From SDGs to Strategy: Making Development Goals Measurable
SDGs are powerful, but only when translated into indicators, trade-offs, and accountability.
SDG language is everywhere: “quality education,” “decent work,” “reduced inequalities.” The problem is not ambition—the problem is measurement. If we cannot define success, we cannot learn what works.
A practical approach begins by converting broad goals into outcomes you can observe. For example, “quality education” can become attendance consistency, learning gains, teacher retention, or digital access—depending on the intervention.
The next step is acknowledging trade-offs. A program that scales quickly may sacrifice depth. A program that is highly targeted may miss those who are hardest to reach. Credible work documents these trade-offs and explains why a strategy fits the context.
Finally, impact communication should be responsible. Activity counts are not outcomes. A stronger standard is outcome evidence: what changed, for whom, and how do we know?