By the end of my first onboarding session at Databoom, the header of my lined notepad was filled with acronyms—CSR, ESG, MEL—to me no more than an incomprehensible bowl of alphabet soup, a lettered coding sequence that the members of my new team were already programmed with. At least, I thought, I could confidently nod along to words like “strategy,” “insight,” and “communication.” While I wasn’t wrong per se, my first month at Databoom proved I had a lot to catch up on.
Just as my team members (and trusty search engines) were kind enough to fill me in, here’s a beginner’s guide to diving into the world of development issues, data analytics, and the tools being used by the people trying to change the world.
First up, the coding sequence:
CSR = Corporate Social Responsibility
A self-regulating business model wherein companies choose to go beyond the profit-driven bottom line. These businesses recognize their resources and capacity for change, taking steps to contribute to the people and planet, while still pursuing corporate goals.
↳ Need an example? Check out the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Safe Water Initiative and how we helped them share their story.
ESG = Environmental, Social, and Governance
A prefix for “factors,” “issues,” “strategy,” or “motivation,” ESG is an increasingly prioritized concept that reflects a rise in expectations and accountability for how an organization (1) affects and interacts with the natural world, (2) treats people both internally and externally, and (3) is run and held accountable.
KPI = Key Performance Indicator
A method of measuring progress and/or success toward defined goals and objectives, adding clarity and signaling achievement throughout a project.
MEL = Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Frameworks with flexible processes and tools that allow companies, agencies, organizations, and foundations to track their progress (Monitoring) and assess their impact (Evaluation). The data generated from these processes allows groups to continually improve and adapt their practices to improve sustainability and results.
↳ Sometimes M&E, MLE, MEAL (A = Accountability), MERL (R = Research) are used. Regardless of the acronym, every framework we generate and implement at Databoom is inherently evidence-driven and committed to equitable change.
↳ Want to see it in action? Check out how we created an M&E framework for ChildFund to help them quadruple their annual reach.
ROI = Return on Investment
The measurable benefits or impacts of a program relative to the resources invested.
↳ Beyond economic profit, returns can be social, environmental, and/or institutional
Then came the harder part: editing the codes I came pre-programmed with. They weren’t incorrect (no error messages or 404s here), but rather they needed an extension—a “yes, and” to understand these terms in new contexts, with new approaches.
Communication
Words, visuals, audio conveying information.
↳ Yes, and…an accessible, polished, and precise pathway of sharing stories. Communication comes in every shape, size, and format—from a simple email to a full-blown campaign. When communicating globally for health and development, we work to spread messages worth hearing, even if the world didn’t know it was ready to listen.
Impact
A (typically) meaningful effect of one thing on another.
↳ Yes, and…the longer-term, bigger development issue to address. It’s the direct, observable change that’s attributable to a program, an accumulation of programmatic outcomes and improved well-being. Or intellectual influence—policy, ideas, agenda-setting. Most importantly, impact starts with listening, progresses via change-making, and hopefully, doesn’t come to an end.
Insight
A look past the curtains, a deeper understanding of a situation, problem, or reality.
↳ Yes, and…the small details, rows of data, and personal testimonies that come together to find the heart of why. Insights are at the heart of change-making, translating data into keen perceptions and patterns used to move initiatives forward.
Strategy
A plan, a focused effort, steps taken with thought-out intention to achieve a desired result.
↳Yes, and…an adaptable, evidence-based method of approaching issues big and small. Successful strategies are value-aligned and forward thinking, with the ability to anticipate and respond to change.
Sustainability
The capacity to endure over time.
↳ Yes, and…a commitment to and creation of systems that don’t just last, but evolve with resilience and responsibility. Sustainable solutions continue without their creators, establishing a legacy that transforms the progress of today into the potential of tomorrow.
Learning the language of development hasn’t been about memorizing definitions—it’s about unlearning assumptions, expanding meaning, and making space for nuance (and alright, some memorization of acronyms). Each new term is an expansion of the way I interpret the everyday aspects of this field. And while I still scribble away in the headers of my notepad, it’s not just a cheat sheet, but a living glossary of the work we do and the world we’re working to shape.
