Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning | A Guide for NHRIs in the Asia Pacific Module 2: Developing your MEAL Framework Section 2.5. Developing indicators, baselines and targets Indicators Baselines Targets Outcomes Inputs Activities Outputs MEAL Framework Problem/ issue Dependencies Assumptions Data types and sources Questions Indicators Indicators will help your NHRI measure whether you are progressing towards and/or achieving your outputs and outcomes over time. • Indicator: a specific metric used to measure the changes or progress your work is making towards achieving a specific outcome. There should be at least one indicator for each of your outputs and outcomes. You may wish to develop your own indicators, look at existing data to see what indicators are currently being used, or use a combination of both. The ‘Accountability’ part of MEAL also involves developing your indicators with those groups affected by the intended outcomes, ensuring they play a role (e.g. in relation to family violence, survivors may be best placed to help define what success looks like in the short, medium and long term). Indicators can be quantitative or qualitative. • Quantitative indicators: typically expressed in numbers (e.g. units, prices, proportions, percentages, rates of change and ratios). • Qualitative indicators: typically expressed in words (e.g. statements, paragraphs, stories, case studies and quotations).10 Most MEAL systems use a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators and data. The two are complementary. Quantitative indicators can support qualitative evaluation findings (such as a case study) by providing hard data to make a point. Qualitative information can also complement quantitative indicators by telling the story around the data, adding context and meaning. 38