1. THE LOGICAL
FRAMEWORK
APPROACH
Keerti Bhusan Pradhan
keerti@aravind.org

2. What is LFA?
• LFA is a systematic planning
procedure for complete project
cycle management
• It is a problem solving approach
which takes into account the
views of all stakeholders
• It also agrees on the criteria for
project success and lists the
major assumptions

3. History of LFA
• Developed in response to poor
planning and monitoring of
Development projects
• The first logical framework developed
for USAID at the end of 1960’s
• GTZ was responsible for the
development of ZOPP or
Zielorientierte Projekt Planung
• NORAD made a significant
contribution in 1990 with their
handbook

4. LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIX
Narrative
Summary
Verifiable
Indicators
(OVI)
Means of
Verification
(MOV)
Important
Assumptions
GOAL
PURPOSE
OUTPUTS
ACTIVITIES Inputs

5. KEY FEATURES OF
LOGFRAME MATRIX
The LOGFRAME MATRIX is a
participatory Planning, Monitoring &
Evaluation tool whose power depends
on the degree to which it incorporates
the full range of views of intended
beneficiaries and others who have a
stake in the programme design. It is
a tool for summarizing the key
features of a programme and is best
used to help programme designers
and stakeholders

6. Summary of the logical framework
• Goal
– The higher level objective towards which the
project is expected to contribute (mention
target groups)
• Purpose
– The effect which is expected to be achieved
as the result of the project.
• Outputs
– The results that the project management
should be able to guarantee (mention target
groups)
• Activities
– The activities that have to be undertaken by
the project in order to produce outputs.
Intervention Logic

7. Cause-effect relationship among
objectives at several levels
Inputs
Activities
Outputs
Purpose
Goal
under full control of
project management
beyond control of
project management

8. Summary of the logical framework
• Assumptions
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside the control of the project which must
prevail the goal.
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the achievement of the
purpose.
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the production of outputs.
– Important events, conditions, decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the start of the project.
Assumptions and Preconditions

9. Summary of the logical framework
• Goal
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the goal is fulfilled.
• Purpose
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the purpose is fulfilled.
• Outputs
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the outputs are produced.
Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVI)
• Activities (Inputs)
– Goods, people and services necessary to
undertake the activities

10. Summary of the logical framework
• Goal
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of goal level indicators.
• Purpose
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of purpose level indicators.
• Outputs
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of output level indicators.
• Activities
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of activity level indicators.
Means of verification (MOV)

11. Objectively Verifiable Indicators
• Indicators must be valid, reliable, precise,
cost-effective and stated independently
from other levels.
• Indicators should make clear how the
target group will benefit from the
realisation of outputs.
• Indicators should be specific in terms of:
– Quality (what?) - Q
– Quantity (how much?) - Q
– Time (when, how long?) - T
– Target Group (who?) - T
– Place (where?) - P

12. Objectively Verifiable Indicators
• The process of defining indicators forces us to
clarify our objectives. A good indicator at this
level is,
a. Plausible measuring what is important in
the project
b. Attributable measuring changes caused by
the project
c. Cost-effective involving data that may be
collected and analyzed inexpensively
d. Independent not inherent to the project
e. Targeted how much.., what kind of.., by
when
f. Verifiable to reach agreement

13. Key Features of Logframe
Matrix (cont’d)
• Develop a common understanding of
the expectations of a programme by
delineating a hierarchy of aims;
• Define indicators of success and
establish criteria for monitoring and
evaluation;
• Define critical assumptions on which
the programme is based; and
• Identify means of verifying
programme accomplishments

14. CORE CONCEPT OF
LOGFRAME MATRIX:
MEANS AND END LOGIC
The main concept underlying the
Logical Framework is means and end.
The better the means and end
linkages between each level of aims,
the better the programme design.
By definition, each programme has a
“if-then” or “means-and-end” logic
embedded in it. If we produce certain
results under certain conditions, then
we can expect to achieve certain
other outcomes.

15. LogFrame-Horizontal logic
Aims measured by indicators
through information collected
and presented in specified
means of verification

16. THE LOGIC OF A PROGRAMME:
A SET OF LINKED HYPOTHESES
GOAL
PURPOSE
ACTIVITIES
OUTPUTS
if
then
if
then
then
if

17. PLAN DOWNWARDS
PLAN DOWNWARDS
Goal
Assumptions
Purpose
Assumptions
Outputs
Assumptions
Activities
Assumptions
Inputs
AND THEN
THINK UPWARDS

18. THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK
MATRIX
Clear statement of:
What we can accomplish
(outputs) and
The important results we expect
in the short to medium-term
(purpose) and in the long term
(goal)

19. Means of verification
The specific sources from which
the status of each of the
indicators can be ascertained

20. ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS
Assumptions and risks are external
conditions that are outside the control
of the programme. The achievement
of aims depends on whether or not
assumptions hold true and the risks do
not materialize.
If cause and effect is the core concept
of good programme design, necessary
and sufficient conditions are the
corollary. The sufficient conditions
between the levels in the hierarchy of
aims are the Assumptions. This is the
external logic of the programme.

21. Assumptions and Risks
(cont’d)
When working on a programme, we
make assumptions about the degree
of uncertainty between different
levels of aims. The lower the
uncertainty that certain assumptions
will hold true, the stronger the
programme design. Any experienced
manager will agree that the
assumptions - the failing assumptions
- can derail a programme as often as
poorly executed outputs.

22. Assumptions and Risks
(cont’d)
Logframe demands that all hypotheses,
assumptions and risks relevant to a
programme are made explicit.
By implication, this then further
demands that the appropriate action is
considered (and if necessary taken)
before problems materialise.
– How important are the assumptions
– How big are the risks
– Should the programme be redesigned?
– Should elements of the proposed
programme be abandoned?

23. ALGORITHM TO ASSESS EXTERNAL FACTORS
Is the external factor important?
Yes No
Will it be realised?
(e.g. as the result of another project by external donor)
Almost certainly Do not include in logical framework
Likely Include in logical framework as Assumption
(fourth column)
Unlikely Is it possible to redesign the country
Programme to influence the external factor?
Do not include in logical framework
yes No
Redesign the programme :
•add activities and/or results
•change programme purpose
The assumption is a “killer”
assumption. From a technical point of
view the programme is not feasible,
unless the political authority finds a
solution to get around the assumption or
transform it into an acceptable

24. LOGFRAME MATRIX SERVES THE
FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS
• A tool for planning a logical set of
interventions
• A tool for appraising a Programme
document
• A concise summary of the Programme
• A tool for monitoring progress made
with regard to delivery of outputs and
activities
• A tool for evaluating impact of
Programme outputs, e.e. progress in
achieving purpose and goal.

25. Thank you.