2015 1990 1 Module 6: Properties of Indicators Tools for Civil Society to Understand and Use Development Data: Improving MDG Policymaking and Monitoring

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Properties of IndicatorsProperties of Indicators

Tools for Civil Society to Understand Tools for Civil Society to Understand and Use Development Data: and Use Development Data:

Improving MDG Policymaking and Improving MDG Policymaking and MonitoringMonitoring

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What you will be able to do by What you will be able to do by the end of this module:the end of this module:

• Understand the difference between quantitative Understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative indicators, and how to interpret and qualitative indicators, and how to interpret themthem

• Understand the role of quantitative indicators in Understand the role of quantitative indicators in monitoring MDGsmonitoring MDGs

• Be familiar with the properties that good Be familiar with the properties that good indicators should haveindicators should have

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Qualitative vs. Quantitative TargetsQualitative vs. Quantitative Targets

• Qualitative (Qualitative (E.g., Belarus MDG Target 3.1: Eliminate E.g., Belarus MDG Target 3.1: Eliminate practices of gender discrimination in employment and practices of gender discrimination in employment and expand economic opportunities for womenexpand economic opportunities for women))

- Indirectly measurable- Indirectly measurable

- May be statement of opinion or feeling- May be statement of opinion or feeling

- Often multi-dimensional- Often multi-dimensional

• Quantitative (Quantitative (E.g., Moldova MDG Target 4.1: Reduce E.g., Moldova MDG Target 4.1: Reduce infant mortality from 18.5 per 1,000 live births in 2006 infant mortality from 18.5 per 1,000 live births in 2006 down to 16.3 in 2010 and 13.2 in 2015down to 16.3 in 2010 and 13.2 in 2015))

- Directly measurable- Directly measurable

- One-dimensional- One-dimensional

- Types: counts, continuous- Types: counts, continuous

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Quantitative ExampleQuantitative Example

Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank, 2008Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank, 2008

Gross secondary enrollment ratio

80

85

90

95

100

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

% o

f to

tal

po

pu

lati

on

of

the

corr

esp

on

din

g a

ge

Belarus Moldova

Belarus – 100%

Moldova – 98%

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Qualitative ExampleQualitative Example

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Indicators Require ValuesIndicators Require Values

• Indicators can only be used for assessment if Indicators can only be used for assessment if some values are attached to themsome values are attached to them

- No MDG3 target values for 2015 in Belarus and - No MDG3 target values for 2015 in Belarus and MoldovaMoldova

• Quantitative indicators have numeric valuesQuantitative indicators have numeric values

• Qualitative indicators require well-defined, Qualitative indicators require well-defined, unambiguous descriptive or ordered valuesunambiguous descriptive or ordered values

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MDG IndicatorsMDG Indicators

These are all These are all quantitativequantitative indicators indicators

For the purposes of the MDGs we need to be For the purposes of the MDGs we need to be able to able to directly and objectively measuredirectly and objectively measure movement towards the targetsmovement towards the targets

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Other IndicatorsOther Indicators

• Other indicators, both quantitative and qualitative, Other indicators, both quantitative and qualitative, are used at the national level to supplement are used at the national level to supplement MDGsMDGs

• Examples:Examples:

- - Share of foreign investments in total investments, Share of foreign investments in total investments, Programme of Social and Economic Development of the Programme of Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus 2006-2010Republic of Belarus 2006-2010

- GDP growth rate, Economic Growth and Poverty - GDP growth rate, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2004-2006, MoldovaReduction Strategy Paper 2004-2006, Moldova

• Qualitative indicators are useful for assessing, Qualitative indicators are useful for assessing, e.g., satisfaction with government policies, e.g., satisfaction with government policies, services provided by different agenciesservices provided by different agencies

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Properties of IndicatorsProperties of Indicators

Indicators should:Indicators should:

• Be Be sensitivesensitive: direct, unambiguous measures of : direct, unambiguous measures of changechange

