Monitoring and Evaluation: A Primer
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Jennifer Lentfer of how-matters.org demystifies the main concepts of M&E in international development aid programs.
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Monitoring and Evaluation: A Primer
- 1. Demystifying M&E: A Primer Jennifer Lentfer of how-matters.org
- 2. 1. De-technicalize language. ROADMAP TO MONITORING What are we trying to change? Where do we want to get to? How are we going to get there? problem analysis goals, objectives strategy, activities What do we expect to happen along the way? OUTPUT OUTCOME IMPACT RESULTS How do we know we are on the right road? indicators, baseline, targets
- 3. 2. Understand the concepts behind the terms. What happened next? Change of behavior in participants. Change at population/ societal level. Organization s have direct control over this result. RESULTS Have the activities taken place? The very first result of an activity. ACTIVITIES So what? Organization s have less control over this result. Organization s have very little control, if any. OUTPUT OUTCOME IMPACT
- 5. 3. Know the difference. Monitoring Evaluation Ongoing process Event that occurs periodically Recordkeeping/Tracking Activities Analyzing results Observing trends Assessing impact Mainly descriptive, recording inputs, outputs, and activities (e.g. How many children received supplementary school feeding?) More analytical and examines processes (e,g. Did implementing school feeding successfully increase attendance levels?) Allows us to make adjustments or corrective actions in a project Informs future programming for all stakeholders Data collection is part of day-to-day management & activities Additional, special data may be collected using research methodologies Is objective and systematic Is objective and systematic
- 6. M&E: What’s the Difference? EXERCISE We monitor… 1. A child’s height and weight. We evaluate… 1. Whether children are growing at a normal rate. 2. The number of weekly visits to 2. The effectiveness of homechronically ill people. based care. 3. The number of families 3. An increase/ decrease in food planting improved crop security. varieties. 4. The number of people trained 4. Whether reports of human in human rights. rights abuses have increased or decreased and why.
- 7. 4. Make conscientious Cost methodology decisions. Special or ’point’ studies Keep expectations realistic. Specific sample surveys Focus groups Existing records (e.g. household lists) Observation Routine statistics Key informant interviews Complexity
- 8. 5. Keep your eye on the prize. Remember: You do not fatten a calf by weighing it. ~English proverb Good luck in your M&E efforts!
Editor's Notes
- Keywords: monitoring, evaluation, M&E, Jennifer Lentfer, how-matters.org, international aid, philanthropy, organizational development, metrics, evidence
- These are abstract concepts - but understandable. Aim to build partners’ capacity to measure their own progress in a more meaningful way.
- M&E is about testing assumptions – this should be the new definition of building “evidence”
- Monitoring is a process that systematically observes events and activities related to our work. When we monitor, we gather information regularly to check our progress. Evaluation, on the other hand, is the assessment of a program’s relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact on the target population and beneficiaries. We evaluate periodically.
- This slide shows the trade-offs in cost and complexity among different methods of data collection. Can also think of M&E as regular/routine (part of everyday duties such as beneficiary records) or special/periodic (which require additional time, resources, planning such as household surveys) Consider the level of financial/human resources available. The effort expended should match the improvement in decision-making.
- It’s not about the indicators.It’s about reflection, learning, and adaptation based on new knowledge.