Collaboration Deserves a KPI of Its Own (Series#12)

In today’s results-driven world, impact measurement has become a cornerstone of project management—especially in development aid and CSR initiatives. KPIs are everywhere. They help us track progress, justify funding, and demonstrate accountability.

But here’s the catch: when we focus solely on fulfilling KPIs, we risk missing the bigger picture.

Are we measuring the right things? And is what we measure enough?

 

The Invisible Metric – Collaboration

One of the most powerful drivers of sustainable impact is collaboration. Yet, it’s often the least measured.

In many CSR and development projects, collaboration is assumed rather than assessed. But without understanding how people, ideas, and resources flow across a network, we can’t truly evaluate the strength—or the sustainability—of our efforts.

At SCN Kenya, a network analysis tool is used to measure the density of collaboration. It tracks:

What is shared within the network

How often stakeholders interact

How knowledge and materials scale from one center to another

This approach reveals the connective tissue that holds impact together.

If we don’t measure collaboration, we risk designing isolated solutions. We miss opportunities to scale, replicate, and adapt what works.

By integrating collaboration metrics into our impact frameworks, we can:

Identify bottlenecks and silos

Strengthen partnerships

Build more resilient systems

Because in the end, a network that isn’t measured won’t be managed—and certainly won’t be maximized.

 

Let’s Talk

How is your organization measuring collaboration? What tools or frameworks have you found effective?

Let’s start a conversation. Because the future of impact isn’t just about what we do—it’s about how we do it, together.