DPM 234 PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

TOPIC ONE
Introduction
The course unit aims at equipping learners with essential skills in project monitoring, control and evaluation to
enable them undertake appropriate monitoring, control and evaluation tasks that would contribute to successful
project implementation.

Unit Objectives
At the end of the unit the learner should be able to: -
1. Explain terms and concepts in project monitoring an evaluation
2. Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation system for projects
3. Identify and address contemporary issues in program management

PROJECT
 A set of coordinated activities implemented to meet specific/defined project parameters-time, cost,
quality.
 It is a process of converting resources (inputs) into end product (outputs) through coordinated activities

Inputs Coordinated Activities Output

Inputs –: Resources (manpower, finances, materials, technology) that must invested in order
for project activities to take place.
Output- End product
Activities: Tasks/actions needed to obtain the stated output (completed project).
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROJECT
A project have
 A lifespan- A start and an end
 A life cycle involving a series of phases in between the beginning and the end
 A budget
 A set of activities which are sequential, unique and non-repetitive
 Use of resources which may require coordinating
 Centralised responsibilities for management and implementation
 Defined roles and relationships for participants in the project
A project is successful when it meets set
 Quality(specifications and standards)
 Budget(Cost)
 Schedule (time)
 Scope
 Beneficiaries’/clients’ requirements

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 Project parameters

Project Parameters

Quality Cost Time

Specifications Budget Schedule

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Inputs –: Resources (human, financial and materials, equipment, technology) that must invested in order for
project activities to take place
Activities: Actions/Tasks that are needed to obtain the stated outputs.
Outcome/project purpose: The primary result(s) that an intervention seeks to achieve.The short- term
and term effects of projects’s output. i.e It is also called Project purpose
Objective- The key results that a project/programme seeks to achieve:- Immediate objective and Overall
objective.
Project Goal/impact- Long-term project result. The Goal is a higher order objective (longer term
outcome) that the specific project will contribute to.
PROGRAMME
A programme is formed by a group of Projects aimed at achieving a common goal/impact
PROJECT MONITORING,
Regular ongoing collection and analysis of data to track whether a project’s actual results are being achieved as
planned ( as per targets set during planning phase of the project). It tracks project progress on the actual
performance against what was planned / pre-determined targets (project inputs, activities and output

Monitoring reports progress and alerts management to problems in the project implementation. Project monitoring
is an integral part of day-to-day management
Aims of monitoring
To discover
 That which have happened
 That which should have happened
 That which is happening
 That which should be happening
Monitoring is concerned with

i) To what extent are planned targets actually realized?

ii) Are we making progress towards achieving project objectives/targets?

Monitoring is not only concerned with asking “Are we taking the actions we said we would take?” but also
“Are we making progress on achieving the results that we said we wanted to achieve?”

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PROJECT CONTROL

Comparing where you are to where the project is supposed to be and taking corrective action where there is
deviation from the target. There can be deviation from the plan, cost, schedule, quality, risk, etc. Project Control
is designed to spot problems early, while they are still small enough and then take corrective actions

Concerns of Project Control

i) Are there deviations from the original plan/targets?
ii) Are there deviations in expenditure compared with the budget?
iii) Are there deviations on activities’ durations?
iv) Are there deviations on the quality/specifications/standards of the project?
PROJECT EVALUATION
Periodic, systematic assessment/analysis of an ongoing or completed project. The aim is to determine the
relevance and fulfilment of project objectives, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, accountability and sustainability.
The purpose of evaluation is to periodically review the achievements of a project against planned
expectations/targets
Importance of evaluation
 To Support project improvements — Did it work or not, and why? How could it be done
differently for better results? - What works, why and in what context.
 Building knowledge for generalization and wider-application—what can we learn from
the evaluation for future use? How can we apply this knowledge to other projects?
 Supporting accountability— To show others that you are effective and efficient-Are the
implementers doing the right things. Are things done right? Was what was planned done?
TYPES OF EVALUATIONS
ACCORDING TO TIMING
Ex-ante evaluation (Baseline evaluation/study)
A forward-looking assessment describing the initial conditions (appropriate indicators) before the start of a
project/programme, against which progress can be assessed or comparisons made. It takes place prior to the
implementation of the project.
Midterm evaluation
Undertaken around the middle period of implementation of the project. Formative evaluation intends to check
and improve performance is conducted when the project is implemented halfway.
Terminal / summative evaluations
Undertaken at the end of the implementation phase of projects or programmes to determine the extent to which
expected output was achieved

