Monitoring
Monitoring is the systematic and routine
collection of data during project implementation for the purpose of
establishing whether an intervention is moving towards the set objectives or
project goals. In this case, data is collected throughout the life cycle of the
project. The data collection tools are usually embedded into the project
activities in order to ensure that the process is seamless. There are several
types of monitoring in M&E and they include process monitoring, technical
monitoring, assumption monitoring, financial monitoring and impact monitoring
Monitoring and Evaluation Systems require twelve main
components in order to function effectively and efficiently to achieve the
desired results. These twelve M&E components are discussed in detail below:
1.
Organizational Structures with M&E Functions
The
adequate implementation of M&E at any level requires that there is a unit
whose main purpose is to coordinate all the M&E functions at its level.
While some entities prefer to have an internal organ to oversee its M&E
functions, others prefer to outsource such services. This component of M&E
emphasizes the need for M&E unit within the organization, how elaborate its
roles are defined, how adequately its roles are supported by the organizations
hierarchy and how other units within the organization are aligned to support
the M&E functions within the organization.
2.
Human Capacity for M&E
An effective M&E implementation requires that there
is only adequate staff employed in the M&E unit, but also that the staff
within this unit have the necessary M&E technical know-how and experience.
As such, this component emphasizes the need to have the necessary human
resource that can run the M&E function by hiring employees who have adequate
knowledge and experience in M&E implementation, while at the same time
ensuring that the M&E capacity of these employees are continuously
developed through training and other capacity building initiatives to ensure
that they keep up with current and emerging trends in the field.
3.
Partnerships for Planning, Coordinating and Managing the M&E System
A prerequisite for successful M&E systems whether at
organizational or national levels is the existence of M&E partnerships.
Partnerships for M&E systems are for organizations because they complement
the organization’s M&E efforts in the M&E process and they act as a
source of verification for whether M&E functions align to intended
objectives. They also serve auditing purposes where line ministries, technical
working groups, communities and other stakeholders are able to compare M&E
outputs with reported outputs.
4.
M&E frameworks/Logical Framework
The M&E framework outlines the objectives, inputs,
outputs and outcomes of the intended project and the indicators that will be
used to measure all these. It also outlines the assumptions that the M&E
system will adopt. The M&E framework is essential as it links the
objectives with the process and enables the M&E expert know what to measure
and how to measure it.
5.
M&E Work Plan and costs
Closely related to the M&E frameworks is the M&E
Work plan and costs. While the framework outlines objectives, inputs, outputs
and outcomes of the intended project, the work plan outlines how the resources
that have been allocated for the M&E functions will be used to achieve the
goals of M&E. The work plan shows how personnel, time, materials and money
will be used to achieve the set M&E functions.
6.
Communication, Advocacy and Culture for M&E
This refers to the presence of policies and strategies
within the organization to promote M&E functions. Without continuous
communication and advocacy initiatives within the organization to promote
M&E, it is difficult to entrench the M&E culture within the organization.
Such communication and strategies need to be supported by the organizations
hierarchy. The existence of an organizational M&E policy, together with the
continuous use of the M&E system outputs on communication channels are some
of the ways of improving communication, advocacy and culture for M&E
7.
Routine Programme Monitoring
M&E consists of two major aspects: monitoring and
evaluation. This component emphasizes the importance of monitoring. Monitoring
refers to the continuous and routine data collection that takes place during
project implementation. Data needs to be collected and reported on a continuous
basis to show whether the project activities are driving towards meeting the
set objectives. They also need to be integrated into the program activities for
routine gathering and analysis.
8.
Surveys and Surveillance
This involves majorly the national level M&E plans
and entails how frequently relevant national surveys are conducted in the
country. National surveys and surveillance needs to be conducted frequently and
used to evaluate progress of related projects. For example, for HIV and AIDS
national M&E plans, there needs to be HIV related surveys carried at last
bi-annually and used to measure HIV indicators at the national level.
9.
National and Sub-national databases
The data world is gradually becoming open source. More
and more entities are seeking data that are relevant for their purposes. The
need for M&E systems to make data available can therefore not be
over-emphasized. This implies that M&E systems need to develop strategies
of submitting relevant, reliable and valid data to national and sub-national
databases.
10.
