeds incorrectly.
On June 26, realising that help from the Indigenous community was their only chance of survival, Burke and King started up the creek seeking the locals. Wills, at his own request, was left behind under a shelter with some water and nardoo.
He records in his last diary entry:
Nothing now but the greatest good luck can save us; and as for myself, I may last four or five days if the weather continues warm.
Burke and King moved further upstream, seeking help from the tribe who had previously provided them with food. The going was slow and Burke eventually told King he was unable to continue. Burke couldn’t speak much the night they stopped, and died about 8 o’clock the next day.
Social impact measurement is a scientific process, and the hypothesis you are testing is known as the impact thesis - the theory of how your project creates change. This week you will develop your own impact thesis based on the planning done to date.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Measurement is a scientific pursuit
The scientific method provides an objective, evidence-based, repeatable, and transparent way to test a hypothesis and hence gain knowledge.
It is important to recognise that the overarching method itself is an iterative process, as are the following steps within it:
Make an observation.
Formulate a question.
Develop a hypothesis.
Design and conduct an experiment to test the hypothesis.
Analyse the data.
Draw a conclusion (and iterate through the process as needed).
The cycle generally starts with an observation which leads to a question which in turn leads to the development of a hypothesis about a potential answer to the question. The hypothesis is constructed in a way that allows it to be tested and the next step is to design and conduct an experiment to test the hypothesis. This generates data that is then analysed, which in turn enables conclusions to be drawn. These conclusions may then trigger further observations and hence the cycle repeats.
In social impact measurement, the impact thesis serves as the hypothesis that is being tested.
Aligned to the scientific cycle, here is another view of the end-to-end measurement process, to help you conceptualise the various steps.
Lesson 2: Developing your impact thesis (hypothesis)
Social change requires a systemic approach. Therefore, change must be understood in terms of overall intended impact first and then the outcomes (necessary conditions) required to achieve that impact.
A systemic approach provides flexibility in how outputs, activities and inputs may be chosen and refined as necessary to maximise the overall positive impact.
The Impact Thesis is a chain of logic. As you move down the hierarchy, the level below explains how the level above will be achieved. As you move up through the hierarchy, the level above explains why the level below is needed. Impact sits at the top of the hierarchy because it is the ultimate aim, the ultimate reason why.
The impact thesis is always constructed in reference to a specific population and it outlines the levels of change.
To maintain their existence, organisations need to manage outputs, activities and resources. This is not only to ensure their sustainability but also to communicate with stakeholders about what their program or service is and how it works. Measurement systems are therefore normally in existence around these levels of the Impact Thesis. For example, the “balanced scorecards” that many organisations use are commonly combinations of output, activity and resource measures.
However, in the absence of the first two levels of the Impact Thesis (impact and outcomes) these systems tend to become internally focused on managing activities and the goal defaults to maximising outputs for a given set of resources or inputs. Social impact then becomes a by-product rather than the goal.
This is why the Impact Thesis should be developed top down, starting with the intended impact then working down to determine what is needed at each level to achieve it, rather than starting with what is already done or measured at the lower levels then inferring what this might mean in terms of outcomes and impact.
To see example Impact Thesis please refer to Huber Social’s published reports in the link provided under Additional Study resources below.
QUESTION & ANSWER
Your Log Book Exercises
Head to your log book to see the activities in relation to module 5.
Impact Log Book - Module 5
Additional study
Here are some additional resources we find thought provoking, clarifying and at times even inspirational:
Huber Social’s Published Reports
A Playbook for Designing Social Impact Measurement, Standford Social Innovation Review, 21 Dec 2018
If you have any questions or thoughts that will be relevant to all those on their accreditation journey please ask away and we will post a Huber Social Academy response below.