Using The Social Impact Cycle in Research

Dr. Andrew South, a professor at Brigham Young University, is an expert in community development and construction management worldwide. His work with local populations exemplifies the successful application of the Social Impact Cycle as taught at the Ballard Center for Social Impact, and he integrates the methodology in every project he tackles. 

The Impact Cycle is a structured yet flexible framework for developing social interventions. It includes focusing on a thorough understanding of the problem, using interdisciplinary collaborations, engaging with the community, designing and implementing solutions, and continually evaluating effectiveness while scaling. The Impact cycle ensures solutions are both relevant and sustainable.

Andrew’s early career is marked by his worldwide involvement in various community development projects. Despite delivering on original goals, his team realized their efforts had failed to address the broader needs of the local population.

"We had preconceived solutions of what we were trying to do in these past projects. However, this limited scope prevented us from looking at the bigger picture," Andrew said. “With the Impact Cycle, we now make sure the true problems are identified before coming up with solutions.”

Upon joining BYU, he discovered the Ballard Center and its Social Impact Cycle model, which resonated deeply with his experiences. This model became a cornerstone of Andrew’s approach to community development.

A notable example of his application of the Impact Cycle is through a recent public health project in Nepal. Initially focused on severe air quality issues, the project team quickly learned that the local population had other pressing concerns.

To address this, Andrew and his colleagues assembled an interdisciplinary team and spent time with the local population in Nepal. They conducted extensive surveys with local workers, government officials, and NGOs to comprehensively understand the community's needs.

"Yes, the air quality is terrible, but it's not the problem people are worried about," Andrew said.

Through their research, the team discovered that while air quality was a significant issue, the community prioritized other problems, such as water and sanitation, occupational safety, and education for their children.

This realization led to the development of interventions targeting these more immediate concerns, demonstrating the flexibility and responsiveness of the Impact Cycle model: Andrew and his team plan to return to Nepal and implement the insights gained through their initial observations.