UNIT 4: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

4.1. Project Implementation

After the project design is prepared negotiations with the funding organization starts and once
source of finance is secured implementation follows.
Implementation is the most important part of the project cycle. The better and more realistic the
project plan is the more likely it is that the plan can be carried out and the expected benefits
realized.
Project implementation must be flexible since circumstances change frequently.
Technical changes are almost inevitable as the project progresses; price changes may necessitate
adjustments to input and output prices; political environment may change.
Translating an investment proposal into a concrete operational unit is a complex, time consuming
and risk fraught task.
Delays in implementation, which are common, can lead to substantial cost overrun.

For expeditious implementation at a reasonable cost, the following are helpful.

1. Adequate formulation of projects.

A major reason for the delay is inadequate formulation of projects. Put differently if necessary
homework in terms of preliminary studies and comprehensive and detailed formulation of
projects is not done, many surprises and shocks are likely to spring on the way. Hence the need
for adequate formulation of the project cannot be overemphasized.
2. Use of the principle of responsibility accounting.
Assigning specific responsibilities to project managers for completing the project within the
defined time frame and cost limits is helpful in expeditious execution and cost control.
3. Develop project management competence: Use of network
techniques. With the help of these techniques, monitoring becomes easier.

This implementation basically involves capability in project management. The function of

project management is to foresee or predict as many of the dangers and problems as possible and
to plan, organize and control activities so that the project is completed successfully in spite of the
risks.

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Project management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of resources for a
specific time period to meet a specific set of one-time-objectives. This process starts before any
resources are committed and must continue until all work is finished. The aim is for the final
result to satisfy the project sponsor or purchaser, within the promised timescale and without
using more money and other resources than those, which were originally set aside or budgeted
for.
Since there are different types of projects, the management of these different types of projects is
also different reflecting the peculiarity of the projects.
One can classify projects into:
1. Civil engineering, construction, related;
These projects incur special risks and problems of organization and communication. They
require massive capital investment and they require rigorous management of progress, finance
and quality.
2. Manufacturing projects;
Manufacturing projects involve, construction, procurement of soft - and hard-ware
technologies/machinery & equipment/, installation, commissioning and start-up, initial
employees training and commencement of operation.
3. Management projects;
Operating enterprises do require introducing management projects, which needs project
management capability. The products of such projects may not be tangible products.
4. Research projects
These projects can involve large sum of money, lasting form many years and yet the result is less
predictable than the other types of projects. The end result could be surprising, pleasing,
disappointing or producing nothing.
Project management is a multifaceted process in which many different things get managed
simultaneously.

For each of these activities it is necessary to plan, organize, direct, and control. Successful
project management can then be defined as having achieved the project objectives:
 Within time
 Within cost
 At the desired performance/technology level, quality, etc./
 While utilizing the assigned resources effectively and efficiently

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4.2 What is Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)?

4.2.1 What is Monitoring and Evaluation?

Throughout life we are monitored and evaluated: in school we receive grades, at work we
are given performance appraisals, and we evaluate relationships and monitor our health.
Before we use the formal definitions of monitoring and evaluation, lets use commonsense
definitions: Evaluation asks the question “Are we doing the right thing” or “Do we have
the right plan?” and Monitoring checks to see if we are following our plan.

Monitoring and Evaluation is the systematic collection and analysis of information to enable
managers and key stakeholders to
 make informed decisions,
 maintain existing practices, policies and principles and
 improve the performance of their projects.
Monitoring
 is the regular gathering analyzing and reporting of information that is needed
for evaluation and/or effective project management.
 is either ongoing or periodic observation of a project’s implementation to ensure that
inputs, activities, outputs, and external factors are proceeding according to plan.
 It focuses on regular collection of information to track the project.
 provides information to alert the stakeholders as to whether or not results are being
achieved.
 identifies challenges and successes and helps in identifying the source of an
implementation problem.
 is a periodically recurring task already beginning in the planning stage of a project or
programme.
 allows results, processes and experiences to be documented and used as a basis to steer
decision-making and learning processes.
 is checking progress against plans. The data acquired through monitoring is used for
evaluation.

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Monitoring has four main purposes:

 To learn from experiences to improve practices and activities in the future;

 To have internal and external accountability of the resources used and the results
obtained;
 To take informed decisions on the future of the initiative;
 To promote empowerment of beneficiaries of the initiative.