- immunization coverage is less ambiguous than - immunization coverage is less ambiguous than household expenditure on healthhousehold expenditure on health

• Help us to observe different groups and areasHelp us to observe different groups and areas

• Different indicators will have different rates of Different indicators will have different rates of change and may be suitable for different time change and may be suitable for different time intervalsintervals

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Properties of Indicators (2)Properties of Indicators (2)


• Be chosen at the Be chosen at the appropriate level of appropriate level of disaggregationdisaggregation, depending on country , depending on country circumstances and on the intervention measuredcircumstances and on the intervention measured

• Disaggregation is typically done by: Disaggregation is typically done by:

- Geographic areas: urban/rural, administrative - Geographic areas: urban/rural, administrative unitsunits

- Demographic groups: by sex, by age, - Demographic groups: by sex, by age, by sex/age, by ethnicityby sex/age, by ethnicity

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• Be Be valid/specificvalid/specific: measure only what it is : measure only what it is intended to measureintended to measure

- Vehicle operating cost depends on road quality - Vehicle operating cost depends on road quality but also on many other factors, such as but also on many other factors, such as international petrol prices. Vehicle operating cost international petrol prices. Vehicle operating cost is therefore not a good indicator to measure is therefore not a good indicator to measure progress of the roads sector systemprogress of the roads sector system

• Be Be relevantrelevant for policy making and/or advocacy for policy making and/or advocacy

- Proportion of parliamentary seats held by - Proportion of parliamentary seats held by womenwomen

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• Be Be reliablereliable

- Scientific, objective indicators are more reliable - Scientific, objective indicators are more reliable than indicators which depend on the than indicators which depend on the interpretation of the userinterpretation of the user

• Come packaged with a stated measure of Come packaged with a stated measure of variability and description of any bias, whenever variability and description of any bias, whenever this is availablethis is available

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Indicators should be:Indicators should be:

• OperationalOperational: measurable and quantifiable: measurable and quantifiable

• Consistent with data available and the data Consistent with data available and the data collection capacitycollection capacity

- It is necessary to ensure that indicators will be - It is necessary to ensure that indicators will be measurable at the times and level selected and in measurable at the times and level selected and in line with the planned calendar of data collectionline with the planned calendar of data collection

• Better to have few, but good, well chosen and Better to have few, but good, well chosen and measurable indicators than many unreliable, measurable indicators than many unreliable, uncoordinated indicatorsuncoordinated indicators

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SummarySummary

• We have looked at quantitative and qualitative We have looked at quantitative and qualitative indicators, and how each of these are usedindicators, and how each of these are used

• We have discussed the suitability of quantitative We have discussed the suitability of quantitative indicators for monitoring MDGsindicators for monitoring MDGs

• We have listed the desirable properties of We have listed the desirable properties of indicatorsindicators

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Practical 6Practical 6

1.1. Review all of the MDG indicators in your countryReview all of the MDG indicators in your country

2.2. What time frame is covered by the MDG What time frame is covered by the MDG indicators in your dataset?indicators in your dataset?

3.3. What sub-populations have been included?What sub-populations have been included?

4.4. Identify two indicators for each of the following Identify two indicators for each of the following categories of indicators: Input, Output, Outcome, categories of indicators: Input, Output, Outcome, ImpactImpact

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Practical 6 (2)Practical 6 (2)

5.5. Are there any qualitative indicators in your MDG Are there any qualitative indicators in your MDG report or mid-term development strategy? If so report or mid-term development strategy? If so list two and explain whether they are examples of list two and explain whether they are examples of Input, Output, Outcome or Impact indicatorsInput, Output, Outcome or Impact indicators

6.6. Choose one indicator and discuss which actions Choose one indicator and discuss which actions might trigger progress in the area monitored by might trigger progress in the area monitored by the indicatorthe indicator

Documents

2015 1990 1 Module 6: Properties of Indicators Tools for Civil Society to Understand and Use Development Data: Improving MDG Policymaking and Monitoring