Understand your evidence
Learn what different types of data can tell you about your work.
your findings
trends or themes and combine
numbers with people’s experiences.
A simple overview
From information to insights
Make sense of your data
Six simple steps
Follow this process to understand your findings, strengthen your evidence and identify the impact of your work.
What data have you collected?
Consider the different types of data you have:
- Quantitative (numbers and statistics)
- Qualitative (feedback, experiences and stories)
Example: Attendance figures, survey results, quotes and case studies.
What patterns can you see?
Look through your evidence and identify:
- Common themes or trends
- Evidence of change
- Differences between groups or over time
Example: Participants frequently report increased confidence and reduced isolation.
What does all the evidence tell you?
Bring together different types of information:
- Use numbers to show scale and reach
- Use stories and feedback to add context
- Identify learnings and areas for improvement
Example: 80% of participants reported improved confidence, supported by feedback and stories.
What difference has your work made?
Review your findings and consider:
- Have you achieved the outcomes you expected?
- What has worked well?
- What has changed for the people you support?
Remember: Focus on what the evidence tells you, not what you hope it says.
How confident are you in your findings?
Add context and credibility by:
- Comparing results with previous years
- Using local, national or sector data
- Being clear about any limitations
Example: Response rates were lower than expected, but findings reflect wider sector trends.
What is the wider value of the change created?
Some organisations choose to explore:
- Social value
- Cost savings
- Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Example: Helping people remain independent may reduce the need for more costly support services.
Plain English explanations
Quick jargon buster
Useful terms used when understanding your findings.
Quantitative data
Numbers and statistics
Information that can be counted or measured, such as attendance figures, survey scores or percentages. Quantitative data helps show scale, reach and measurable change.
Qualitative data
Stories and experiences
Information that helps explain people’s views, experiences and journeys, such as quotes, interviews and case studies. Qualitative data helps show how and why change happens.
Evidence
The information you collect
The combined information you use to understand and demonstrate your impact. This can include numbers, feedback, observations, stories and research.
Findings
What your evidence tells you
The patterns, themes and insights that emerge when you analyse your information.
Useful things to know
Understanding samples and sample sizes
You do not always need feedback from everyone who uses your service.
A sample is a smaller group of people selected to represent the wider group you support. Sampling is a practical and widely accepted way of collecting evidence, particularly when time and resources are limited.
A sample may include:
- everyone taking part in a particular activity
- a random selection of service users
- a specific group, such as carers, volunteers or young people.
Remember
A sample can provide valuable insights, but it will never represent everyone perfectly. Be clear about who took part, how many responses you received and any limitations this may create.
Using different types of evidence
Strong impact reporting rarely relies on a single source of information.
The most useful evidence often combines:
- numbers that show scale and reach
- feedback that explains people’s experiences
- stories and case studies that bring outcomes to life
- observations from staff, volunteers or partners.
Example
Survey results may show that 80% of participants felt more confident, while a case study explains what that increased confidence looked like in practice.
Strengthening small samples
Small organisations can still produce meaningful and credible evidence.
If only a small number of people respond, you can strengthen your findings by:
- collecting feedback regularly over time
- using more than one method of data collection
- comparing findings with other sources of evidence
- looking for consistent themes across different data sources.
Remember
A small sample is not a weakness if you are transparent about your methods and limitations.
Comparing your findings
Looking at your results in isolation can make them difficult to interpret.
Adding context can help you understand whether your findings are significant.
You might compare your results with:
- previous years’ data
- local statistics
- national research
- sector benchmarks
- similar organisations.
Ask yourself:
- are outcomes improving over time?
- how do results compare with wider trends?
- are there any surprising differences?
Understanding social value and SROI
Some organisations choose to estimate the wider value of their work using approaches such as Social Return on Investment (SROI).
This involves assigning a financial value to outcomes and comparing that value to the cost of delivering a service.
For example, a service that helps older people remain independent may reduce demand for more expensive forms of support.
Remember
Measuring social value can provide useful evidence, but it is only one way of understanding impact. Stories, feedback and outcomes remain equally important.
Review and improve
Understanding your findings is not just about reporting results. It is an opportunity to learn from your work and identify ways to make an even greater difference.
Use what you have discovered to:
- improve activities and services
- make informed decisions about future work
- identify gaps or areas for development
- demonstrate impact to funders, partners and communities.
Impact measurement works best as a continuous cycle. The insights you gain today can help strengthen your planning, delivery and impact in the future.
Next guide
Use national and useful data.