Ex-post evaluation / impact Evaluation

Undertaken several years after project completion to study how well the intervention served its aims, assess
sustainability of results and impact and to draw conclusions for similar initiatives in the future.
ACCORDING TO WHO CONDUCTS THE EVALUATION
Internal or self-evaluation
Conducted by those responsible for implementing the project. They can be less expensive than external
evaluations and help build staff capacity and ownership. However, they may lack credibility with certain
stakeholders, such as donors, as they are perceived as more subjective (biased or one sided). These tend to
be focused on learning lessons rather than demonstrating accountability.
External or independent evaluation
Conducted by evaluator(s) outside of the implementing team, leading it a degree of objectivity and often
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 technical expertise. These tend to focus on accountability. Funded interventions require an independent
final evaluation.
Participatory evaluation
Involves participation of the beneficiaries and other key stakeholders. Can be empowering, building their
capacity, ownership and support.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MONITORING AND EVALUATION.
Monitoring and evaluation are two different project management tools that are closely related, interactive
and mutually supportive. Through routine tracking of project progress, monitoring can provide quantitative
and qualitative data that is useful for project evaluation.
Project evaluations are less frequent than monitoring activities, considering their costs and time needed.
COMPARISON BETWEEN MONITORING AND EVALUATION:
Item Monitoring Evaluation
Frequency Periodic, Regular, continuous Episodic-mainly conducted at certain
stages of the project
Main action Keeping track, oversight In depth Assessment/analysis
Deep understanding of project
Track project progress/performance, performance at specific stages of the
Basic purpose Adjusting work plan project

Inputs, activities, outputs, processes,

Focus work plans Effectiveness, relevance, impact, efficiency

Information Routine systems, field observations, Same as monitoring plus surveys/ studies
Uses some of the data collected during
Sources progress reports, rapid assessments monitoring
Undertaken by Project Managers/team, community External evaluators and sometimes internal
Done internally

WHY MONITOR AND EVALUATE?

Monitoring and evaluation is important to:
 Keep track of project progress
 Develop on-going improvements to project implementation/performance
 Identify the impact of the program/project/ intervention;
 Identify and record lessons learnt;
 Help develop a useful evidence based on project/program effectiveness;
 Project managers and other stakeholders (including donors) need to know the extent to which their project
 is meeting their objectives and leading to their desired effects. 
  M&E build greater transparency and accountability in terms of use of project resources. 
  Information generated through M&E provides project staff with a clearer basis for decision-making. 
  Future project planning and development is improved when guided by lessons learnt. 
 Through M & E, we can find out if the project is running as initially planned. 
 M & E inform us about the strengths and weaknesses of our project implementation. 
 M & E allow us to detect unexpected and unintended results and effects of our project. 

 We can establish if the project implementation has been weakened by external factors that are out of
 our control (e.g. social, economic or political developments). 
 M & E document and explain the reasons why a project succeed or fail. 
CHALLENGES/ CONSTRAINTS IN MONITORING &EVALUATION

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  Poor planning
 Inadequate finances for monitoring and evaluation activities
 Lack of skilled and experienced human resources who can design and implement effective monitoring
and evaluation systems
 Lack of clear cut differences between monitoring and evaluation which makes some of the project
managers not to identify specific monitoring and evaluation activities
 Internal conflicts in the project
 Opposition from stakeholders-The target beneficiaries might provide wrong information during
monitoring and evaluation,
 Unethical ways or unprofessional ways of collecting data/information for monitoring and evaluation e.g
filling the data collecting instrument without going to the respondents
 Poor systems design leading to collection of too much data or wrong data
 Too much attention directed to data collection and too little to analysis of data in ways that provide
information that is useful to managers
 Missing or delayed baseline studies. These should strictly be done before the start of the project
implementation in order to facilitate project comparison and evaluations
 Inadequate utilization of results
 Delays in data processing
PROJECT DESIGN

