A. INTRODUCTION
Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks (MEFs) promote and ensure the culture of transparency and mutual accountability among its staff, timely and accurate reporting to funders and donors, and measuring and mapping programme progress. SDS Consulting works with clients to develop MEFs that provide common approaches that support organisations and staff in implementing programmes. MEFs are operationalised through a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan. SDS Consulting develops these plans in consultations with our clients including supporting clients in adoption of the framework.
B. WHAT IS A MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK?
A monitoring and evaluation framework is a guide that lays out the components of a programme including the steps needed to achieve desired results. MEFs increase understanding of the programme’s goals and objectives, define the relationships between major factors that are key to implementation, and articulate the internal and external elements that could affect the programme’s success.
C. WHY ARE MEFS IMPORTANT?
During the development of a MEF process, SDS Consulting supports Clients to understand and analyze programmes by brainstorming through programmatic strategies, objectives, and planned activities. This, consequently, helps SDS develop sound monitoring and evaluation frameworks and support implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities. These MEFs also articulate programme goals and measurable short, medium, and long-term objectives, define relationships among inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts, clarify the relationship between programme activities and external factors, and demonstrate how activities will lead to desired outcomes and impacts.
D. CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DEVELOPING MEFS.
SDS Consulting is aware that different kinds of interventions (policy change, awareness raising campaigns, community mobilization, improving service delivery and response) will need different kinds of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, tools and indicators . SDS develops tools that are adapted to specific contexts and monitoring and evaluation needs. Therefore, we advise clients need to clarify goals, short term, medium term, and long-term objectives. This will help us develop a framework that best suits their strategies and activities and responds to their institutional requirements. Below are aspects we consider when developing MEFs: –
• What are the objectives of the monitoring activities?
• What are the specific questions that need to be asked to gauge the progress of the intervention?
• What information is needed to see if activities are being implemented in the way that was planned, and who can provide that information?
• What are the objectives of the evaluation?
• What are the specific questions that need to be answered to gauge the impact and success of the intervention?
• What information is needed to determine if the expected objectives and outcomes were accomplished and who can provide that information?
Compiled by,
Wanjugu Mathenge,
Project Associate,
SDS Consulting.
