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For decades, organizations, governments, donors and businesses have struggled to understand their impact. Some have labored over what to measure, or collected too much, too little – or even inaccurate data. Others have have had trouble using the data they’ve gathered, or simply avoided the process altogether.

WDI’s Performance Measurement Initiative (PMI) designs and implements customized assessment solutions so organizations, nonprofits, businesses and other enterprises operating in low- and middle- income countries can better understand their economic, social and environmental performance and outcomes.

The PMI team collects data and expertly uses it to improve the effectiveness, scalability and sustainability of ventures. The team goes well beyond simple output-level (or economic) indicators and also assesses multidimensional outcomes such as changes in physical and/or psychological health, knowledge, self-esteem, aspirations, empowerment, interactions, social networks, home and/or local environment in addition to financial indicators such as income.

They do this by developing robust research designs, as well as quantitative and qualitative questionnaires and surveys that measure these indicators. PMI also carefully adapts its questions and data collection methods to the local context to ensure accurate and valuable data is collected.

The team has worked all over the world, from Asia and Africa to Latin America, and with a variety of partners, including those from the private, non-profit and government sectors. Their projects span a variety of areas, such as agribusiness, healthcare, information technology, renewable energy, housing, sanitation, impact sourcing and economic growth.

PMI also conducts research on how to strengthen monitoring, evaluation, research and learning systems, especially within the complex systems in which development occurs. And it leverages the expertise across different disciplines at the University of Michigan and collaborates with faculty who have developed unique tools and frameworks, and have a wealth of measurement experience.

Learn more about PMI and its work in this video.