Beyond the "Utility Gap": Moving from Usage to Impact

In the social impact and EdTech sectors, we often see a recurring challenge: the "Impact Gap."

Many organizations have successfully closed the "utility gap"—they’ve built frictionless products and programs that people actually use. However, they are struggling to prove that this usage leads to the outcomes they promised to deliver.

Reporting often stalls at the "Top of the Funnel," focusing on logins, clicks, or attendance. While these metrics are essential for operational health, they are insufficient for proving Impact ROI.

The Eiger POV: Evidence over Anecdote

At Eiger Insights, we believe the most powerful brand narratives are found at the intersection of rigorous evidence and user empathy. We evaluate impact through a proprietary Impact-Evidence Rubric designed to audit and elevate our partners' research strategies and move them toward "Exemplary Impact"—where digital actions are tied to validated outcomes like belonging, long-term sustainability, and equitable access.

This framework is built on four strategic pillars:

• Theory of Change as Foundation: Impact is never accidental. We start with a rigorous logic model that connects activities to long-term goals. If you can’t map the "how," you can’t prove the "why."

• Climbing the Continuum: We help partners move beyond Level 1 (Usage) and Level 2 (Engagement) toward Level 4—the "Gold Standard" where behavior is linked to measurable social or institutional change.

• The "So What?" Filter: In a complex data landscape, clarity comes from a relentless pursuit of the "so what?" We distill findings into the essential insights that survive C-suite scrutiny.

• Data as a Living Asset: We move beyond one-off reports to create a continuous learning loop. Our research acts as a diagnostic tool, helping you improve your product while you prove its value.

The Bottom Line

If you are ready to move from "data-informed anecdotes" to "evidence-driven outcomes," it’s time to climb the continuum.