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Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Projects - Introduction

Presentation · February 2021

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18568.96003

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Agyeya Tripathi
Social Audit Network India and UK
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 In Association With

DR. AGYEYA TRIPPATHI 1

OUR DISCUSSION WILL COVER

 Working definitions

 Comparing monitoring and evaluation

 Importance of M&E in development projects

 Planning for M&E

 Resources for M&E

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WORKING DEFINITIONS
Monitoring refers to “A continuing function that uses systematic
collection of data on specified indicators to provide management
and the main stakeholders of an ongoing development intervention
with indications of the extent of progress and achievement of
objectives and progress in the use of allocated funds”

Evaluation refers to “The process of determining the worth or

significance of a development activity, policy or program”

Monitoring and evaluation are synergistic. Monitoring information is a

necessary but not sufficient input to the conduct of rigorous
evaluations.

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MONITORING VS EVALUATION VS IMPACT

Pre- During End of After

-------- --------
project Project project project

Impact
Survey Monitoring Evaluation
Assessment

Policy Advocacy, Program Design, Budgeting, Public Programs……

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 IMPORTANCE OF M&E
It is like a principal or head of department of university campus

It bridge the gap between strategy team and implementation team

Other than setting up deliverables to be achieved, it also help us in finding if

operations team is going the right direction

It helps in budget optimization, result amplification and develop verifiable

success parameters

It also help in holistic policy framing for achieving inclusivity

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SCOPE OF M&E
• Budget optimization
• Outcome amplification
• Keep project on track
• Increase effectiveness
• Improvement in efficiency
• Better learnings and recommendations
• Data and analysis based approach for project management
• Create more value for donor, investor, value chain stakeholders and
last mile beneficiary

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EVALUATION IS NOT IMPACT
There are some critical differences between evaluation of programs and
doing the impact assessment of the program.

Evaluation is more aligned to the program design and the outcome to be

achieved

Whereas, impact assessment is something beyond control of program

implementation and designing team

Impact also try to find unexpected outcomes

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HOW M&E CAN BE DONE
M&E can be done with the help of various tools and techniques,
depending upon:
a) Budget allocation
b) Availability of trained human resource
c) Requirement of client or the donor
d) Scope of next funding
e) Research outputs expectation
f) Policy level outcome expectations
g) Leadership and top management decisions on the matter

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WHY WE DON’T PLAN FOR M&E
During my past experience and even today, I found that basic reasons
why project managers, top management team and organizations do
not plan well for M&E are:
a) Unaware about long term benefits
b) Non-availability of trained team
c) Less focus on advocacy of results
d) Little to no pressure from donor organization
e) Focus more on short gains and outcomes
f) Use of funds in other heads
g) Leadership do not want results to be in public domain

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 MONITORING AND EVALUATION TOOLS
We have understood that selection of tools is dependent upon various factors,
let us have a look at M&E tools

• Performance monitoring indicators • Rapid appraisals

• Logical framework • Key informant interviews
• Focus group discussions
• Theory-based evaluation • Facilitated brainstorming by staff and
• Formal surveys officials
• Service delivery surveys • Participatory methods
• Citizen report cards
• Public expenditure tracking surveys
• Living standards measurement surveys
(LSMS) • Rigorous impact evaluation
• Core welfare indicators questionnaires • Cost-benefit/effectiveness analysis.
(CWIQ)

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WHAT IF WE DO M&E?
M&E help us in following:
• Assess your effectiveness
• Improve decision making
• Empower volunteers and supporters
• Ensure accountability to key stakeholders
• Influence government policy
• Share learnings with all
• Contribute to evidence based success and failure reasons

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INCREASING DEMAND OF M&E
There is a reason why we are addressing and discussing this topic today.

It is not because we want to learn this, it is the need of hour now.

Either we learn or we shall be left out of development and growth canvas.

Some of the reasons why demand of M&E is increasing are

• Pressure from donors • Budget optimization

• Government focusing on • Policy support
development results
• Traceability demand from
• Accountability of funds received stakeholders
• Demand of new donor • International development
organization’s mandate

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PLANNING FOR M&E
Monitoring and Evaluation in Development projects in a broad way is
Action Research.
Find Out

Change Plan Make a plan

Make Things
Brainstorm
Happen

Observe

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WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH
Action Research is a term for a variety of methodologies that at their
core are cycles of planning, action and reflection.

This is a useful approach when thinking about how to integrate your

M&E into on-going plans and activities.

There are many Action Research methodologies which could be used

as part of your M&E.

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 M&E PLANNING
There are certainly two states regarding M&E Plans
a) Plans are made during project conceptualization stage
b) Plans are made during or at the end of project implementation stage

In my perspective “projects with long term scope always knit in M&E plan at the
time of project ideation, piloting and implementation stage”. As the idea is to take
learnings forward and look for next stage.

Whenever, the vision is short term, M&E plans take a back seat and only discussed
as and when requirement arises. These requirements are completely dependent
upon donors, compliances, fiduciary or any other administrative or accounting
requirement.

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 STAGES FOR M&E PLANNING
1) Agreeing upon the basic rules of M&E, including relevant, useful, timely,
and credible
2) Programs and projects to be monitored or evaluated
3) Fixing the team for M&E during different stage
4) Finalizing issues you want to investigate
5) Clarifying your aims, objectives, activities and pathways to change
6) Identifying what information you need to collect
7) Finalizing indicators
8) Deciding about data collection methodology
9) Data analysis and reporting
10) Ethics and data protection

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 KEY CONCEPTS - I
Concept Definition Example
Aims The final impacts on To reduce our individual and community
(desired peoples’ lives or the carbon emissions & contribution to
impacts) environment that you climate change; to contribute to a fairer,
wish to achieve more prosperous and sustainable
community; to improve well-being
Objectives The changes you need To increase personal agency; to encourage
(desired to make so that you more sustainable living/behaviours; to
outcomes) achieve your aims increase community resilience/capacity to
(desired impacts) withstand external shocks; supportive and
fair government policies

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 KEY CONCEPTS - II
Concept Definition Example
Outputs The immediate and direct result To engage X participants in projects/
of your activities that contribute events/training from y and z
to your objectives (desired demographic groups; to plant X trees, to
outcomes) facilitate swapping of Y items at a Bring &
Take event
Activities The programme & project Community engagement & awareness
activities and processes you raising; action/learning groups on
undertake so that you achieve household energy use & lifestyles;
your desired outputs community food, transport, waste
reduction projects
Inputs The key human, financial, Volunteer capacity and availability; access
technical, organisational and/or to IT and other online resources; fund
social resources that you need to raised and available
undertake your activities

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