Monitoring/Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects

Project & Project Cycle

A Project
A unique set of activities with: Rationale Goal Objectives
Action

Outputs

plan Beneficiaries Limited time frame Budget

Project Cycle

Identification

Redesign Project Preparation

Project Appraisal

What is Monitoring?
Looking into the process, going towards the target, right selection of beneficiaries

Procedures are being followed according to the work plan

Meeting our target or not (target monitoring), activity monitoring Continuous info collection/analysis/reporting for decision making

Program is going in right direction as planned in the project document

Monitoring Systematic recording of :

Observations Information gathering Analysis Documentation Reflection and Action..re-planning

Monitoring

One line definition

Monitoring is the recording Whether right thing is being delivered to the right people at the right time in a right way (process)

What is not Monitoring

Policing/imposing Pointing out (but it is highlighting)

Dont let the things happen in their own way.

Report right thing at right time to the right person!!! DONT JUST WRITE FOR FILES

Be the user of information not the owner!!!!!

Tools for Monitoring

Monitoring Tools
Staff meetings Weekly, Monthly, Annual

Partners meeting/Learning Forums (FGD, Surveys)/Retreat

Participatory Reviews Stakeholders Monitoring and Supervision Mission (Self/Donors/Joint)

Progress reports/Statistics
Contd,

Goals of Monitoring
To ensure that inputs, activities and outputs proceed according to plan

Determine whether the inputs are optimally utilized

Ensuring all activities are carried out by the right people and in time

To provide record of inputs, activities, and outputs

To warn of deviations from objectives To assist managers in making decisions Monitoring should take place at and be integrated into all stages of the project cycle

Evaluation

Evaluation
Judging, appraising, determining the worth, value, or quality of a project to make necessary decisions.
In terms of: Relevance Effectiveness Efficiency Sustainability Impact

Five Strategic Evaluation Questions

Relevance: The extent to which the objectives of a development intervention are consistent with beneficiaries requirements, and partners and donors policies. Effectiveness: doing right things Efficiency: doing things right

Sustainability: Meeting needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (project will continue after donors intervention)
Impact: Positive or negative, direct or indirect longterm impact produced by a development intervention.

Evaluation Provides Information

Strategy: Are the right things being done? Rationale or justification impact Operations: Are things being right? Effectiveness in achieving expected outcomes Efficiency in optimizing resources Client satisfaction Learning: Are there better ways? Alternatives Lessons learned

Forms of Evaluation Formative evaluation

Evaluation intended to improve performance, most often conducted during the design and/or
implementation phases of projects or programs.

Summative evaluation
A study conducted at the end of an intervention to determine the extent to which anticipated
outcomes were produced.

Types of Evaluation
Participatory evaluation Process based evaluation

Outcome based evaluation

Self-evaluation (360 degree evaluation) Goal-based evaluation

Types of Evaluation
Participatory evaluation
Evaluation in which representatives of agencies and stakeholders work together in designing, carrying out and interpreting an evaluation.

Process based evaluation

An evaluation of the internal dynamics of a project, its policy instruments, its service delivery mechanisms, its management practices, and the linkages among these.

Types of Evaluation cont.

Outcome based Evaluation it facilitates the asking if the organization is doing right activities to bring about the expected outcomes 360 degree Evaluation (evaluation by planner &
implementers)

An evaluation by those who are entrusted with the design and delivery of a project. Goal based evaluation Evaluating the extent to which projects are meeting predetermined goal / impact

Relationship of Monitoring and Evaluation

Relationship of Monitoring and Evaluation Evaluation

Monitoring
Recording Information from Monitoring Information from other sources

Analysis

Information

Analysis

Reporting

Recording

Recommendations

Corrective action at the operational level

Affirmation or modification in objectives, resources, and process

Difference between Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring
Object To track changes from baseline ive conditions to desired outcomes.

Evaluation
To validate what results were achieved, and how and why they were or were not achieved. Evaluates achievement or outcomes by comparing indicators before and after the intervention. Involves Value Judgment Relies on monitoring data and information from external sources.

Metho Tracks and dology assesses performance through analysis and comparison of indicators over time.

Charact eristics

Continuous and systematic by Programme/ Project Managers and key partners.

Time-bound, periodic, in-depth. Internal or External evaluators and partners. Provides managers / Donors / stakeholders with strategy and policy options, provides basis for learning and demonstrates accountability.

Uses

Alerts managers about problems in performance, provides options for corrective actions and helps demonstrate accountability.

Why M & E?

Monitoring Why? Evaluation

Observe, check Record, account Day-to-day decisions Provide info for evaluation
Judge,

& value

Asses
Major

decisions Provide info for planning

When?
During implementation Continuous
Before

or after Periodic

Key Uses of M&E

Improve performance of ongoing projects

Accountability Warn of deviations from goals Review inputs, activities, and results Performance Reporting Decision making Improving implementation Periodic review Improving planning

What to Monitor?
Focus on key needs of management and different stakeholders Maintaining minimum accountability and transparency standard Key outputs of the project and program

Lessons Learnt
There should be:
No activities without records No records without analysis No analysis without learning No learning without action