The top-down-bottom-up approach: a Mobility Program Indicators Development Framework (MPIDF)

Abstract

Impact evaluation is frequently used to assess the long-term effects of urban mobility programs and projects. However, there are no specific guidelines for selecting mobility-related evaluation indicators. Typically, indicators for program evaluation are determined top-down. Although this shows a program’s goal achievement, it does not consider the feasibility or contextual meaningfulness of the measurements. Furthermore, the top-down approach might overlook different perspectives. To enhance evaluation performance, this research aims to develop a framework for co-creating indicators for mobility program evaluation: the Mobility Program Indicators Development Framework (MPIDF). The MPIDF combines top-down strategic guidelines with insights from science, industry, and society in an iterative process. This approach enhances the evaluation’s relevance and comprehensiveness, allowing transdisciplinary stakeholders to contribute meaningfully, resulting in more balanced and effective mobility programs. Based on eight top-down-bottom-up steps of the MPIDF, this research applied and evaluated a case study: the MCube Cluster program in Munich, Germany. We established an indicator set to evaluate 11 innovative mobility projects in the MCube program. The implementation demonstrates that the involvement of transdisciplinary stakeholders produces a feasible indicator set. The MPIDF’s flexibility allowed practitioners to customize or redevelop indicators as needed, moving beyond existing standards. Moreover, the MPIDF has the potential to be transferred to indicator development processes of mobility and other programs. Further research should contain a long-term study to investigate the effects of using the MPIDF on the outcomes and the strategic development of mobility programs. Additional studies on the framework’s applicability in programs in other areas would be valuable.