MACRO PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION

This module focuses on planning and management of M&E for results-based management at the macro level, i.e. cutting across programmes managed by a Country Office under some form of Country Programme or change strategy. This perspective is important to situate separate programme-level M&E activities in the wider context where choices are made on prioritisation and focus.

The module has three parts. Part 1 provides an overview of good practice in planning M&E in different contexts (stable/unstable/acute and chronic crisis). Part 2 is built around a series of exercises that simulate the development of a progression of results-based planning tools (i.e. programme logic models and logframes), culminating in the development of an Integrated M&E Plan. Part 3 covers indicators focusing on the process and criteria for their selection.

While several sessions of this module include materials that have been specifically designed with UNICEF participants in mind - particularly on the UNICEF Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and the overall management of M&E activities - these could be adapted to similar organisations.

OBJECTIVES

• Participants can identify good practices for Country Offices in managing monitoring and evaluation responsibilities as a support to results-based management in different contexts (stable/unstable/crisis).
• Participants can describe the process of and have basic skills necessary for using results-based planning tools, specifically programme logic models and logframe matrices, for M&E planning.
• Participants can situate the IMEP as a support to results-based management as well as have the basic skills to develop an IMEP.
• Participants can identify and have basic skills in practice applying the process and criteria for selecting indicators.

LINKS WITH OTHER MODULES

Module 2 illustrates the overall planning of M&E activities, and, as such, introduces concepts that should be recalled in various sessions. The first session of Part 1 is introductory, setting up the context of crisis and unstable contexts and the implications for M&E planning. This can be used for many different training activities. Understanding the logic of a programme (part 2) is a prerequisite for planning effective M&E activities. The programme logic model is comparable to conceptual frameworks in framing information needs (module 3) for programme evaluation. Indicators (part 3) are an ubiquitous concept, that may be recalled in module 3 (framing information needs), module 5 (data gathering) and module 6 (data analysis). An understanding of the range of M&E activities, their different purpose, focus and timing in the programme cycle as covered in module 1 is a necessary basis for this module, especially Part 1.

SESSIONS

2.1 - Monitoring and evaluation for results-based management

2.1.1 - Setting the context - Planning M&E in crisis and unstable contexts
2.1.2 - Good practice in managing M&E
2.1.3 - M&E for results-based management - Role Play
2.1.4 - Introducing the Integrated Monitoring and Evalaution Plan

2.2 - From results-based planning tools to integrated M&E plan

2.2.1 - What is a programme logic model? And other results-based planning tools
2.2.2 - Developing a programme logic model
2.2.3 - Using programme logic models in evaluation planning
2.2.4 - Logic models to logframes: identifying indicators
2.2.5 - Integrating a monitoring, research and evaluation plan

2.3 - Indicators

2.3.1 - Indicators - definitions and distinctions
2.3.2 - Selecting indicators