Evaluation
 is a selective and periodic exercise that attempts to objectively assess the
overall progress and worth of a project.
 It uses the information gathered through monitoring and other research activities and is
carried out at particular points during the lifetime of a project.
 is different from monitoring.
 is assessing, as systematically and objectively as possible, a completed project or
programme (or a phase of an ongoing project or programme that has been completed).
Evaluations appraise data and information that inform strategic decisions, thus improving the
project or programme in the future.
Evaluations should help to draw conclusions about five main aspects of the intervention:

 relevance
 effectiveness
 efficiency
 impact
 sustainability

Information gathered in relation to these aspects during the monitoring process provides the basis
for the evaluative analysis.

Monitoring Evaluation

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 checks whether the project is on track questions whether the project is on the
right track.
is concerned with the short-term looks more at long-term effects of project
performances of the project goals.

Frequently, evaluation is perceived as an activity, carried out by an expert or a group of experts,

designed to assess the results of particular project. This is a common misconception. It is vital
that evaluation is carried out with the participation of all project stakeholders, including
beneficiaries. The results of a periodic evaluation are fed into the project planning process as
quickly as possible to enhance the project’s effectiveness.

Monitoring is useful because it tends to highlight little problems before they become big
ones.
An evaluation is a systematic examination of a project to determine its efficiency,
effectiveness, impact, sustainability, and the relevance of its objectives.
The dictionary defines evaluation as a systematic investigation of the worth or merit of an
activity.
Traditionally, evaluation has been the last step in the project life cycle and in the project
development process. However, it does not make sense to wait until the project is
finished to ask the question “Did we do the right thing?” Indeed, you could evaluate the
effectiveness at each stage of the project life cycle.

In a project the monitoring and evaluation group decides what to monitor. By collecting
data regularly on activity inputs and outputs, processes, and results, the community can
monitor the progress toward the group’s goals and objectives .

In managing a project indicators are indispensable management tools. They define

the data needed to compare the actual verses the planned results. M&E can be seen as a practical
management tool for reviewing performance. M&E enables learning from experience, which can
be used to improve the design and functioning of projects. Accountability and quality assurance

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are integral components of M&E, which help to ensure that project objectives are met, and key
outputs and impacts are achieved.

4.3 Why Monitor and Evaluate?

M&E can help an organization to extract, from past and ongoing activities, relevant
information that can be used as the basis for future planning.
Without M&E how would it be possible to judge if a project was going in the right direction,
whether progress and success was being achieved, and how future efforts might be improved?
A structured M&E approach makes information available to support the implementation
of projects and activities and will enhance the sustainability.
Used effectively M&E can help to strengthen project implementation and encourage useful
partnerships with key stakeholders.
The main objectives of M&E are thus to:
Ensure informed decision-making;
Enhance organizational and development learning;
Assist in policy development and improvement;
Provide mechanisms for accountability;
Promote partnerships with, and knowledge transfer to, key
Stakeholders;
Build capacity in M&E tools and techniques.
M&E is about feedback from implementation.
The ultimate purpose of M&E is change for the better.

Project management has the task of establishing sufficient controls over a project to ensure that it
stays on track towards the achievement of its objectives. This is done by monitoring (internal),
which is the systematic and continuous collection, analysis and use of information for
management control and decision-making.
In this instance implementation is seen as a continuous learning process where experience
gathered is analyzed and fed back into planning and updated implementation approaches.

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Project monitoring is an integral part of day-to-day management. It provides information by
which management can identify and solve implementation problems, and assess progress.

The Logical Framework, the implementation schedule, activity schedules, and project budget
provide the basis for this monitoring.

There are a number of different levels of monitoring, each related to what kind of information is
relevant, and the regularity of monitoring. The table below illustrates some examples.

Logframe Approach

A methodology for planning, managing and evaluating programmes and projects, using tools to
enhance participation and transparency and to improve orientation towards objectives

Represented graphically the hierarchical logic of the objectives of the logframe approach is as
follows.

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4.4 Different Kinds of M&E
M&E can deal with many issues. It can be
 M&E of Projects.
 policy implementation,
 the performance of a unit in an organization, staff performance or, for example, deliveries
from a subcontractor.

