Sinzer software was initially focussed on the ‘standardized’ Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology for social impact measurement. We developed and keep on improving our software solution for SROI that is now an international standard, reviewed by Social Value International. 

Many of our customers and prospects are less focussed on the SROI method for impact measurement. They have been developing their own impact measurement framwork to match their specific needs. Early 2015 Sinzer introduced a first version of the Strategic Impact Framework (SIF). This framework is now maturing as features are added for the different customers using it. SIF now allows for many types of applications for impact management.

Some of the common applications for SIF we have seen

• Impact investors can measure (standardised) indicators for input, output and outcomes. Their custom Strategic Impact Famework allows them to structure, monitor and report their impact of their investees. Example customers for this application are impact investors Noaber Foundation and Aglaia Biomedical Ventures that have developed their own framework and are measuring their results using Sinzer. Donwload there case studies via the links. 
• Charities that offer services to a community can monitor the impact they are creating on a specific target audience by measuring the before- and after scores of a set of metrics. These metrics can be based on standardized questionnaires or indicators such as those published by the Global Value Exchange or on metrics that are specific to the impact goals of the charity. An example of this is the use of Sinzer as an ‘Impact and Data Management Tool’ for Aleron (a social impact consultancy firm) who are setting up this tool for a UK charity via the Impact Readiness Program.
• Foundations that offer grants to many different projects can have individual projects measure the impact they are creating. The foundation can evaluate if the impact goals of the projects are aligned with the foundation's goals and can give guidance to projects to improve their impact. An example customer is the Dutch VSB foundation.

Each of these users require a specific set of features. The choice of these features and community settings is made to suit the specific needs of the customer.

The SIF framework is built using the following concepts

1. Building blocks that are created in the management layer of the system, the community level, are the core of it’s flexibility. They allow customers to create one or more frameworks in each community. Aggregating results of different projects is also based on comparing results on similar building blocks
2. Frameworks and templates are built using the community building blocks. In templates the building blocks start to contain the indicators or measurement units such as targets/goals etc. Each building block will, later on the level of the project, be able to show combined data for multiple indicators or projects on the dashboards
3. Accounts are set up in a community. In an account, the account manager can create multiple projects and assign projects to specific project administrators.
4. Projects are created using the templates. Data can be entered manually by the project admin(s) and analyzed. Exports can be created of the achievements in a project including all survey results in a Word or Excel format
5. Dashboards are created automatically based on the buidling blocks and the template. Filters can be applied to ‘slice and dice’ the data for analysis. Custom charts can be created and saved by the customers at the project- and aggregation levels in order to visualize key data in a way appliccable for the projects
6. Surveys can be used to get data into a project by inviting survey individuals to contribute their data. Survey data is reviewed by the project administrator before it is accepted in the building blocks.
7. Individuals can either be of the ‘simple’ type where they contain a first name, last name and email address. We are currently working on a more ‘complex’ building block that allows for information like ‘gender’, stakeholder type, or any data needed for individuals. When this work is done we’ll provide some real-live examples of the uses of this new building block for evaluating the effectiveness of care- or social interventions as well as for impact investment organisations managing a portfolio of companies.
8. Aggregations of data from multiple projects is done at the community level. Typical uses of aggregation are to compare projects or to combine data from a few similar projects. Aggregated results can be exported to Excel as well as Word.  
9. User management is done both at the Community- and the Account level as well as in the project. Different types of users exist. Users can be invited to join Sinzer via email by the community-, account or project admin(s).

Continuous updates

As we are adding features to SIF for new customers we allow for existing communities to either choose to add the new feature to their community as well, or keep their existing featureset.

Interested in how SIF could help you measure & manage impact? Request a free demo!