1. Mission Metrics:
Using An Agency-Wide Measurement
Approach to Understand
Emergency Response
Active Learning Network for Accountability and
Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP)
March 6, 2013
Barbara Willett Michael Wallace

2. What is Mission Metrics?
An agency initiative to
understand how we – collectively –
are achieving our mission.
Mission Statement
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering,
poverty and oppression by helping people
build secure, productive and just
communities.
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3. 3

4. Emergency Relief Services
Theme 1. Basic needs are met after loss-occurring
events (Basic Needs)
1.1 Number of people receiving emergency relief services
1.2 Number of households or individuals receiving emergency
relief services showing change in assessed conditions
1.3 Number or percentage of programs implementing emergency
relief services that have elements of recovery programming
within 90 days of the initial response
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5. Mission Indicators: How they work
Program
• Program indicators are Indicators
aligned with Mission Indicators
• Results are reported
• Data is reviewed for quality Mission
Indicator
and methodology
• Results aggregated, analyzed,
discussed, presented
• Recommendations for action AGENCY RESULTS
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6. Emergency Beneficiaries
4
Millions
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2
1
0
2010 2011 2012
Water & Sanitation Cash Health Shelter/NFI Food
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7. Emergency Types
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11. How to use the data?
Questions for discussion/investigation:
• Do the numbers seem accurate, or are we missing critical
information?
• Is it important to understand/distinguish acute versus chronic
emergencies?
• Wat/san is clearly our most important sector – do we have the
resources we need to support that?
• Should we work harder at measuring “change in assessed
condition”?
• Are there other emergency-related variables that should be
tracked?
• What about links to ‘community resilience to destabilizing
events’ (theme 2)? 12

12. Lessons Learned
Focus early on use – what questions do you want to answer?
Engage everyone you can in the process
Link closely to program M&E processes
Ensure quality IT and data management systems
Give it time to develop and dedicate ongoing resources to
maintain
Limit expectations
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13. Expand the Vision – Evidence
Mission
Metrics
M&E PM@MC
High
Quality, High
Impact Org
Research Programs Learning
Thought
Leadership
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