The ultimate purpose of GDLN programs is to contribute to participating countries’ development. Therefore, the purpose of the Impact Assessment Committee is to evaluate and measure whether the Network’s activities have actually contributed to economic development in the broadest sense.

Although the aim may seem clear, it is overly general and, when one attempts to gauge the impact of programs on something so generic - and sometimes controversial - as development, many difficulties arise. How can we know whether the different courses and dialogues have actually contributed to economic development?

Economic and social development is manifested in many variables, and not always do all researchers and thinkers agree on what may be understood as development. Therefore, the GDLN approach must be prudent and highly selective.

It would seem unrealistic to think that we could find an immediate correlation between GDLN programs and GDP growth, per capita income, employment, the number of physicians per 1000 inhabitants or average years of schooling for the population at large, etc. - variables often used as references to measure development. The courses’ influence will be small, although qualitatively important, and the large variables measuring development are influenced by many factors. It will therefore be necessary to use other variables that will enable us to “measure” whether the GDLN’s actions have left their mark on medium- and long-term development.

The information required to reach an opinion as to the medium- and long-term effect of GDLN actions will have to be obtained from the program participants themselves. The persons who have taken part in these activities must report whether they have applied the knowledge they acquired, after at least a year has transpired. It is also important for them to give their opinion as to the medium-term usefulness of what they have learned. Bearing in mind that people are often hesitant to respond to mailed surveys, especially after some time has gone by since they took part in the programs, GDLN has implemented the only way of eliciting relevant information, through the “personal survey interview”, by personal visits or phone calls. GDLN uses questionnaires as the impact assessment instrument to evaluate Global Dialogues and courses that have been conducted by the GDLN-LAC Community.

Pilot Program of the Impact Assessment Committee
In its mission to gauge the impact of GDLN activities on development, the Committee has incorporated the following characteristics into measurement in order to conduct a pilot program to measure specific GDLN during the previous six months to one year. The pilot program will incorporate the following measurement characteristics:

• It must compile both quantitative and qualitative information.
• Surveys must have properly formulated questions, to elicit the necessary information in order to be able to introduce improvements.
• It must employ a sector-by-sector approach (e.g. health, social, etc.) because this will surely make it easier to obtain meaningful information and to interpret it in more restricted, specialized fields.
• Since the GDLN is a network, it must measure the capacity of GDLN activities to create learning networks among participants in our activities.
• New initiatives and projects must be identified that participants in GDLN activities have undertaken as a consequence of the training or information they have received.
• In addition to surveys, other information gathering instruments must be used flexibly, such as personal interview and working group meetings.

Work Plan within the Pilot Program

GDLN launched its Pilot Program on the basis of lists of activities that were distributed over six months ago within the GDLN, and with another list of activities done over a year ago. Among them, three activities were chosen to conduct the pilot testing for following up on their medium-term impact.

• Activities Selected: The activities that were chosen met the requirements of having been carried out between six and twelve months ago, representing different content providers, and focusing on the two main GDLN activities (courses and Global Dialogues).
• Work Schedule: GDLN established a work schedule on the basis of which the Committee’s Pilot Program Work Plan will be set and implemented.
• Recommendations to complete surveys: the Impact Assessment Committee offers recommendations to centers participating in the pilot activity to carry out surveys.