Viability
From evidence of impact to impact that can be realised
The Viability Framework extends EduEvidence’s existing approach by distinguishing between demonstrated impact and realisable impact.
The 5Es assess the evidence surrounding an EdTech solution across efficacy, effectiveness, ethics, equity and environment. Viability adds a context-sensitive layer by asking whether the technical, human, economic and system conditions are present for that impact to be achieved in practice.
In practical terms:
Evidence of impact × Viability in context = Likely realisable impact
This allows governments, funders, procurement teams and education institutions to ask not only:
Does this solution have evidence that it works?
but also:
Can it work here, for these users, under these conditions, and can it be sustained?
Our framework is directly adopted from the research paper on EdTech Viability Index that evaluates viability across four dimensions:
Technical viability
Can the technology function reliably in this context?
Technical viability considers whether the solution can operate effectively within the available infrastructure and adapt to local technical conditions. This includes connectivity, devices, interoperability, cybersecurity, scalability, reliability, technical support, maintenance, usability, analytics, localisation and the expected lifecycle of software and hardware.
Human viability
Do people have the capability and support to use it successfully?
Human viability examines whether teachers, leaders, learners and other stakeholders have the skills, training, confidence and institutional support needed to adopt and sustain the intervention. It considers competencies, professional development, onboarding, ease of use, stakeholder engagement, change management, leadership, adoption and sustained use.
Economic viability
Is the intervention affordable and sustainable over time?
Economic viability looks beyond the purchase price to assess the full cost of implementation and continued use. It considers software and hardware costs, setup expenses, licensing, connectivity, maintenance, procurement, budgeting, total cost of ownership, cost-effectiveness and return on investment.
System viability
Is the surrounding system able to support implementation and scale?
System viability assesses whether the implementation context provides the governance, strategy, policy alignment, coordination and operational capacity needed to sustain the intervention. It considers vision, leadership, decision-making, implementation structures, monitoring and evaluation, support systems, data governance and alignment with institutional or national priorities.