“What did we do?” is easy to answer. “What did we actually achieve?” is the real test. For over 30 years, we have successfully delivered projects for public administrations, organisations, and the public sector. Satisfied clients and positive feedback from target groups affirm our work. At the same time, we recognise that impact only reaches its full potential when it is systematically planned, made measurable, and actively managed throughout the project lifecycle within a robust impact reporting framework.
This is also reflected in the expectations and outcome-oriented approaches of our clients. The Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (BMDS), for example, has established its own dedicated unit for goal and impact management, drawing on dashboards, OKRs (Objectives & Key Results), and standardised reporting. How effective outcome orientation can work in practice has been examined by the research project “EValuate” conducted by Agora Digitale Transformation on behalf of the German federal government — including an analysis of three projects from the government’s digital strategy in which ifok was involved.
What is the OKR Method?
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results and is a method for clearly defining and measurably tracking goals within organisations. An Objective describes a qualitative goal (where we want to go), while Key Results describe measurable outcomes (how we know we are getting closer). OKR is typically applied in regular cycles (e.g. quarterly) to make goals visible and to jointly review progress.
Our project experience confirms: impact must not merely be documented after the fact — it must be strategically planned, continuously measured, and actively managed. In doing so, we have accumulated extensive experience with both OKR and IOOI (Input–Output–Outcome–Impact) and come to understand the limitations of each approach. OKR enables agile management, focus, and accountability, but in practice often leaves the connections between target group impact and our options for action implicit, and fails to give the outcome level the central importance it deserves. Moreover, the preconditions for achieving goals tend to be overlooked. IOOI provides a solid impact logic and makes results chains transparent, but data collection is demanding, as outcome and impact indicators often require longer time series and primary data (e.g. surveys). At the same time, IOOI lacks an explicit steering mechanism — in terms of roles, routines, and decision rules — for ongoing course corrections.
The key insight: what is needed is the best of both impact models — the long-term impact orientation and impact logic of IOOI, combined with the agile, operational management of OKR. Only in this way do short-term progress consistently contribute to long-term impact goals.
The ImpactChain Framework is a proprietary development by the team around Johannes Bayer, created on the basis of our project experience. The approach was developed from practice for practice, to strategically align and operationally manage outcome-oriented projects. The core idea: as an impact management framework, it combines OKR (Objectives & Key Results) with the IOOI impact logic and anchors both within the PDCA cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act). This creates a coherent logic for impact and management — from the strategic vision right down to individual measures. The goal is to make results chains explicit, render target group impact measurable, and ensure that progress consistently contributes to long-term impact objectives over time.
What is the IOOI Model?
The IOOI model is an impact model that structures the relationships between resources, activities, and outcomes: Input describes the resources deployed (e.g. time, budget, expertise), Output the services delivered (e.g. offerings, products, events), Outcome the intended changes in target groups, and Impact the long-term societal effect. IOOI is used to present and measure results chains in projects or programmes in a transparent and comprehensible way.
Define the Impact North Star(s)
The starting point is an Impact North Star — a clear statement of intended impact for a project, initiative, or organisation. It is not measurable in itself, but sets the strategic direction: What societal difference do we want to make?
2. Derive Outcome Key Results for the Overall Project
Building on the North Star, Outcome Key Results are formulated: What measurable changes do we want to achieve among our target groups in order to move closer to the North Star? → Result: measurable outcome indicators that make target group impact visible.
3. Determine Output Key Results (and Subsequently Input)
Next come Output Key Results: Which measures or services are the greatest lever for achieving the desired outcomes? This is followed by clarifying the input: What resources, preconditions, and capabilities do we need to reliably deliver the output? → Result: A lever design from input through output to outcome — connected to the Impact North Star.
4. Break Down Results Chains to Sub-Projects/Measures
Results chains are scaled consistently — down to the level of individual measures or sub-projects:
Goals and results chains only develop their full potential when they become part of day-to-day working practice. A well-formulated objective or a coherent results chain is not enough if it is not regularly used, reviewed, and adapted. Two things are decisive:
1. Develop Goals & Key Results from Within the Teams
Impact objectives and key results must be formulated by the responsible teams of sub-projects and measures in collaborative workshops. This creates clear ownership, professional alignment, and a realistic perspective on levers (output) and preconditions (input). Only when teams understand their key results as their own steering variable will they be used in practice — rather than maintained purely for reporting purposes.
2. A Consistent PDCA Cycle, Integrated into Existing Routines
The PDCA cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act) must be lived reliably and integrated into existing structures — regardless of whether the work is agile (e.g. sprint reviews/retrospectives) or traditional (e.g. regular team meetings, milestone reviews). Regularity and commitment are key:
The ifok ImpactChain Framework is not a theoretical construct — it is an approach that has grown directly from our project practice. Time and again, its application demonstrates that our impact management framework creates orientation from the very start: both in developing tailored solutions and in setting up new projects. The consistent guiding questions — “Why are we doing this?” and “What is our greatest lever?” — provide focus and prevent teams from pulling in different directions, especially in complex undertakings. Teams also identify early on whether their outputs are actually triggering the desired outcomes, allowing them to steer proactively, refine measures, and direct resources where the greatest leverage lies. Over time, the focus shifts noticeably from output to outcome: less “What did we do?”, more “What did we achieve?”
