Components of a monitoring and evaluation system

Components of aMonitoring andEvaluation SystemBY: IRENE OBI

FOR:PRESTON HEALTHCARE CONSULTING LTD.

DATE: 20 TH OCTOBER 2017

OUTLINEObjectives

Monitoring and Evaluation: Definition

Why M&E

Understanding M&E System

Objectives of an M&E system

12 Components of M&E system

Criteria for assessing M&E system

Conclusion

OBJECTIVESTo understand the differences as well as the linkages between Monitoring and Evaluation.

To learn the objectives of M&E Systems

To identify the different components of M&E systems

To learn the criteria for assessing a good M&E systems

Monitoring

It is the continuous and systematic recordingof observations; information gathering;analysis; reflection; re-planning (if necessary)to ensure that the program/project is goingaccording to plan.

Evaluation

It is judging, appraising, determining theworth, value or quality of a project to makenecessary decisions. It is done in terms ofRelevance, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Impact,Sustainability.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Definition

Monitoring and Evaluation: Definition (Contd.)

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is about

collecting, storing, analyzing and finally

transforming data into strategic information

so it can be used to make informed decisions

for program management and improvement,

policy formulation, and advocacy.

Why M&EMonitoring Evaluation

WHY

Observe, Check Judge, Value

Record, account Assess

Day-to-Day Decisions Major Decisions

Provide information for evaluation Provide information for planning

WHEN

During implementation Before and after

Continuous Periodic

Understanding M & E System

What is an M&E system?

An M&E system refers to all the indicators, tools and processesthat you will use to measure if a program has been implementedaccording to the plan (monitoring) and is having the desiredresult (evaluation).

An M&E system is often described in a document called an M&Eplan.

Objectives of an M&E system

Measure progress

Improve accountability and management of resources

Efficiently and effectively use data

Improve coordination with partners

Collect complete and timely information on national effort

12 Components of M&E Systems

12 Components of M&E Systems Contd.

It can be grouped into 3 Levels:

Level 1:Enabling Environment Focuses on People, partnerships and planning required to support data use.

Level 2: Data and Information Focuses on mechanisms for collection, capturing and verification of Data for

decision making

Level 3: Decision Making Focuses on dissemination and use of data for decision making.

Level 1: People, partnerships and planningCreate enabling environment for M&E

People (component 1)

who are skilled (component 2)

working together (component 3)

to plan (component 4)

operationalize and cost (component 5), and

motivate for an M&E system to become and remain fully functional (component 6)

1. Organizational Structures with M&E FunctionsThe adequate implementation of M&E at any level requires a unit (Internal and/or external)whose main purpose is to coordinate all the M&E functions at its level.

Activities

Establish an M&E unit with defined scope of work,processes, making and communicating its decisions.

Define specific M&E responsibilities.

Develop and implement a strategy for data collection,management, analysis, use and assessing the overallperformance.

Performance results

Well-defined organizational structure.

Adequate number of skilled M&E staffwith clearly stated Job descriptions.

Routine mechanisms for M&E planningand management.

2. Human Capacity for M&EAn effective M&E implementation requires that there is only adequate and qualified staffemployed in the M&E unit who would be continuously developed through training and othercapacity building initiatives.

• Define a strategy for human capacitydevelopment for M&E that projectsqualified human resources needed.

• Cordinate M&E training and technicalassistance.

Defined skillset for individuals and organisations.

Workforce development plan, including career path for M&E.

Costed human capacity building plan.

Supervision, in-service training and mentoring.

Activities Performance results

3. Partnerships for Planning, Coordinating and Managing the M&E SystemPartnerships for M&E systems complement the organization’s M&E efforts in the M&E process.They can be used for verification and auditing purposes to check for alignment of M&E functionsand outputs, to intended objectives and reported outputs.

Activities Performance results

Compile an inventory of organisations involvedin M&E

Establish a mechanism for coordination andcommunication among organizations involvedin M&E

Data on National M&E TWG.

Mechanism for stakeholder coordination.

Routine communication channel for exchange of information among stakeholders.

4. M&E framework/Logical Framework

It outlines the objectives, inputs,

outputs and outcomes of the

intended project and the indicators

that will be used to measure and

the assumptions that the M&E

system will adopt.

Activities Performance results

Establish coordinated M&E planningprocedures for key M&E stakeholders.

Dedicate staff time and resources to alignthe M&E development plan.

Organize training programme for the M&Eimplementation plan

An M&E plan

That describes the implementation of all 12components of a specific M&E system.

That adheres to specific international andnational technical standard.

With completed M&E system assessments withrecommendations.

4. M&E framework/Logical Framework Contd.

5. M&E Work Plan and CostsClosely related to the M&E frameworks is the M&E Work plan and costs. It shows how resources (personnel, time, materials and money) will be used to achieve the set M&E functions.

Activities Performance results

Establish and maintain a planning unit withresponsibility for managing and coordinatingresources for M&E.

Coordinate a workshop of stakeholders todevelop the work plan, cost activities and assignresponsibility for its implementation.

An M&E work plan that contains activities,responsible implementers, timeframe,activity costs and identified funding.

A regularly updated M&E work plan based onperformance monitoring.

Resources (human, physical, financial) arecommitted to implement the M&E work plan.

6. Communication, Advocacy and Culture for M&EThis refers to the presence of policies and strategies within the organization to promote M&E functions.

