Image credits: Europeana DCH impact evidence bank workshop. Sebastiaan ter Burg, 2018. CC BY.
Why think about your impact?
It’s important to ask ourselves why it’s important to think about impact. You might be thinking about your impact because you’re trying to be more strategic and impactful in your work; or your donors might want more reporting or accounting.
Some high-level reasons for Europeana , for example, include demonstrating the value we create for the heritage sector, progressing our understanding of the digital transformation of the heritage sector and getting better at the things we do every day. These drivers - understanding your value, learning more, and making improvements , - might sound familiar to you.
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Why impact and digital transformation?
As we enter a period of the acceleration of the digital transformation of our heritage institutions and the lives of those who use and enjoy their data, it’s important that we must think about the impact we want to have through this procedure and ensure that we use resources effectively for the greatest good. For many, thinking strategically about digital transformation is new. And that’s where impact design and measurement can play an important role.
Importantly, however, we think We believe that thinking about impact has a big role to play in the context of is significant because digital transformation because digital should not be seen as an ‘end in itself’ , (the purpose of our work. Rather, thinking about impact helps us see impact ) but rather as the medium to create even more value for our audiences, using the tools that helps us . Tools to reach and learn from themusers can measure the impact of this new medium and help us improve.
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Why is it important to think about impact?
Move beyond metrics to think about deeper change
Stay relevant in a changing world - think from the perspective of your audience and respond to their feedback
Inform evidence-led decision-making and iterative improvement cycles
Inform strategies and ways ahead
Contribute to the bigger narrative about what is the value of (digital) cultural heritage and our your work
Help make change happen and make a better world
Contextualise your work (e.g. nationally, internationally) in comparison with others
Influence better policy making by creating more appropriate recommendations and advocacy narratives
Attract more funding and to help make your work more financially sustainable (and impactful for your audiences)
Identify gaps and capitalise on opportunities to create impact through your work
Improve your organisation’s processes and ways of learning processesand improving
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Watch our introductory webinar on Europeana Pro
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What is driving you to think about your impact? Let us know by emailing impact@europeana.eu!
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