INTRODUCTION TO M&E

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M&E is the process s by which data is collected and analysed in order to provide information to policy makers and others for use in program planning and project management. (USAID)

Monitoring:It is the collection of routine data for activities geared towards the achievement of
pre-specified objectives. It contributes to effectiveness and ensures efficient use of resources. It thus tracks changes over time and hence contributes to evaluation and helps make adjustment and changes to activities to enhance the achieving of desired outcomes.

Evaluation: It is a measure of how well the objectives have been met (how much change has
occurred and can this change/improvement be attributed to the project?). Evaluation requires: - Data about state, collected at the beginning of a program/project to act as a baseline to enable change identification. - A control group to enable attribution of what has been caused by the program/project. - An evaluation design based on type of program/project. Every project should have an M&E plan which basically links a projects goals/objectives, activities to achieve them and expected outcomes with Monitoring and evaluation steps to oversee this and its cost. This plan is made during the design phase. This plan includes:
The introduction the purpose of the program and why M&E is needed to achieve. The program description and framework the targets of the project/program and the framework used and resources needed. I.e. the specific objectives/activities/outputs. (consider SMARTness) A detailed description of the plan indicators The data collection plan (should consider possible errors) A plan for monitoring. A plan for evaluation. A plan for utilization of the information gained. A mechanism for updating the plan.

N/B When making SMART Indicators you should consider a Metric. A metric is the precise calculation or formula on which the indicator is based. E.g.: Indicator: 80% of health workers trained in home based care Equation1:METRIC

a The number of HWs trained in home based care. b The total number of recruited HWs.

PROJECTFRAMEWORKS
Frameworks are snapshots of a projects design. It is an aid for M&E in terms of being a reference. It depicts a projects components and sequenced steps of achieving the targets of the components. There are three main kinds of Framework: 1. Logic framework 2. Conceptual framework 3. Results framework 1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK It is also called a research framework. It identifies and illustrates the factors and relationships influencing the outcome of a program/project/intervention. It is depicted as diagrams of causal linkages between the components of a program/project and outcomes (the key components vs. underlying factors, concepts/variables). It is presented as flowcharts, mind maps, tree diagrams or shape diagrams. You map the route of the project, how one key component will result in another and under each component you outline the underlying factors/activities/variables/concepts. Example:

LOGICMODEL
It is also called an M&E framework. It is represented in tabular form. This is common and thus no need to go through it in this simple publication.

RESULTSFRAMEWORK
It is also called the strategic framework. It takes the form of causal relationships between the results of a projects components or objectives. It comprises of strategic objectives (SO) and immediate results (IR) necessary in achieving the objectives. (Impact Outcome Results/Output Activities Resources/inputs) e.g.:

Agriculturalgrowth SkilledFarming ImprovedProductivity AgriculturalInvestments