Section 3: Introduction: Communication for Social Change: An Integrated Model for Measuring the Process and Its Outcomes

Social Change Outcome Indicators

Introduction

As explained in the previous section, indicators can be used by three types of evaluators depending on their purposes. In this section we provide a description of indicators for each of the outcomes of social change. Within each outcome, indicators vary by level of difficulty and type of data-collection method. Some are qualitative and others are quantitative measures. As explained before, no one would be expected to use all of the indicators for each outcome. A variety is included so that each evaluator can choose the one that best fits his/her purpose and resources. For example, leaders who are in touch with members of their community can readily get a sense from talking to people of how satisfied everyone was after the project is completed. They would also know how willing everyone would be to start another project. This constitutes an informal measure of cohesion as groups usually experience it. However, a change agent might need an indicator that is representative of all members of the community and not just rely upon the opinions of leaders, even though the leaders may be correct. So, change agents may want to collect information on their own in a more systematic manner. The social scientists may want to use one of the numerical scales of cohesion described below in order to get an aggregate measure, such as an average cohesion score. This way they can assess how much cohesion is increasing or decreasing after each process of dialogue and collective action is completed. All three of these methods yield an indication of cohesion but they serve different purposes.