How indicators work

Every indicator in voi is built from the same handful of pieces: a definition, the questions that measure it, its answer options and scores, a calculation and a source. Each piece has its own page. This one covers where indicators come from and how they reach your study, so you can judge a suggested indicator, edit it with confidence, and understand exactly what it is measuring.

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Where indicators come from

Each indicator in voi’s library traces back to where it was originally defined. This may be a published scale, an academic paper, or a recognised framework. It does not trace back to a secondary report that happened to cite the original source. This means you can see exactly which standard your results map to. This matters when you report to a funder or a board that expects rigour. See Source & attribution for the four classifications that capture exactly how an indicator’s wording was sourced.

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Using the library in your study

You don’t browse the library directly. The library comes to you. When voi drafts your Theory of Change, it recommends indicators from the library for each outcome, already matched to what you’re trying to measure, with their matching questions attached. From there:

• Check the fit before you accept one. Read the indicator’s concept definition against your outcome. A similar-sounding indicator can measure something meaningfully different. See Defining an Indicator.
• Edit or replace what’s suggested. If an indicator or its question doesn’t quite match your project, edit the wording, swap it for a different one, or replace it entirely. See Plan.
• Weigh the classification, not just the name. A Scientific- or Institutional-source indicator gives you the strongest comparability with outside research and other studies using the same indicator; a Generated-from-source or Generated-by-user indicator can still be exactly right for your project, just with a narrower basis for comparison outside your own studies.
• Fill a genuine gap deliberately. When no library indicator fits an outcome strongly, voi writes a custom question rather than leaving the outcome unmeasured. A partial match still appears as a suggestion you can add yourself. See Choosing indicators. This is expected, and it is often the right call. It is worth knowing that this has happened when you review your guide.

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Comparing across organisations

Because every indicator in the library traces back to the same defined source regardless of which workspace uses it, results are comparable across organisations that use the same indicator. This comparability is what makes it possible for a fund or capital provider to measure impact across a portfolio. See Can funds or investors use voi across a portfolio?.