Lean Data puts the voice of low-income customers at the center

In 2019, 60 decibels was launched by Acumen to make Lean Data a global standard for impact measurement

We created Lean Data to understand how our investments improve the lives of low-income customers. Lean Data is an approach to impact measurement that focuses on speed, repeatability and comparability through the use of phone surveys. Seeing market demand for Lean Data, and envisioning a new standard in impact measurement, we spun off Lean Data as a separate social enterprise called 60 Decibels.

The Lean Data Approach

  • What is Lean Data?
    A fast, reliable customer-centric approach to impact measurement

    Fast-moving social enterprises, strapped for cash and time, face a conundrum when it comes to measuring social performance. Traditional measurement tools don’t make sense. They are either too costly because they were designed for large-scale aid or focus on typical business metrics that don’t get to the heart of impact. Lean Data leverages the power of low-cost technology and lean experimentation principles to collect high-quality data at a fraction of the time and cost of other methods.

  • Measuring What Matters
    We Listen to What’s Important to the People We Serve

    Our companies deliver critical products and services that enable low-income people to transform their lives. While the standard approach to impact measurement is to gather metrics on numbers of people reached, we measure the social benefits our customers experience from what our companies offer. We speak directly to customers to understand what matters to them because our success is defined by the meaningful change we create in the lives of the poor.

  • Data that Drives Action
    We collect data that helps us become smarter investors

    Working closely with our companies, we collect and analyze data to help them understand and, ultimately, improve their business to better serve low-income communities. Our aim is to unlock the full potential of our companies to ensure they are making a real, lasting difference in the lives of low-income people.

A fast, reliable customer-centric approach to impact measurement

Fast-moving social enterprises, strapped for cash and time, face a conundrum when it comes to measuring social performance. Traditional measurement tools don’t make sense. They are either too costly because they were designed for large-scale aid or focus on typical business metrics that don’t get to the heart of impact. Lean Data leverages the power of low-cost technology and lean experimentation principles to collect high-quality data at a fraction of the time and cost of other methods.

We Listen to What’s Important to the People We Serve

Our companies deliver critical products and services that enable low-income people to transform their lives. While the standard approach to impact measurement is to gather metrics on numbers of people reached, we measure the social benefits our customers experience from what our companies offer. We speak directly to customers to understand what matters to them because our success is defined by the meaningful change we create in the lives of the poor.

We collect data that helps us become smarter investors

Working closely with our companies, we collect and analyze data to help them understand and, ultimately, improve their business to better serve low-income communities. Our aim is to unlock the full potential of our companies to ensure they are making a real, lasting difference in the lives of low-income people.

Lean Data is transforming how companies and organizations understand impact

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Resources

Remote Survey Toolkit

Learn how to gather customer data, and discover top tips for remote surveying.  

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Listening During COVID-19

This report is the culmination of our work listening with 60 Decibels during the COVID pandemic.

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The Power of Lean Data

An introduction to Lean Data, showing it’s possible to gather high-quality impact data quickly and inexpensively.

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Series and Blogs

Energy Impact Series

Our latest collection of research on the impact of solar access featuring lean data customer insights.

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Lean Data: The “how” of measuring impact at lower cost for higher value

We ask the impact enterprises we invest in “What data can we help you collect?,” in this article in Impact Alpha.

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