The evaluation of digital projects in cultural heritage institutions remains largely dominated by quantitative digitisation metrics, such as volume, access, and reuse. While these indicators are useful for monitoring production and visibility, they provide limited insight into the actual impact of digital heritage data on institutional practices, user behaviour, and long-term value creation. As Libraries, Archives, and Museums (LAMs) transition toward a participatory "Culture 3.0" paradigm, there is a clear need to shift from output-oriented assessment toward impact-oriented evaluation frameworks.

Starting from the Open Data Watch data value chain and its possible application to the cultural heritage sector, this paper focuses on the “change” stage: the critical juncture positioned between data use and reuse. This stage foregrounds tangible behavioural, organisational, and institutional transformations resulting from data utilisation. Despite its importance for demonstrating public value, the "change" stage remains conceptually underdeveloped and rarely operationalised in heritage evaluation practices.

By analysing emerging European IA frameworks, such as the Europeana Impact Framework, SoPHIA model (Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment), and inDICEs (Measuring the Impact of Digital Culture), this paper examines why existing methodologies struggle to capture these deeper transformations. We argue that the lack of focus on the "change" stage hinders the ability of institutions to evidence their role in building "infrastructures of engagement." This gap directly affects the accountability, resilience, and sustainability of heritage organisations in increasingly mediated digital environments.

The paper suggests that for digital humanities research to be truly "with and for society," evaluation must move beyond "digitisation for the sake of digitisation." We propose a roadmap for integrating qualitative indicators of change into institutional workflows. By capturing how digital heritage alters professional practices and community engagement, the cultural sector can better align its digital strategies with broader societal goals. In conclusion, the paper provides a theoretical and practical framework for evidencing the transformative power of digital heritage, ensuring that the transition from data to impact is both measurable and meaningful.