It is a cycle of processes to generate ideas, to conceptualize the ideal project, develop a feasible plan to achieve
project deliverables/targets
It is an early phase of the project where a project's key features, structure, criteria for success, and major
deliverables are all planned out.
The information obtained at project identification stage is used to prepare a logical framework (logframe) in which
the objectives, assumptions, indicators and evidence are ordered. Activity schedule and budget for the project are
then prepared from the logical framework

LINKING MONITORING AND EVALUATION TO PROJECT DESIGN

Developing M&E starts before the start of the project. A M&E plan/framework must be developed during the
project design stage and then incorporated in the overall project plan
M&E framework provides
 Sufficient detail to enable budgeting for M&E
 An overview of how M&E will be undertaken/carried out
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE MONITORING AND EVALUATION
 Develop clear project goals, objectives (outcomes), activities and inputs
 Formulate performance indicators that are easy to measure and interpret
 Formulate M&E plan
 Put in place mechanisms to continuously use M&E information for decision
making
 Properly document project activities and their time durations
 Train staff on M&E-this can range from training all staff on basic M&E principles
to specialist trainings for staff in charge of M&E
 Involve key stakeholders in all M&E activities
 Avail adequate resources for M&E activities
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 TOPIC TWO
OVERVIEW OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM
M&E System
 Clarifies of what should be monitored and evaluated, by whom, how and when
 Way of steering and organizing the M&E so that it is less time consuming and easy to implement.
 Helps guide the project implementation and ensures effective operations for all key stakeholders.
 Ensure that the right data are being collected at the right time during and after project
implementation and that this data will help guide project implementation and strategic decisions.
 Ensure that project staff and stakeholders will not be overwhelmed by the amount of data gathered
 A reasonable amount of time and money will be spent in collecting and analyzing data and collating
and reporting the information.
 Note: M&E system should be set up during the planning phase of the project

PRINCIPLES OF SETTING UP A USER-FRIENDLY M&E SYSTEM

 Identify project goals/ objectives
 Determine evaluation questions, indicators and their feasibility
 Develop the methodology for monitoring the process and evaluating effects
 Resolve implementation issues:-who will perform the work? How will existing data and past evaluation
studies be used?
 Identify internal and external resources and capacity
 Develop an M&E plan matrix and time lines
 Develop plan to disseminate and use evaluation findings
CORE COMPONENTS OF A GOOD M&E SYSTEM
It has the following components that can be grouped into 3 main groups:
 Enabling Environment
 People,
 Partnerships
 Planning
 Data and Information
 Data collection, analysis and verification
 Making conclusions and use of conclusions in Decision Making
 The goal is to promote use of FEEDBACK in decisions making and not
simply reporting conclusions.

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 FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAILURE OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEMS
o Poor system design in terms of data collection and analysis
o Inadequate staffing of M&E units both in terms of quantity and quality (competence)
o Missing or delayed baseline studies. Ideally, baseline studies should be done before the start of the
project.
o Delays in data processing often as a result of inadequate processing facilities and staff i.e.no/few
computers.
o Inadequate utilization of staff

MONITORING AND EVALUATION (M&E) PLAN

A document that describes a system that links data/information obtained from various data collection systems to
decisions that will improve project performance

