Best practices

When I learn something new, I have a tendency to get excited and want to make a bunch of changes all at once. Over time, I have learned that this is not the most effective or sustainable way for me to implement new practices. So here’s my suggestion: while going through this page, take notes about what can be improved on your measurement efforts. Turn the notes into a list organized by priority and work on one at a time. Also take notes about what you are doing well! These are practices to be kept and, honestly, celebrated.

Data quality

There’s a step between collecting and analyzing data that is often overlooked. Before diving into searching for insights and answers, take a moment to check that you have quality data. That means checking if the data is accurate, complete, valid, consistent, reliable, relevant, and timely.

You can measure and create a report just about the data quality. But even if that’s not in your plans for the time being, keep these questions in mind when reviewing your data:

• Is the data accurate, complete, and free of errors?

• Did I measure what I actually intended to measure?

• Does the data have enough detail to present a fair picture?

• Do I have all the data I need to perform an analysis?

• Do I have up-to-date data when I need it?

• Is private information secure?

• Can I collect data of the same quality over time?

Informed consent

I often scroll past most terms and conditions pages without reading them and when it came time for me to add them to organizational surveys, it almost felt like I was creating a nuisance for participants. In talking to peers, I realized that I’m not alone. Most small to medium-sized nonprofits tend to overlook this practice. Things changed when one conversation challenged me to ask myself: if I strive to be ethical and transparent in all my interactions, why would data collecting be different?

Think about it – wouldn't you want to know how your personal information is used and stored? Our clients and participants do, too! By giving them the heads-up, you're showing them respect and empowering them to decide which information they share. And let me tell you, data gains a whole new depth when gathered through respectful and transparent processes.

Not to say that those long and overlooked terms and conditions suddenly look fun to me. They still don’t. But I now see the importance of having them as part of our processes. And they don’t always need to be several pages long. I encourage you to reach out to your legal team to understand what needs to be there and what ways you can phrase the consent form so that it’s clear, concise, and complete.

Looking back at your practices, consider if those you gather data from are aware of why, how, and where their information will be used and kept. The heart of informed consent is the empowerment of individuals, and as organizations dedicated to creating social value, ethical data handling is an implicit part of our mission.

Leading questions

When deciding what to ask in order to get the information you want, it’s important to remember that the words we use matter. How you phrase a question, or even the order in which the questions are asked, influences the responses that will be given.

Sometimes we do that intentionally. If we have a specific format that you want that answer to be given, you can use questions like “in 1 word” or “choose the option”. Or if you want to ask about a sensitive topic like drugs, for example, before asking about someone’s use of drugs, you can start by asking how is the use of drugs in the community/family they live in.

The problem comes when our questions have implicit biases or assumptions that unintentionally influence the answer. The question "How has this program improved your life?" implicitly suggests that the program made their lives better, and it may lead participants to lean towards positive responses even if they have some negative feedback to share. Alternatively, you can ask “What was the impact of our program?”, creating space for a broader set of answers and allowing you to get a better picture of the reality.

The goal is to remain neutral and unbiased, creating questions that allow participants to express themselves and provide us with authentic insights. Approach data collection with an open mind and a growth mindset. When available to you, reach out to colleagues, team members, or a diverse set of participants for their thoughts on your surveys and other data collection methods.

Add to your routines

This may be the hardest part of all because most of us see data as daunting and time-consuming. We believe that the minutes it would take to enter the data from your last appointment could be better used for making a call to a client, responding to an email, or anything else, really. When we change our mindset to see that data can make us more efficient, effective, and empowered, it’s easier to fit into our day-to-day.

Find places where you can tweak your routine to care for your data. After meetings, interviews, or interactions, take a moment to update data. Look for natural intersections where data management can fit seamlessly, and turn it into a habit rather than a separate chore. Do the same to reflect on your data. If you only look at reports annually or when you have a presentation, it can become a large and overwhelming task. When you create regular pockets of time to sit with your findings and reflect on your results, not only do you become more responsive and able to see patterns, but those annual data reviews become more digestible and efficient.

To build a data-driven culture at an organizational level, create tools and processes that make it simple for team members to access and examine data. Ask two of your teammates these questions:

• What data would help you in making decisions?

• What is the main factor that keeps you from using data?

They will give you important information about where there’s space for change and improvement.