Completing a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Once you have drawn up a logframe you can complete the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
General guidance on how to do this is provided in the course Basics of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
This is a way to plan the data you will collect. You may only be collecting two or three indicators, that is fine. The table should not be complicated, it is a way of recording what you plan to do to collect the information and keep an eye on what you are doing. A completed table is shown by way of illustration for the Nutrition example given
EXERCISE: Completing your Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Follow these steps by completing the following table:
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Framework Template
INDICATOR | DEFINITION
How is it calculated? |
BASELINE
What is the current value? |
TARGET
What is the target value? |
DATA SOURCE
How will it be measured? |
FREQUENCY
How often will it be measured? |
RESPONSIBLE
Who will measure it? |
REPORTING
Where will it be reported? |
|
Goal | ||||||||
Outcomes | ||||||||
Outputs | ||||||||
Activities |
Once you have identified the indicators related to the ToC and logframe you will have to make a plan of how you will collect the information.
- For each indicator you need to complete the definition it as precisely as possible. For example, for dietary diversity the definition is ‘number of food groups (out of a total of 7) consumed within the past 24 hours by a child aged 6 to 24 months’
- The baseline data will be filled in as soon as possible and ideally at the start of the project. If the project is on-going carry out the baseline assessment as soon as possible noting when it was done related to the start of the project. A baseline survey is very useful to know the situation at the beginning of your project, or if not at the beginning but as near as possible to the start. Often projects are rolled out slowly to different communities rather than all at one time. This can be useful because data can be collected as new communities are added.
- The target is the level of the indicator that the project aims to reach within a specified timescale. This relates to the project summary that was defined in the logframe. For example ‘ increase of 1 unit of dietary diversity within 1 year’. The target will be negotiated with the project team and stakeholders.
- You need to consider how the data for the indicator will be collected. The data source will depend on the indicator. The appendix lists a range of outcome indicators and how to collect these through surveys and other methods. Output indicators usually can be derived from project management records. Usual sources of data include questionnaires, focus group interviews, data on yields and farming practices, observations or reports of household appliances. The source will also depend on the scale of the indicator- whether it is an individual, household, community, farm or environment level indicator.
- When undertaking surveys, it is necessary to also think about the timing and frequency for the survey. Seasonality may be incorporated- so one survey is undertaken during a hungry gap and one after harvest, for example. An annual or twice annual survey can act as baseline in different communities as they join the project. The following year’s survey will measure the impact after 1 year. Within several years of the project, you will be able to see how the project has progressed over time in different communities[1].
- Sampling may be necessary if the project is large and not everyone or everything needs to be included in a survey. It is important that this sampling does not introduce bias so a random sample is the best design. It can be 2 stage to make it more manageable – for example a sample of villages and within village a sample of households. The size of your sample will depend on what you are measuring, and how accurately you want to report the results. (See the Appendix for extra information on sampling)
- You need to work out who is responsible for data collection and to consider a budget if necessary or whether the data collection may be incorporated in usual project activities- for example, conducting a short survey after a training when the community is being visited.
- Keeping a report of your data is necessary in an easy to understand and straightforward way so that everyone who is involved can access it. A spreadsheet is a useful tool for this. How to conduct a survey
[1] In Epidemiology, this progressive design is known as a ‘stepped wedge’ design, but the principle is straightforward.