Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is a key component of the public policy life cycle and a nearly universal component of externally funded development projects. While governments might not necessarily have the same structured approach as donors, all countries will have a mechanism to measure performance. The challenge is not to have an M&E framework in place, but to use it.
Monitoring, in particular, is undervalued. It’s often done as an obligation rather than a tool for learning, adapting and improving project implementation. My intention with this blog is to give you some food for thought on why monitoring matters and how to start today.
We can learn from the private sector
Technology has enabled access to information as never before. Companies are obsessed with data. Businesses are using data and artificial intelligence to monitor performance and make faster and better decisions. Supply chain optimization, innovation and customer-driven design of products and services are some of the most common uses. For some, every company now is a data company.
The possibilities are endless, but the public sector is falling behind
According to the Boston Consulting Group’s Digital Acceleration Index, which measures the ability of an organization to create value through data, the public sector falls behind the eight industries included in the survey in terms of data maturity.
According to the study, countries can be classified from digital passive to digital leader. Most countries in the survey are still in the early stages either digital passive or digital literate.
Start taking imperfect actions today
Like the private sector, the public sector can also use data and the power of technology to improve decision-making and performance. You can start simple – but start now! Start by using the information you already have to monitor your progress, guide your actions and inform your next steps.
Why start simple?
Sometimes the search for the perfect system paralyzes you or turns into the perfect procrastination excuse. I’m not talking about thinking small. I’m talking about dreaming big and starting with small steps towards your goal. There is so much focus on building the perfect systems, that sometimes we forget what it was for in the first place.
Monitoring is the secret for getting things done
One of the common questions I get asked from civil servants is how do you know you are making progress? That you are on the right track?
The answer is by having an adequate monitoring system in place. Be clear on what you are measuring, how you are doing it, and most importantly, why.
1. Define what success looks like
Start with a clear goal, your why. What is the objective you want to achieve? For example, it could be to reduce child malnutrition.
2. Reverse engineer your goals
Once your goal is clear, define what you want to measure and how you are going to do it.
You can reverse engineer your goals. Start with the objective you want to achieve and map out how the desired change would happen. In other words, what is the causal chain from inputs, into outputs and outcomes. See an example in the table below:
3. Start with what you already have
Monitoring is often used for accounting – to show you are doing something – and for counting the things you do. It’s common, and easier, to measure inputs. For example, the amount of money spent or the packs of micronutrients that were bought and delivered.
You can start there, but ask yourself what is it that you really want to achieve.
Measuring outputs and outcomes will give you more information about your actions and could be more helpful at leading you towards your goal. Make a plan of how you can start measuring outputs and outcomes with the resources you already have.
4. Systematize the information
Organize and systematize the information to makes its use easier. You can get more sophisticated with time, but even Excel can be a great start.
Important things to have in mind: make sure the data is consistent and reliable. You could test its accuracy with random samples or a rule of thumb to check if it makes sense for you. The decisions you make will only be as good as the information you have.
5. Take action, use what you have
A common mistake people make is to collect tons of data, with no purpose in mind. Moreover, they don’t use it.
The real value of data is how you use it to improve performance and guide your decisions. I’ve seen impressive systems that generate reports that are useless. Invest some time in designing a report that will give you information for course correction, action taking and decision making.
The frequency of the monitoring is also important. Think about how often you need that information. From my experience frequent monitoring impacts performance.
I can’t emphasize enough the value and importance of adequate monitoring.
Start small, with the basics right and move towards your goal, one step at a time.
I’m thinking about running an Implementation Workshop on this topic with a small group of people where we can discuss more and work on some examples together. If this is something you would like to learn more about, contact me and I’ll send you more information.