The ImpactChain Framework also enables on-demand transparency: a dashboard allows the overall impact as well as the impact of individual measures to be viewed at any time — independently of reporting or iteration cycles. In the public sector in particular, this is a clear advantage, for example in the context of accountability obligations or short-notice communication needs. Data quality is highest when collection is part of daily work and supported by automation.
At the same time: change takes time. There is a natural tendency to start by discussing costs or activities rather than consistently thinking from goals and results chains. The ifok ImpactChain Framework establishes this rational logic sustainably — and changes external communication in the process: away from activity reports towards impact reports that show what was truly achieved.
Making impact visible and manageable
The ImpactChain Framework makes results chains explicit (Input → Output → Outcome → Impact) and consistently aligns key results with changes for target groups. This makes impact demonstrable — and progress can be not only reported but actively managed.
Acting in the short term, achieving impact in the long term
With the Impact North Star and a lived PDCA cycle, short-term OKR results demonstrably contribute to strategic impact objectives. Teams recognise early whether outputs are generating the desired outcomes, and can fine-tune levers accordingly.
Transparency on demand
A shared dashboard provides information on overall impact and individual measures at any time — independent of reporting cycles. This creates reliability for accountability obligations and improves external communication.
What it requires
The ifok ImpactChain Framework is iterative, not a one-off project: team commitment, a willingness to learn, and reliable data maintenance (ideally semi- or fully automated) are essential. The initial investment pays off in better prioritisation, more efficient management, clearer decisions, and a noticeably stronger impact focus — and, in the long run, in better results.
If you want to not only document impact, but strategically achieve and continuously manage it, the ifok ImpactChain Framework is the right framework — proven in practice, data-driven, and compatible with your existing structures. As the developers of the framework and partners in numerous public sector projects, we offer methodological leadership and operational implementation strength: from goal definition and results chains to a lived PDCA cycle. Get in touch — we will show you how our ImpactChain Framework can be put to work quickly in your organisation and deliver measurable results.
Lead Expert
D&PST I ifok.digital
Das ImpactChain-Framework ist eine Eigenentwicklung von ifok aus dem Team um Johannes Bayer. Es ist aus unserer Projektpraxis entstanden und verbindet OKR, IOOI und PDCA zu einem integrierten Impact Management Framework für wirkungsorientierte Steuerung.
OKR fokussiert auf Zielerreichung und operative Steuerung, greift Wirklogik und priorisierte Handlungsoptionen sowie Voraussetzungen aber oft nur implizit auf. Das ImpactChain-Framework erweitert OKR um eine explizite Wirkungslogik (IOOI) und verankert Ziele im PDCA-Zyklus. So wird OKR zu einem Instrument für wirkungsorientierte Steuerung.
Durch die IOOI-Logik werden Key Results konsequent entlang der Wirklogik von Input – Output – Outcome – Impact ausgerichtet. Damit wird sowohl die Veränderung bei der Zielgruppe gemessen als auch die konkreten Handlungen, die zu diesen Veränderungen geführt haben. Die Teams entwickeln dadurch priorisierte Handlungslogiken, die direkt auf die übergreifenden Ziele ausgerichtet sind.
PDCA macht wirkungsorientierte Steuerung zum festen Bestandteil des Projektalltags: Ziele werden geplant, Maßnahmen umgesetzt, Wirkung regelmäßig überprüft und bei Bedarf angepasst. So entsteht ein kontinuierlicher Lern und Steuerungskreislauf statt punktueller Wirkungsmessung am Projektende.
Ja. Das ImpactChain-Framework ist sektorenübergreifend einsetzbar, da es nicht an spezifische Organisationsformen oder Governance-Logiken gebunden ist. Es eignet sich besonders für verwaltungstypische Steuerungsanforderungen, wirkungsorientierte Programme von NGOs sowie strategie- und wirkungsbezogene Vorhaben in Unternehmen.
Nein. Ein Dashboard ist kein Muss, unterstützt aber eine wirkungsorientierte Steuerung in Echtzeit. Entscheidend ist, dass Wirkungsdaten regelmäßig erhoben und im PDCA-Zyklus genutzt werden. Dashboards erhöhen Transparenz, Verbindlichkeit und Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit – besonders in komplexen Vorhaben.
Das ImpactChain-Framework verbindet strategische Wirkungsausrichtung mit operativer Steuerung. Es schafft Fokus, fördert Eigenverantwortung in Teams, macht Wirkung kommunizierbar und ermöglicht effizientere Entscheidungen. Damit verschiebt sich der Blick von „Was haben wir gemacht?“ zu „Was haben wir erreicht?“ – der Kern wirkungsorientierter Steuerung.