Develop an advocacy and communication strategyfor the M&E system that outlines activities andresources.

Develop advocacy materials addressing the utilityof M&E and specific action points.

Establish and maintain a communicationsinfrastructure for M&E related information.

A specific M&E communication and advocacystrategy plan.

M&E is explicitly referenced in specific policiesand strategic plans.

Available M&E materials that target differentaudiences and support data sharing and use.

Activities Performance results

Level 2: Collection, capturing and verification of data

Providing data and information relevant for decision making. (Component 7-11)

The M&E plan defines which data need to be captured to monitor and evaluate the national response.

The components in this ring help to collect, capture and verify all the types of data that are needed as part of a national M&E system

7. Routine Programme MonitoringMonitoring refers to the continuous and routine data collection, analysis and reporting thattakes place during project implementation to assess meeting the set objectives.

Activities Performance results

Develop, distribute and maintain standardized for data collection, analysis and reporting.

Produce a clear plan for timely collection of high-quality data.

Implement regular assessments of the quality of programme monitoring data.

Data collection strategy is explicitly linked to data use.

Clearly defined data collection, transfer and reporting mechanisms, including essential tools for data management, collaboration and coordination among different stakeholders.

8. Surveys and SurveillanceThis involves majorly the national level M&E plans and entails how frequently relevant nationalsurveys are conducted in the country. National surveys and surveillance needs to be conductedfrequently and used to evaluate progress of related projects.

Activities Performance results

Conduct regular strategic planning for definingevidence-informed data needs.

Develop and implement a strategy for themanagement of data collection efforts focused onsurveys and surveillance.

Conduct surveys.

Protocol for all surveys and surveillance basedon international standard.

Specified schedule for data collection linked tostakeholders needs, including identification ofresources for implementation.

Inventory of surveys conducted.

9. National and Sub-national databasesThis deals with the need for M&E systems to develop strategies of submitting relevant, reliable and valid data to national and sub-national databases.

Establish procedures where data can be gotten andmanaged in alignment with government policies,project databases.

Establish a TWG to guide and harmonize databasesand to assure quality of data management anddata sharing procedures.

Performance resultsActivities

Linkages between different relevantdatabases to ensure data consistency and toavoid duplication of effort.

Well-defined and managed nationaldatabases to capture, verify, analyze andpresent programme monitoring data from alllevels and sectors.

10. Supportive Supervision and Data AuditingEvery M&E system needs a plan for supervision and data auditing. 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.

Establish national/international standards and procedures for data quality assurance.

Support a data auditing unit for oversight of auditing and audit reports.

Organize regular meetings between external and internal auditors/staff responsible for data quality.

Guidelines for supervising routine data collection at all service delivery levels.

Routine supervision visits, including data assessments and feedback to local staff.

Periodic data quality audits.

Supervision and audit reports.

Activities Performance results

11. Evaluation and Research

Evaluation is an important component of M&E as it establishes whether the project has metthe desired objectives. It usually provides for organizational learning and sharing of successeswith other stakeholders.

11. Evaluation and Research Contd.

Activities Performance results

Inventory of completed and ongoing countryand local specific evaluation and researchstudies.

Ethical approval procedures and standards.

National forum for sharing and discussing ofevaluation and research findings.

Organize workshops with relevant stakeholdersto agree on priority questions for evaluationand research.

Establish procedures for implementation andensuring adherence.

Establish a mechanism to share and discussfindings and their implications.

Level 3: Dissemination and Use of InformationUsing Information (Feedback) to Improve Results

To be successful, monitoring and evaluation information must be used!

Who will be responsible for collating, preparing reports (subject forcommunication sessions)

Consider timing, possible users

Will indicators be available at the time of budget preparation orperformance reviews?

Who are the key decision makers?

How will the data be presented?

12. Data Dissemination and UseThe information gathered during monitoring and evaluation needs to be shared out to relevantstakeholders to inform future decision making. Organizations must therefore ensure that there isan information dissemination plan either in the M&E plan, Work plan or both.

Activities Performance results

Develop and implement guidelines on dataconfidentiality and data release with explicitdecision making processes and authorities.

Develop and implement a communicationstrategy and plan for M&E products.

An M&E plan which includes a data use plan.

Information products tailored to differentaudiences and a dissemination schedule.

Evidence of information use.

Criteria for Assessing M&E SystemThe standard criteria for assessing the quality of your M&E system are:

Utility Will the M&E system serve the practical information needs of intended users;

Feasibility Are the methods, sequences, timing and processing procedures proposedrealistic, prudent and cost effective;

Propriety Will the M&E activities be conducted legally, ethically and with due regardfor the welfare of those affected by its results;

Accuracy Will the M&E outputs reveal and convey technically adequate information.

Conclusion

For a project, program, policy to work

effectively and efficiently, a functional

Monitoring and Evaluation system should be

put in place. This will help greatly in informed

and verifiable present and future decision

making.

References1. 12 components of M&E Systems

https://evaluateblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/the-12-key-components-of-me-systems/

2. Characteristics of a Good Monitoring & Evaluation System http://www.mnestudies.com/monitoring/characteristics-good-monitoring-evaluation-system

3. How to create a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system – step-by-step guide

http://www.tools4dev.org/resources/how-to-create-an-monitoring-and-evaluation-system

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

https://www.globalhealthlearning.org/program/monitoring-and-evaluation

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

https://www.slideshare.net/skzarif/monitoring-evaluation-presentation1