Results-Based Management Tip Sheet No. 3.2 – Outcomes, Indicators, Baseline, Targets and Actual Data: What’s the Difference?

This information is a companion to the Results-Based Management (RBM) for International Assistance Programming at Global Affairs Canada: A How-to Guide.

It provides an overview so that you can see the difference between outcomes, indicators, baseline, targets and actual data. This information provides an example of how these RBM components can be used in project reports.

Expected outcomes:

• Results are the same as outcomes.
• An outcome is a describable or measurable change that is derived from an initiative's outputs or lower level outcomes.
• Outcomes are qualified as immediate, intermediate or ultimate. Outputs contribute to immediate outcomes. Immediate outcomes contribute to intermediate outcomes, and intermediate outcomes contribute to ultimate outcomes. Outcomes are not entirely within the control of a single organization, policy, program or project. Instead they are within the area of the organization's influence.
• Outcomes are structured in a specific way. They start with an adjective describing the direction of change, followed by what will change, who will be affected by the change, and where^{Footnote 1} it will happen.

Indicators (performance indicators):

• Are a means of measuring actual outcomes and outputs to gauge performance of a project, program, etc.
• Can be qualitative or quantitative.
• Are composed of three elements: unit of measure, unit of analysis and context.
• Are neutral; they neither indicate direction of change, nor embed a target.
• Need to be disaggregated by sex, age, socio-economic status or any other category relevant to the indicator.
• Global Affairs Canada recommends a maximum of two indicators per output and 2-3 per outcome; ideally, at least one indicator should be quantitative and one qualitative.
• Note: The unit of measure should include the notion of proportionality, i.e., have both a numerator and a denominator, for example: "#/total" or "%/total".

Baseline data:

• Provides a specific value for an indicator at the outset of a project, program, etc.
• Should be disaggregated in the same way as its indicator.
• Is collected at one point in time and used as a point of reference.
• Is the basis upon which progress on or toward outcomes is measured or assessed.
• Is the foundation for setting realistic targets.

Targets:

• Specify a particular value, or range of values, for an indicator to be reached by a specific date in the future.
• Are projections or estimates; a target should be disaggregated in the same way as its indicator.
• As a set, illustrate what the project would like to achieve within a certain period of time in relation to one of its expected outcomes or outputs.
• Add further specificity and provide an end state to outputs and outcomes from the logic model (or result framework).
• Provide tangible and meaningful points of discussion for implementers with stakeholders.
• Belong only in the performance measurement framework: they should not appear in the expected outcome and output statements.
• Are not necessarily a single numerical value; in some cases, they can state a range.

Actual data:

• Is collected on the indicators identified in the performance measurement framework (or results framework) by the responsible person/organization, from a specific source, at a set frequency using the data collection method. These are all specified in the performance measurement framework (or results framework).
• Is used for analyzing the progress on or toward the expected outcomes, in comparison to baseline data and targets.
• Is used as evidence of progress towards or on the expected outcome, in the narrative of performance reports.

Example No. 1: Pulling it all Together^{Footnote 2}- A snapshot using one outcome and indicator from a five-year education project

Example No. 2: Using data collected on the indicators as evidence of progress toward the expected outcome in a narrative report