4.4 .1 Internal and External Project M&E

Internal Project M&E is built into the design of a project and is undertaken by the team
that is responsible for management and implementation of the project.
This is done to ensure that the project
 meets deadlines,
 stays within the budget and
 achieves its objectives, activities, outputs and impacts!. A project that does not monitor
its implementation is not a well-managed project.
Findings, recommendations etc of internal monitoring is usually captured in progress reports
submitted by project management.
4.4 .2 External Project M&E is carried out by an outside team, which is not directly
responsible for the management or implementation of the project. External M&E should
assess the effectiveness of the internal M&E put in place by the project management
team. External monitoring can take place once the project has been completed, and/or
during implementation of the project.
External M&E is often required by donor agencies or government organizations if, for
example, they need to know how their funds are being spent or if their policies are being
adhered to. All projects can benefit from external M&E.
Findings and recommendations of external monitoring are often documented in a review
or evaluation report.

4.5 Monitoring Levels

Traditionally, M&E focused on assessing the inputs and activities of a project. Today the
focus is increasingly on measuring the outputs and impacts of a project to achieve a
broader development objective or goal.
Project inputs, activities and assumptions/risks are also important, however, as they all

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affect outputs. For example, if the budget (an input) is cut by 50%, this will obviously affect the
outputs of the project and will need to be taken into account when conducting the M&E. The
various monitoring levels in a project are:
Input Monitoring
Input monitoring is the monitoring of the resources that are put into the project – these include
budget, staff, skills, etc.
Information on this type of monitoring comes mainly from management reports, progress reports
and accounting. For example, ways of measuring this can be the number of days consultants are
is employed, or the amount of funds spent on training and equipment.
Activity Monitoring
Activity monitoring monitors what happens during the implementation of the project and
whether those activities which were planned, were carried out. This information is often
taken from the progress report.
Output Monitoring
Output monitoring is a level between activity and impact monitoring. This type of monitoring
assesses the result or output from project inputs and activities.
The measurements used for output monitoring will be those which show the immediate
physical outputs and services from the project.
Impact Monitoring
Impact monitoring relates to the objectives of the project. The aim of impact monitoring
is to analyze whether the broader development objectives of the project have been met.
Such monitoring should demonstrate changes that are fundamental and sustainable
without continued project support.
4.6 The Monitoring and Evaluation Procedure
The M&E procedure below sets out the steps in planning and implementing external
M&E. The M&E procedure must be customized to the specific needs of each project,
taking into account the project objectives, inputs, outputs, activities, stakeholders and
beneficiaries. The M&E steps will vary from situation to situation. Seven key steps are
listed in Figure 4.2 and further explained in the rest of this chapter.
Figure 4.2: The M&E Procedure

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Step 1: Establish the Purpose and Scope of M&E
Specifying the purpose and scope of the M&E helps to clarify
 what can be expected of the M&E procedure,
 how comprehensive it should be and
 what resources and time will be needed to implement it.
When formulating the purpose of M&E, relevant stakeholders including the project management
team, should be consulted or at least made aware of and understand the purpose of the M&E.
Example of an External M&E Purpose
To verify that the development objective and outputs of the project have been achieved
within the allocated budget.
The scope of the M&E may be determined by asking some of the following questions:
 What is the purpose of M&E?

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  How much money is available for your M&E?
 What type of information is required by project management, donor agents or other
stakeholders
 What is the level of M&E expertise available?
 To what extent should local communities and other stakeholders, participate in the
M&E procedure?
Step 2: Identify Performance Questions and Indicators
1 Performance Questions
A performance question is used to focus on whether a project is performing as planned
and if not, why not. Performance questions will be guided by the broader development
objective, the project objectives, the project outputs, as well as the M&E purpose. Once
performance questions have been identified, it will be easier to decide what information
is needed to evaluate the project. Table below gives examples of performance questions for
the M&E of a particular project.
2. Indicators

Indicators should be guided by performance questions and linked to the purpose of the
M&E. Indicators are basically measurements that can be used to assess the performance
of the project.
While performance questions help to decide what should be monitored and evaluated,
indicators provide the actual measurements for M&E and determine what data needs to
be gathered.
The project itself may have indicators by which it monitors it's own progress - these may
be used for external M&E, if relevant.
Also the funding organization and other stakeholders can provide broader indicators that may be
relevant to the external M&E of the project.
Indicators, and therefore the data needed to verify them, can be qualitative or
quantitative. Quantitative data is factual while qualitative information is based on opinions and
perceptions and thus may be subject to further interpretation. During M&E, one should aim to
have both qualitative and quantitative indicators. Table provides examples of quantitative and
qualitative indicators.

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 Table Examples of Quantitative and qualitative indicatories

Indicators type Example

Quantitative indicatories Five bundles of poles are harvested each month
Five training courses were run during the project
qualitative indicatories The pole harvesters regard the harvesting system
as being sustainable.
Those who attended the training courses
perceived the courses to be meeting the demands
for skills in the area.

