Cultural organisations increasingly want to understand and demonstrate the impact they create, both culturally and in wider society. Yet translating mission and strategy into concrete, measurable change is not straightforward. IDEA Consult therefore guided a group of Dutch cultural organisations through a joint learning trajectory using the Takso outcome planning platform, not only to measure impact more effectively, but above all to embed impact thinking in strategy, project development, implementation and evaluation.

Challenge

Governments, foundations and funders increasingly ask cultural organisations to demonstrate their impact. At the same time, organisations themselves want a better understanding of how they can create meaningful change. In practice, this is not easy: time and resources are limited, shared frameworks and integrated approaches are often lacking, and impact thinking is not always embedded in organisational culture or decision-making. As a result, impact measurement can feel complex, technical or disconnected from day-to-day work.

IDEA Consult addressed these challenges through a joint learning trajectory with 11 Dutch cultural organisations, using Takso’s outcome planning approach. The trajectory focused on shifting mindsets, providing a clear structure and strengthening the skills needed to plan, monitor and strengthen impact.

Approach & results

The trajectory was structured around the Takso outcome planning platform. Takso was developed by the Cultural Development Network in Australia, with which IDEA Consult collaborates on the further development of Takso in Europe. A key building block is the Takso Framework of Measurable Outcomes of Cultural Engagement. It defines 22 potential outcomes across five impact domains – cultural, social, economic, environmental and governance-related – and clarifies the changes cultural activities can generate for participants. The framework helps organisations identify and clearly articulate the changes they want to contribute to. The Takso platform then integrates these outcomes directly into the planning process, embedding outcome-oriented thinking from the outset in how activities are designed, substantiated, monitored and evaluated.

The trajectory combined plenary learning sessions, practical assignments and feedback sessions, enabling participants to apply each step to a concrete activity in their own organisation. They moved from defining values, objectives and intended outcomes, gathering evidence and developing a Theory of Change, to designing activities and evaluation plans, collecting and analysing data, and reflecting on what had actually changed.

This approach helped organisations make more deliberate choices: rather than trying to measure everything, they learned to determine in advance what matters most. By developing a Theory of Change, they made strategic choices based on evidence and explicit assumptions. Evidence was no longer used only for retrospective accountability, but also at the outset to inform learning and decision-making. Evaluation shifted from checking whether activities had been delivered to examining whether the intended change had occurred, understanding why it had or had not, and adapting the approach accordingly.

Impact thinking became more visible within the participating organisations, while the outcomes framework helped structure conversations about impact. A more shared vocabulary emerged, and participants reported asking the ‘why’ question more critically when considering existing activities and strategic choices. The trajectory clearly strengthened their strategic thinking.

The main lesson? Impact-oriented working is not an additional layer of measurement added on top of a project. It is a way of designing better projects and strategies. By defining intended outcomes clearly in advance, substantiating assumptions and strategies, and monitoring change throughout the process, organisations create a continuous cycle of planning, implementation, learning and adaptation.

As a pilot, the trajectory also generated important insights that will inform the further development of both Takso and IDEA Consult’s outcome planning approach in Europe.

Curious to see how Takso works in practice? IDEA Consult would be happy to provide a demonstration and explore how the platform can support your organisation in planning, monitoring and evaluating impact.