Consider impact as the big, long-term goal that gives meaning and purpose to your work, as the driving force. Like the mission of an organization for a more tolerant and inclusive society or a more robust local economy. Whatever type of impact drives us, we can always learn from the journey and the changes we bring about along the way. Subsequently, we can use those lessons to improve ourselves.
The cultural sector: a natural environment for impact
We wouldn't be here if we didn't create something special or believe that culture can have an incredible effect on its creators and those who experience it. However, what we do less often is specifically think about what impact we have, what value that impact has for those for whom we create it, and how we can use the lessons we learn from it to enhance our impact.
In some cases, we have to do this due to funding agreements or broader policy frameworks. For instance, the Dutch government has made it a policy priority for cultural organizations to connect with their social environment, become more inclusive, and create more impact through digital transformation. Furthermore, cultural institutions must reflect on their societal relevance to qualify for government funding.
It may sound like we are being forced to think about impact, but often this naturally occurs in the hearts of culture makers and managers in the cultural sector.
"Art must do nothing, but it can do a lot."
Impact and digital transformation
Thinking about impact is a way to put your audience at the center of your planning. Digital is not an end in itself but a way to create new opportunities and value for your existing and future audience. It is a way to reach and attract a larger and more diverse audience. Thinking about impact is therefore a way to plan how you can use digital tools to better connect with your audience, increase your sustainability, integrate good practices, and develop an inclusive, high-quality, and stimulating creative program or project.
Measuring positive changes doesn't have to be difficult
We often find impact challenging. Challenging to plan, challenging to create, and challenging to measure. But by testing what we think we know about our impact, we can learn from both pleasant and uncomfortable findings and make improvements.
What we can reasonably measure is the value we create in our pursuit of our impact goal. We do this by measuring the changes in behavior and attitude – the outcomes – experienced by those who directly engage with our work in the short, medium, or long term. Additionally, we can do even more.
Evaluation or impact analysis?
It is clear that creative makers and organizations evaluate and improve their work. Through an impact analysis, they can enhance and build upon this approach. In an evaluation, you are not always focused on the change you create for your audience, and in an impact analysis, you do not always get the data you need to improve your activities. It’s not worth getting caught up in a battle of definitions, but it does prompt you to think about what you want to achieve and learn.
Start at the beginning
Most impact occurs after your project has concluded, but planning for it should happen from the start. Determine for whom you want to create impact and what major impact vision you aim to achieve. Then fill in the intermediate steps by mapping out the changes your audience should experience to establish the conditions for this impact. Think about where, when, and from whom you want to collect data. The impact module from the DEN Academy can assist you with this.
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