2. Quality of indicators

 

A good definition is that of the UNDPCSD.

 

According to the UNDPCSD (Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations) framework, some the key qualities of indicators are the following:

 

o Be scientifically acknowledged, relevant and transparent.

o Be indicative, useful and realistic.

o Be sensitive (to differences in conditions) but robust.

o Be general, not case or location specific.

 

The first condition (scientifically acknowledge) however is subject to interpretation, at the age of uncertainty and plurality of valuation languages. Indicators can reflect the variety of valuation languages and of stakeholders’ points of view.

 

An indicator can use one of the following scales:

o Nominal: Yes or No (presence or absence of a given criteria)

o Ordinal: 1 to 5, 1 to 10… Or: first, second, third…

o Cardinal: quantitative information, measure. Real numbers.

 

A set of indicators should:

 

o Scan all for dimensions of sustainable development

o Have a limited number of indicators. You have to expect however a few dozens of indicators in your set.