Working Group Five Indicators and Measurement: demonstrating and improving impact After deliberating the definition of "success" for a transparency regime, this group discussed the need for indicators and measurement of the progress andi impact of the right of access to information.  Additionally, it focused on the potential audience of the indicator and the costs and benefits.

Main considerations or areas of discussion Objectives and development / governance goals of ATI Timing issue – When is it too soon to measure impact? How often should we measure? Should we focus on implementation or impact? Questions to ask about successful implementation Methods of measurement of impact Actors who should assess Whether success should be measured against international standards What should be done with the results of the measurement?

Consensus on the crux of the issue Based on premise that ATI is a human right, the core definition of success is increased ability to access, through proactive disclosure and requests, and to freely use information; however, “success” also encompasses different development and governance goals, which require different measurements to monitor and evaluate impact. The ATI community should try to measure success to see if ATI regimes are working and to improve impact.

Recommendations and action points Develop and refine tools to measure ATI implementation and impact; focus on implementation first, and on impact over long-term Share ideas about measurement and indicators within ATI community (establish dedicated website on the subject and hold follow-on conference) Governments should keep annual statistics on implementation but measurement should be bi-annual Assessment should be carried out by local experts (NGOs, academics, etc.); there should also be government self-assessment (peer review)

Recommendations and action points (continued) Measure at sub-national level as well as national level, and across sectors, as well as against international standards In terms of methodology: Use both quantitative and qualitative methods Do process assessments over time to identify trends Be transparent about methodology (!) Use caution in linking ATI to broader development and governance goals: be rigorous Encourage international donors/NGOs/governments to make multi-year funding commitment to measurement