Supportive Supervision and Data Auditing
Every M&E system needs a plan for supervision and
data auditing. Supportive supervision implies that an individual or
organization is able to supervise regularly the M&E processes in such a way
that the supervisor offers suggestions on ways of improvement. Data auditing
implies that the data is subjected to verification to ensure its reliability
and validity. Supportive supervision is important since it ensures the M&E
process is run efficiently, while data auditing is crucial since all project
decisions are based on the data collected.
11.
Evaluation and Research
One aspect of M&E is research. The other is
evaluation. Evaluation of projects is done at specific times most often mid-
term and at the end of the project. Evaluation is an important component of
M&E as it establishes whether the project has met he desired objectives. It
usually provides for organizational learning and sharing of successes with
other stakeholders.
12.
Data Dissemination and Use
The information that is gathered during the project
implementation phase needs to be used to inform future activities, either to reinforce
the implemented strategy or to change it. Additionally, results of both
monitoring and evaluation outputs need to be shared out to relevant
stakeholders for accountability purposes. Organizations must therefore ensure
that there is an information dissemination plan either in the M&E plan,
Work plan or both
References
1. Water Affairs and Forestry Department, Republic of South
Africa. Project Monitoring and Evaluation. 2005
2. Dannish Demming Group. Impact Monitoring: An
Introduction. 2012
Monitoring is the
systematic and routine collection of data during project implementation for the
purpose of establishing whether an intervention is moving towards the set
objectives or project goals. In this case, data is collected throughout the
life cycle of the project. The data collection tools are usually embedded into
the project activities in order to ensure that the process is seamless. There
are several types of monitoring in M&E and they include process monitoring,
technical monitoring, assumption monitoring, financial monitoring and impact
monitoring.
Process monitoring/
physical progress monitoring
In process monitoring, routine data is collected and analyzed in
order to establish whether the project tasks and activities are leading towards
the intended project results. It authenticates the progress of the project
towards the intended results. This kind of monitoring measures the inputs,
activities and outputs. In other words, process monitoring answers the
questions “what has been done so far, where, when and how has it been done?”
Most of the data collected during project implementation usually serves this
kind of monitoring.
Technical monitoring
Technical monitoring involves assessing the strategy that is
being used in project implementation to establish whether it is achieving the
required results. It involves the technical aspects of the project such as the
activities to be conducted. In a safe water project for example, physical
progress monitoring may show that there is little or no uptake of chlorination
as a water treatment strategy. Technical monitoring may establish that this could
be a result of installing chlorine dispensers at the water source and women are
too time constrained that they have no time to line up to get chlorine from the
dispensers. This may prompt a change of strategy where the project might opt
for household distribution of bottled chlorine.
Assumption monitoring
Any project has its
working assumptions which have to be clearly outlined in the project log frame.
These assumptions are those factors which might determine project success or
failure, but which the project has no control over. Assumption monitoring
involves measuring these factors which are external to the project. It is
important to carry out assumption monitoring as it may help to explain success
or failure of a project1. For example, a project
that was promoting the use of contraceptives may realize that uptake of use of
contraceptives has dropped. The drop in use of the contraceptive could however,
be attributed to increased taxation on the importation of contraceptives in the
country which makes them more expensive, rather than on project failure.
Financial Monitoring
Just like the name suggests, financial monitoring simply refers
to monitoring project/ program expenditure and comparing them with the budgets
prepared at the planning stage. The use of funds at the disposal of a
program/project is crucial for ensuring there are no excesses or wastages.
Financial monitoring is also important for accountability and reporting
purposes, as well as for measuring financial efficiency (the maximization of outputs
with minimal inputs).
Impact Monitoring
Impact monitoring is a
type of monitoring which continually assesses the impactof
project activities to the target population. Indeed, impacts are usually the
long term effects of a project. However, for projects with a long life span or
programs (programs have no defined timelines) there emerges a need for
measuring impact change in order show whether the general conditions of the
intended beneficiaries are improving or otherwise2. In this case, the manager monitors impact through the
pre-determined set of impact indicators. Monitoring both the
positive and negative impacts, intended and un-intended impacts of the
project/program becomes imperative. For example, in a Water and Sanitation
program, there may be a need to monitor the change in Under 5 Mortality in the
program area over time. In this case, rather than being identified as an impact
evaluation, this would be identified as impact monitoring
Comments
Post a Comment