with a quality check
MEL indicator builder
See whether a stranger could measure it.
Try the builderThe film is unavailable. You can read what it shows below.
What the film shows, in words
- See whether a stranger could measure it.
- One indicator: what is counted, over what it is counted out of.
- “Improved employability skills among participants.” 2 errors. 67% fully defined.
- Say what is counted, out of what, and where the figure comes from: 0 errors.
- A baseline, even “not yet measured”. A target. 3 of 3 fully defined.
- Define it once, so anyone can measure it.
The demo: the worked example’s third indicator, one part at a time
ExampleA youth employment programme (illustrative). Nothing here touches your own work.
Step 1 of 5
Two indicators can be measured. The third cannot.
2 ÷ 3 = 67% fully defined. 2 errors to fix. Indicator 3 is a name with one word underlined and a frequency. Nothing else about it is defined.
Outcome indicator, measured as a percentage.
Improved employability skills among participants
FrequencyAnnually
split bynone stated
- Indicators
- 3
- Fully defined
- 67% (2 of 3)
- Errors to fix
- 2
Fully defined means nothing is missing. The tool does not judge whether an indicator is the right one.
The tool’s remarks for indicator 3
- Error to fixIndicator 3 is a percentage without a numerator and denominator.Define exactly what is counted on top and underneath.
- Error to fixIndicator 3 has no data source.
- WarningIndicator 3 has no baseline.“Not yet measured” is an honest baseline; blank is not.
- WarningIndicator 3 has no target.
- WarningIndicator 3 uses a word that needs defining (“Improved”).Say what counts as improved, and how it is measured.
Now your own indicators, one at a time.
Define each indicator properly: level, unit, numerator and denominator, baseline, target, source, frequency and disaggregation. The checker rejects percentages without a numerator and denominator and turns complete indicators into reference sheets.
What you type stays in this browser, on this device. Nothing is sent.
The whole check, and every reference sheet
Every remark the tool has against any indicator, then each sheet as it would be written today.
Quality check
- Gap: Indicator 3 is a percentage without a numerator and denominator.Define exactly what is counted on top and underneath.
- Gap: Indicator 3 has no data source.
- Check: Indicator 3 has no baseline.“Not yet measured” is an honest baseline; blank is not.
- Check: Indicator 3 has no target.
- Check: Indicator 3 uses a word that needs defining (“Improved”).Say what counts as improved, and how it is measured.
Reference sheet 1: Percentage of graduates in work six months after completion
Level and unit
Outcome indicator, measured as a percentage.
Calculation
- Numerator: Graduates in paid work or self-employment at six months
- Denominator: All graduates who completed the course
Baseline and target
- Baseline: Not yet measured
- Target: 60% by 2028
Data
- Source: Tracer survey
- Frequency: Annually
- Disaggregation: Sex, age group, district
Reference sheet 2: Number of young people completing training
Level and unit
Output indicator, measured as a number.
Baseline and target
- Baseline: 0
- Target: 1,200 by 2028
Data
- Source: Attendance registers
- Frequency: Quarterly
- Disaggregation: Sex, age group
Reference sheet 3: Improved employability skills among participants
Level and unit
Outcome indicator, measured as a percentage.
Calculation
- Numerator: NOT DEFINED
- Denominator: NOT DEFINED
Baseline and target
- Baseline: missing
- Target: missing
Data
- Source: missing
- Frequency: Annually
- Disaggregation: none stated
Your indicators, as they stand
- Indicators
- 3
- Fully defined
- 67% (2 of 3)
- Errors to fix
- 2
Fully defined means nothing is missing. It does not mean an indicator is the right one for your programme.
Your editable template
Indicator reference sheets, by email once delivery is connected.
Indicator reference sheets (DOCX) with missing definitions flagged
Tool: MEL indicator builder Result: 3 indicators · 67% defined Request: please review the indicators and scope MEL framework design (SVC-017).Send as a brief
Three rules, and their limits.
The rules are published so you can check them. The first is the one the whole page is drawn from.
- 01
Percentages and ratios must name both the numerator and the denominator; otherwise they are rejected.
- 02
Every indicator needs a data source; missing baselines and targets are warnings.
- 03
Undefined quality words (improved, effective, quality) and double-barrelled indicators are flagged.
- 04
Once any indicator says what it shows, names an owner or names a comparison period, every indicator needs an owner; attendance or completion counted above output level is an error; and an indicator that claims an improvement (an outcome or impact with a target, or a name or target with a word such as “increase” or “reduce”) needs a comparison period.
- 05
A baseline nobody has measured is unknown, not zero: a change set against it is flagged, and so is a baseline of zero on an outcome with no period it was measured in. These are plain word matches.
What it cannot tell you
- It checks definitions, not whether the indicator is the right one for your theory of change.
- Donor formats vary; map the fields to your donor’s template.
- It does not collect or store any data.
- A count of people trained shows attendance. It is not evidence of competence at work or of a better service.
“Data” in the last line means your programme’s data: the tool never receives a figure or a record. The indicators you type are a different thing. They are kept in this browser, on this device, until you press “Worked example”.
Quality ruleReject percentages without numerator and denominator.
When the indicators need a framework around them.
The builder checks one definition at a time. Whether these are the right indicators for your theory of change is a question for a person.