Relevant - The indicators should be directly linked to the project 0bjectives/ outputs.
Technically feasible - The indicators should be capable of being verified or measured and
analyzed.
Reliable - The indicators should be objective: i.e. conclusions based on them should be the
same if different people assess them at different times.
Usable - People carrying out the M&E should be able to understand and use the information
provided by the indicators to evaluate the project.
Participatory - Relevant stakeholders should be involved in the collection of information
generated by the indicators, the analysis of the information and possible use of the information in
the future.
Step 3: Establish M&E Functions and Assign Responsibilities and Financial Resources
Establishing M&E functions and responsibilities at the beginning of the procedure can help to
avoid major communication issues, conflicts of interest, duplication of tasks and wasted efforts.
Organizing responsibilities means deciding which stakeholders will be involved and clarifying
and assigning roles to these stakeholders as well as to funding organization officials, project
management and any partner organizations. Stakeholders may need to be trained in different
aspects of the M&E procedure.
M&E will require financial resources in accordance with the type of project(s) that is being
evaluated as well as the M&E purpose, performance questions and indicators.
Among the items that should be included in M&E costs are:
 Staff salaries;\
 Fees and expenses for consultants;
 M&E training;
 Organizing M&E meetings and other participatory exercises.

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Consultants can play an important role in enabling projects to fulfill its M&E responsibilities by
providing specialist knowledge and expertise that may not be readily available in the
organization.
Step 4: Gather and Organize Data
Data is the oxygen that gives life to M&E. However, selecting methods of data collection can be
confusing, unless it is approached in a systematic fashion. Rarely is anyone method entirely
suitable for a given situation. Instead, using multiple methods helps to validate M&E findings
and provides a more balanced and holistic view of project progress and achievements.
The performance questions and indicators will provide guidance in deciding what
data/information to gather and the methods to be used. Data can either be primary or
secondary.
1. Data Sources and Data Collection Methods
Potential data sources and data collection methods are listed below:
 Document Review: Documents and reports provide a rich source of information for
M&E.
 Interviews : Interviews can provide a rich source of data, particularly in regard to
qualitative and sensitive information that may not be readily available in official
documents.
 Surveys and Questionnaires: Surveys and questionnaires provide a way of obtaining
information from a large number of people. Questions should be relevant and simple to
answer.
 Field Visits and Transect Walks Visits to the site of a project can provide valuable
information about the environment in which the project is taking place, its impact on
beneficiaries and the working methods that are being used. Transect walks are an
effective participatory method to gather this information.
 Expert Opinion Obtaining the views of experts who are knowledgeable about particular
aspects of the project's activities can in some instances provide valuable insights that may
not be revealed by other methods of data collection.
2. Organizing and Storing Data
Data needs to be captured, organized and stored so that it can be readily used for the M&E
purposes.

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Proper capturing, organizing and storage is particularly important when information has been
collected from different sources with different methods.
Step 5: Analyze Data and Prepare an Evaluation Report
The captured and organized data needs to be analyzed, and findings and recommendations
summarized and compiled into a report.
In this regard, the performance questions and indicators can provide important assessment tools
for the analysis. A final comparison with the outputs and impacts of the project should then be
made. In this way performance, progress and achievements of the project can be assessed.
Reporting
Feedback and reporting are key to both internal and external M&E as, in this way,
information can be meaningfully combined, explained, compared and presented.
All reporting should thus be as accurate and relevant as possible. As mentioned earlier,
external M&E will frequently use the internal project progress reports and other relevant
information as part of the information gathered to externally monitor and evaluate the
project. For external M&E the report is usually called an evaluation or review report.

6: Disseminate Findings and Recommendations

The evaluation reports, or summaries of these reports, should be widely distributed and
presented to decision-makers and key stakeholders including those who were consulted in
the M&E process.
Step 7: Learn from the M&E
Knowledge gained through M&E lies at the core of organizational learning process. M&E
provides information and facts that, when analyzed, understood and accepted, become
knowledge that can be used to improve Project management.
Besides learning about the progress/achievements of the project outputs, etc, it is essential to
learn from what works regarding partnership strategies, project design and implementation, and
to feed this knowledge back into ongoing and future projects and policies. This information also
provides a means to regulate the sustainable management of state projects by other agencies.
Project evaluations can help to bring development partners together, and when this occurs the
learning from M&E goes beyond project to stakeholders involved in other development and
natural resource management activities.

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