a guide line on how to use a monitoring & evaluation techniques for projects and in organizations

1. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
Edited & Prepared
By
Dr. Adel Younis
Quality Manager
AMU-UNHCR Egypt
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1. What is it?
2. Why do it?
3. Who does it?
4. When do we do it?
5. How do we do it?
6. What does this mean for me?
Monitoring and Evaluation

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1. What is it? Monitoring
Management’s continuous examination of progress
achieved during the implementation of an undertaking
to track compliance with the plan and to take
necessary decisions to improve performance.
Key elements:
- continuous examination of implementation progress
- tracking compliance against planned objectives
- generating data and information on performance to
enable corrective measures to be taken

4. 1. WHAT IS IT? EVALUATION
Assessment, as systematic and impartial as possible, of an
activity, project, programme, strategy, policy, topic, theme, sector,
operational area, institutional performance, etc.
It focuses on expected and achieved accomplishments, examining
the results chain, processes, contextual factors and causality, in
order to understand achievements or the lack thereof.
It aims at determining the relevance, impact, effectiveness,
efficiency and sustainability of the interventions and contributions
of the organizations
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5. 1. WHAT IS IT? EVALUATION (CONT.)
Key elements:
assessment conducted at a single point in time (before, during
or after).
focuses on determining whether what was planned actually
happened, and why it did or did not happen.
Assessing:
 relevance – whether the intervention was appropriate
 impact – whether it made a difference in the lives of people
 effective – whether it achieved what it set out to
 efficient – whether it did so at the lowest cost
 sustainable –whether it will leading to lasting change.
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6. OTHER SIMILAR FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NOT
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Inspection: a general examination that seeks to identify
vulnerable areas and malfunctions and to propose
corrective action.
Investigation: a specific examination of a claim of
wrongdoing and provision of evidence for eventual
prosecution or disciplinary measures.
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7. OTHER SIMILAR FUNCTIONS THAT ARE NOT
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Audit: an assessment of the adequacy of management
controls to ensure the economical and efficient use of
resources; the safeguarding of assets; the reliability of
financial and other information; the compliance with
regulations, rules and established policies; the
effectiveness of risk management; and the adequacy of
organizational structures, systems and processes.
Research: a systematic examination designed to develop or
contribute to knowledge.
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8. DIFFERENT OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS
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Continuous
Assessment

9. WHERE M&E FITS IN THE CYCLES
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Policy
Strategy
Program
Project

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2. Why do it? Why monitor?
 What gets monitored is more likely to get done.
 If you don’t monitor performance, you can’t tell
success from failure.
 If you can’t see success, you can’t reward it.
 If you can’t recognise failure, you can’t correct it.
 If you can’t demonstrate results, you can’t
sustain support for your actions.

11. WHY EVALUATE?
 Understand why and the extent to which intended and unintended results are achieved,
and their impact on stakeholders
 Important source of evidence on the achievement of results and institutional performance,
thus is one basis for corporate accountability
 Important contributor to building knowledge and organizational learning.
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12. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
They are different, but interrelated functions, as they both
contribute knowledge as a basis for accountability and enhanced
performance.
Monitoring is an internal, repetitive, operations and management
function. Evaluation is often external, periodic/ snapshot, in
greater depth and asking different questions.
Monitoring asks the question “Are we doing things right”?
Evaluation asks “Are we doing the right things?” and “Are there
better ways of achieving the results?”
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Problem: Low access to and use of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) by civil servants, youth and women in rural Uganda
Diagnose: Government study to identify why there is low access and
use of ICT
Response: Government sets up a 2 year project with the objective to
improve the use of ICT among these groups.
Project aims (or outcomes): public access to ICT in Uganda
improved; basic computer knowledge increased
Project actions and deliverables: establish 50 telekiosks across
the country, rehabilitate 160 ICT training centres; train Ministry of
ICT staff; provide technical assistance in policy formulation.
Development project example..

14. DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
EXAMPLE…CONTINUED…Monitor:
Inputs - money spent, computers brought, consultants hired
Activities and Outputs (actions)
number of telekiosks operational;
number of ICT training centres open to public;
number of training sessions held;
number of registered domain names.
Aims (outcomes)
number of hours per month telekiosks used;
number of graduatesfrom ICT training centres;
number of registered ISPs.
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15. DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
EXAMPLE…CONTINUED…Evaluate:
Was the problem correctly identified?
Was the response (project) correctly designed to address it?
Has it worked- has access to ICTs improved in these target
groups? If not, why not?
What could be done better in a future project of this type?
Follow-up: Adapt existing project to respond to evaluation
findings/ close down project/ start new project
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16. DISCUSSION SPACE (10 MINS)
Discuss the example of the ICT project
Does the example make sense to you?
Do you monitor and evaluate your projects?
How do you do it?
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So.. 3. Who does M&E?
Monitoring
Typically done by the subject, i.e. self-monitoring.
Evaluation
Typically done by external party, to ensure the integrity of the
findings (i.e. remove bias), and provide insight (expertise)
But….depends on the objectives…
Self-Evaluation – done by the subject, when the primary
objective of the evaluation is to learn about the strengths
and weaknesses of what is being evaluated.
External Monitoring – where there is a need for very exact
standards, or there is a lack of trust- external parties may
monitor the actions. E.G. elections

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4. When is it done and who decides?
Monitoring is a continuous activity, reports on
monitoring are typically produced quarterly.
Evaluation is done at different phases:
 Before an initiative is planned. This is called a pre-appraisal
or baseline
 During an initiative. Typically mid-way through, to check how
it is going, whether it is still the right thing to be doing.
 At the close of an initiative. To determine whether the
intended actions have been completed, and what different it
has made.
 Some time after the initiative. Change is often slow, so it
may be necessary to evaluate some years after to look at
the effects. E.G. education- build a school, train teachers,
provide meals. Aim=increased enrollment of kids- this may
happen 6 months, 1 year or more down the line.

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4. When is it done and who decides?
Evaluation is also done to address wider concerns:
 Where actions in a sector or area have been present for
a long time, e.g. Evaluation of the PEAP 1997-2007
 Where those involved, managing or governing have a
particular concern, e.g. Evaluation of National
Agricultural Advisory Development Service (NAADS)
 Where those involved or managing are interested to
learn more, e.g. Evaluation of Budget Support

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'We did a full work-up - heart, lungs, bank account, credit...you can afford to live another 19 years.'
But Evaluation does not always ask the right questions…….
Or tell the subject what it wants to hear!

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5. How is evaluation done?
Who is involved and when?
 Depends on the intentions.
Participatory evaluation is with full involvement
of users at all phases- design, implementation,
write-up, follow-up
 Why not always use a fully participatory
approach? Time, Independence, Intention.

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5. How is evaluation done?
What methods are used?
 Desk review of relevant documents (project
documents, annual reviews, donor-specific, etc)
 Key informant interviews: with key partners and
information stakeholders both at central and field
levels. Drawing on specific check-listed questions
 Focus group discussions: internally and external
parties both at central and field levels. Gaining
consensus on key issues.
 Sample surveys: of effects and impacts of
initiatives as and where necessary

23. DISCUSSION SPACE (30 MINS)
6. What does this mean for me?
Break in to groups of 4 or 5 persons
Share your own examples of monitoring and evaluation.
Identify and discuss any good practices and challenges to
conducting m&e in your district.
Report back in plenary
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24. QUESTIONS
Thanks for your time
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