• This is the first step in the measurement and evaluation process. Having decided on your own vision of mentoring. You can design an initial measurement strategy.
   
• Measurement should include the three key components of mentoring:
  • availability of mentoring,
  • skills of mentors/mentees,
  • supportiveness of the organisation.
     
• Measurement should be conducted at three levels:
  • Existing mentoring relationships.
  • Proposed target audience of the mentoring program.
  • Organisational context, including:
    • Existing culture.
    • Perceptions of existing mentoring
    • Managers’ views on mentoring and its impact.

Depending on your organisation this may involve some or all of the following questions:

1. How effective is your current formal mentoring program? (see measurement and evaluation).
    
2. What informal mentoring is currently operating in your organisation?
   • Who is receiving informal mentoring?
   • Who are the mentors?
   • Are these relationships effective?
      
3. Is your organisation’s culture currently supportive or potentially supportive of a mentoring program for women?
   • If the program does or will focus solely on women, does this ‘fit’ with the current organisational culture? Is there support for this focus from women across all levels?
   • Are there other learning and development tools such as performance reviews and networks established within the organisation that will help to ensure mentoring is effective? Are diversity and gender equity issues understood?
   • What are the current perceptions of mentoring in the organisation?
   • What are the views of managers?
      
4. Do your staff have the skills to participate or support a mentoring program?
   • Do they have good management and communication skills?
   • Do they understand the potential benefits of mentoring?