The document outlines the importance of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for project performance management and accountability in research projects. It highlights the need to integrate M&E systems into research to assess outcomes, risks, progress, and stakeholder engagement effectively. Additionally, it provides guidelines and key questions for developing a Theory of Change and M&E plans tailored to achieve desired research impacts.

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Monitoring and Evaluation
Farah Ahmed (IWMI)
Date- 27th January, 2016
Location- Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam

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What is Monitoring & Evaluation?
• M&E for Performance Management = Accountability
Two main aspects of accountability:
1. Supporting project performance management
2. Supporting learning and adjustment towards outcomes
Who is it for?

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Why M&E is important for Uptake
Image sources: IDS 2012 (https://iddbirmingham.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/elise-wach.pdf)

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Importance of M&E Linked to impact pathways and Theory of
change
In order to achieve outcomes one must ensure M&E systems into research projects.
M&E systems will ensure the following –
“How much’ is not the only question we might want to answer. We might also want to know how, why
and under what circumstances each factor is important for the outcome. This helps in
understanding when and under what circumstances uptake will take place in the future”
Supports research
•Setting clear objectives
•Identifying project stakeholders
•Increases knowledge for learning and sharing
Resource planning
•Ensures resources planning
•Monitors progress towards results
•Identifies risks within a project
•Reporting back on outcomes achieved

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1. M&E for Performance Management = Accountability
a) Project management:
• Financial and administrative
• Output products on time and within budget
b) Monitoring and documentation towards outcomes. Projects
gather data/evidence of:
• Engagement with research users
• Understanding research users’ needs and priorities
• Progress and changes along the impact pathway
• How research users do or do not use research (intended and unintended outcomes)
• Reasonable evidence that the project has made a contribution in the change
process (when compared to the absence of the program)

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Ten key questions that need to be addressed before achieving
outcomes of a research uptake strategy-
1. Why do we want this research? Does this have an element of uptake at all in it?
2. Is research uptake appropriately reflected in the log frame?
3. You may have evidence coming out of a research project but have you
conceptualised it in the current context? Is there an appropriate evaluation strategy?
4. Is there a need to conceptualise a ‘theory of change?’
5. Is there a need to draw up an implementation strategy/plan incorporating
communications and outreach?
6. Define your goals? What are we trying to achieve?
7. What are your short and long term goals to achieve impacts?
8. Is there a need to draw up an impact pathways/ outcome map?
9. Who is our next users/ stakeholders for the research outputs? Are the outputs
relevant to them?
10. How will we address their concerns in relation to the current context?

7. Develop your project M&E plans
Exercise
8
a. Introduction – Description of the project and its contribution to the project
objectives
b. Indicator M+E plan
i. Indicator table with relevant explanations
ii. Analysis and reporting
c. Theory of Change (TOC)
i. Objectives
ii. Processes involved
iii. Assumptions
iv.Strategies
v. Risks
vi.Outputs/ outcomes/impacts
vii.M+E – including backstory and TOC reflection with guidelines

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Theory of change –Guidelines
Recommended steps to develop your theory of change (reference -3ie)
Step 1: Describe the policy question(s) that your evaluation is trying to address
Step 2: Identify the needs of the policy influencers you are targeting, and the leverage and entry points
you have with them
Step 3: Identify your desired results or vision of success in the near and longer term (outputs, intermediate
outcomes, policy impact/objective)
Step 4: Specify the factors (e.g. protective or risk factors, existing policy environment) you believe will
influence change.
Step 5: List the engagement strategies you believe will lead to change
Step 6: Articulate assumptions about how these changes might happen. This will allow you to check
whether the activities and outputs are appropriate for influencing change in the desired direction in this
particular context.
See examples of theories of change compiled by DfID:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/pdf/outputs/mis_spc/Appendix_3_ToC_Examples.pdf
Additional resources: Review of the use of theory of change:
http://www.researchtoaction.org/2012/08/improving-the-use-of-theory-of-change/
Theory of change community of practice: http://www.theoryofchange.org/

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Summarized Results Framework

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Additional references for M&E
ODI Background note “A guide to monitoring and evaluating policy influence”
http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/5252.pdf
Presentation by John Young on “Monitoring and evaluation of influence”
http://www.impactevaluation2011.org/forum/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/C2-Effective-communication-and-stakeholder-
engagement-file-2.pdf

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References –
IDS, 2012, M&E of research uptake and influence, Challenges and opportunities
IWMI Strategy paper 2014-2018
CGIAR WLE-IWMI, Extension proposal 2015-2016. 2014
3ie official website - http://www.3ieimpact.org/
Thank you!