Module-7-Program-Monitoring-and-Evaluation

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Introduction
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is used to
assess the performance of projects, institutions and
programmers set up by governments, international
organizations and NGOs. Its goal is to improve
current and future management of outputs,
outcomes and impact. This topic focuses on the
students’ understanding and learning the effective
and efficient process on the latter.

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MONITORING VS. EVALUATION

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TYPES OF MONITORING
AND EVALUATION
(M&E)

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What is Monitoring?
Monitoring is the systematic and routine collection of
data during project implementation for the purpose of
establishing whether an intervention is moving
towards the set objectives or project goals. In this
case, data is collected throughout the life cycle of the
project. The data collection tools are usually
embedded into the project activities in order to ensure
that the process is seamless. There are several types
of monitoring in M&E and they include process
monitoring, technical monitoring, assumption
monitoring, financial monitoring and impact
monitoring.

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Process Monitoring/Physical
Progress Monitoring
In process monitoring, routine data is collected and
analyzed in order to establish whether the project tasks
and activities are leading towards the intended project
results. It authenticates the progress of the project
towards the intended results. This kind of monitoring
measures the inputs, activities and outputs. In other
words, process monitoring answers the questions “what
has been done so far, where, when and how has it been
done?” Most of the data collected during project
implementation usually serves this kind of monitoring.

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Technical Monitoring
Involves assessing the strategy that is being
used in project implementation to establish
whether it is achieving the required results. It
involves the technical aspects of the project
such as the activities to be conducted. In a safe
water project for example, physical progress
monitoring may show that there is little or no
uptake of chlorination as a water treatment
strategy.

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Assumption Monitoring
Any project has its working assumptions which have
to be clearly outlined in the project log frame. These
assumptions are those factors which might
determine project success or failure, but which the
project has no control over. Assumption monitoring
involves measuring these factors which are external
to the project. It is important to carry out assumption
monitoring as it may help to explain success or
failure of a project.

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Financial Monitoring
refers to monitoring project/ program
expenditure and comparing them with
the budgets prepared at the planning
stage. The use of funds at the disposal
of a program/project is crucial for
ensuring there are no excesses or
wastages.

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Impact Monitoring
is a type of monitoring which continually
assesses the impact of project activities to the
target population. Indeed, impacts are usually
the long term effects of a project. However, for
projects with a long life span or programs
(programs have no defined timelines) there
emerges a need for measuring impact change
in order show whether the general conditions
of the intended beneficiaries are improving or
otherwise.

11. TYPES OF EVALUATION
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1. Participatory Evaluation in which representatives of
agencies and stakeholders work together in designing,
carrying out and interpreting an evaluation.
2. Process based an evaluation of the internal dynamics of a
project, its policy instruments, its service delivery
mechanisms, its management practices, and the linkages
among these.
3. Outcome based evaluation it facilitates the asking if the
organization is doing right activities to bring about the
expected outcomes.

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10 Steps To Design a
Monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) System

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Before launching into the steps, please note
that the development of a M&E system is a
participatory exercise. Staff at different levels of the
organisation who will be expected to maintain or use
the new M&E system should always be consulted.
This might include staff at head offices or secretariats,
staff in regional or country offices, and staff at
programme or project level.

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Step 1: Define the scope and purpose
■ This step involves identifying the evaluation
audience and the purpose of the M&E system.
M&E purposes include supporting management
and decision-making,learning, accountability and
stakeholder engagement.
■ It is important that the M&E scope and
purpose be defined beforehand, so that the
appropriate M&E system is designed.

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Step 2 : Define the
evaluation questions
Evaluation questions should be
developed up-front and in
collaboration with primary
audience(s) and other
stakeholders who intend to report
to.

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Step 3: Identify the monitoring
questions
•Evaluation question
•Monitoring question
■ The monitoring questions will ideally be answered
through the collection of quantitative and qualitative
data. It is important to not start collecting data without
thinking about the evaluation andc monitoring
questions. This may lead to collecting data just for the
sake of collecting data that that provides no relevant
information to the programme

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Step 4: Identify the indicators and data
sources
■ In this step you identify what information is needed to answer
your monitoring questions and where this information will come
from (data sources).
■ It is important to consider data collection in terms of the type
of data and any types of research design. Data sources could
be from primary sources, like from participant themselves or
from secondary sources like existing literature.
■ You can then decide on the most appropriate method to
collect the data from each data source.

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Step 5: Identify who is responsible for data
collection, data storage, reporting, budget
and timelines
■ It is advisable to assign responsibility for the data
collection and reporting so that everyone is clear of their
roles and responsibilities.
■ Collection of monitoring data may occur regularly over
short intervals, or less regularly, such as half-yearly or
annually. Likewise the timing of evaluation should be
noted.
■ You may also want to note any requirements that are needed
to collect the data.

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■ Additionally, it is good to determine how the
collected data will be stored. A centralised
electronic M&E database should be available for
all project staff to use.
■ Excel file to the use of a comprehensive M&E
software such as LogAlto
■ LogAlto is a user-friendly cloud-based M&E
software that stores all information related to the
programme such as the entire log frame.

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Step 6. Identify who will evaluate
tha data and how it will be
reported
■ In most programmes there will be an internal
and an independent evaluation (conducted by an
external consultant). It is important to prensent the
findings in a format that is appropriate to the
audience. A marketing and Dissemination strategy
for the reporting of evaluation results should be
designed as part of the M&E.

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Step 7: Decide on standard forms and
procedures
Once the M&E System is designed there will be a need for:
■ planning templates
■ designing or adapting information collection and
analysis tools
■ developing organisational indicators
■ developing protocols or methodologies for service-
user participation
■ designing report templates
■ developing protocols for when and how evaluations
and impact assessments are carried out
■ developing learning mechanisms
designing databasesand the list goes on Simister.

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Step 8: Use the information
derived from Steps 1-7 above to fill
in the 'M&E System 'template
You can choose from any of the templates
presented in this article to capture the
information. Remember, they are templates,
not cast in stone. Feel free to add extra
columns or categories as you see fit.

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Step 9: Integrate the M&E system
horizontally and vertically
■ Where possible, integrate the M&E system horizontally
(with other organizational systems and processes) and
vertically (with the needs and requirements of other
agencies). Simister, 2009
■ Try as much as possible to align the M&E system with
existing planning systems, reporting systems, financial or
administrative monitoring systems, management
information systems, human resources systems or any
other systems that might influence (or be influenced by)
the M&E system.

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Step 10: Pilot and then roll-out the
system
■ Once everything is in place, the M&E system may be first
rolled out on a small scale, perhaps just at the Country Office
level.
■ Staff at every levels be should be aware of the overall
purpose(s), general overview and the key focus areas of the
M&E system.
■ It is also good to inform persons on which areas they are free
to develop their own solutions and in which areas they are not.
■ This could include guides, training manuals, mentoring
approaches, staff exchanges, interactive media, training days
or workshops.

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In conclusion, a good M&E system should be robust
enough to answer the evaluation questions, promote learning
and satisfy accountability needs without being so rigid and
inflexible that it stifles the emergence of unexpected (and
surprising!) results.
Kruno Karlovcec, a fellow blogger made a valid
observation that the 10 steps should be envisioned as a loop,
with the last step feeding back into Step 1. This is better than a
sequentially ordered process. A feedback loop facilitates
continuous development and improvement.

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29. It is the systematic and routine
collection of data during project
implementation.
A. Evaluation
B. Monitoring
C. Program
B. Monitoring

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31. _______ Monitoring- refers to monitoring
project/ program expenditure and
comparing them with the budgets
prepared at the planning stage.
A. Financial
B. Impact
C. Program
A. Financial

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33. This step involves identifying the
evaluation audience and the purpose
of the M&E system.
A. Step 2
B. Step 3
C. Step 1
C. Step 1

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35. Type of Evaluation in which representatives
of agencies and stakeholders work together
in designing, carrying out and interpreting
an evaluation.
A. Process based
B. Participatory
C. Outcome based
B. Participatory

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THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!!!