Purpose of M&E plan

 It serves as a tool to guide on how monitoring and evaluation will be carried out.
 It outlines key evaluation questions and the detailed monitoring questions
 It guides one to identity the information needed to be collected and how will be collected.
 The M & E plan also identifies personnel for different tasks and the time lines.
 The plan should build ownership of M& E system by the project team.
 It is a tool that enhances accountability and responsibility for the success of the M&E activities
This plan is formulated during project planning and is part of project plan.
PROJECT MONITORING
Monitoring represents an on-going/regular activity to track project progress against planned targets. It aims at
providing regular oversight of the implementation of input delivery, work schedules, targeted outputs, etc.
Purpose of monitoring;
Through such routine data gathering, analysis and reporting project monitoring aims at:
 Providing project management, staff and other stakeholders with information on whether progress is being
made towards achieving project objectives/deliverables/targets.
 Providing regular feedback to enhance the ongoing learning experience
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  Improving the planning process and effectiveness of interventions.
 Increasing project accountability with donors and other stakeholders.
 Enabling managers and staff to identify and reinforce initial positive project results, strengths and
successes.
 Monitoring alerts managers to actual and potential project weaknesses, problems and shortcomings before
it is too late.
 Assists project management to check whether the project continues to be relevant to the target group
and/or geographical area, and whether project assumptions are still valid.
Effective monitoring needs adequate planning, baseline data, indicators of performance and practical
implementation mechanisms that include actions such as field visits, stakeholder meetings, documentation of
project activities, regular reporting, etc.
Project monitoring is normally carried out by project management, staff and other stakeholders
Monitoring actions must be undertaken throughout the life of the project
MONITORING BEST PRACTICES
 Monitoring data should be well-focused to specific audiences and uses (only what is necessary and
sufficient).
 Monitoring should be systematic, based upon predetermined indicators and assumptions. • Monitoring
should also look for unanticipated changes with the project/ program and its context, including any
changes in project/program assumptions/risks; this information should be used to adjust project/program
implementation plans
 Monitoring needs to be timely, so information can be readily used to inform project/program
implementation.
 Whenever possible, monitoring should be participatory, involving key stakeholders – this can not only
reduce costs but can build understanding and ownership.
 Monitoring information is not only for project/program management but should be shared when possible
with beneficiaries, donors and any other relevant stakeholders.
PROJECT SCOPE-
It is the element of a project plan that defines what work will be done, to what extent that work will be done, and
what the results will be when completed. This boundary set around the project is designed to keep the project
focused, on track, within budget, and in control. By limiting the project team to work that is relevant to project
deliverables, project managers can improve the project's chance for success.
SCOPE MONITORING
Project scope must be monitored regularly to track progress
SCHEDULING-
It is concerned with attaching a timescale and sequence to the activities to be conducted within the project.
Materials and people needed at each stage of the project are determined and the time each is to take is set. It
provides us with a yardstick to help us understand what to expect over time i.e. work progress, expenditures.
Without some scheduling, we would have nothing against which to compare progress. Schedule performance
should be monitored at least once a month

ON –GOING SCHEDULE MONITORING

Regular monitoring of the project schedule performance can provide early indications of possible activity-
coordination problems, resource conflicts, and possible cost overruns. To monitor schedule performance, you
need to know how to collect information, evaluate it and ensure its accurate
FEEDBACK COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING SYSTEM
During the process of implementing a project, the two important tools of the management system are reports and
reporting system for the progress monitoring of the projects. The objective of the reports is to inform all concerned
stakeholders about the project’s physical as well as financial progress

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A reporting system must be negotiated up front with the Project Sponsor and must be in place from the beginning
of the project. The content, format and frequency might vary as the project moves through its life cycle. However
regular reports are prepared throughout the entire project cycle.
Different projects would be required to submit varying reports depending on the information needs of the project
stake holders.
The common types of reports stakeholders would require include;
(a) Financial reports- detailing amounts spent per expenditure lines and balances as at the reporting date
(b) Status report- Details the progress made in project implementation. Content would include completed
tasks & work products, Actual Start/Finish dates, Tasks in progress, Tasks planned with expected completion
dates, overdue tasks, justification and recommended new Estimates, Problems/Issues, Budget versus expenditures
PROJECT CO-ORDINATION
Project coordination generally refers to planning and managing multiple tasks simultaneously. Project teams often
require coordination of activities, resources, equipment, and information. To satisfy this need the project
coordinator functions in their primary role. Any coordination issues which cannot be resolved are elevated to the
next level of management.
MONITORING GUIDES/TOOLS
a) Project diary
It is a written record of significant activities, events or processes that occured during the project implementation.
The project staff keep a project diary to record the insights and experiences during project planning and
implementation .These insights are important in improving the way future projects are run.
A Project diary helps make a meaningful conclusion during monitoring/evaluation of project implementation
rather than rely on sketchy memories

b) Newsletter
It is a form of communication to project team/stakeholders/participants. It highlights various issues relating to the
project.
A newsletter
 Highlights a summary of project status
 Closes communication gaps between various stakeholders
 Promotes teamwork/ team spirit among project team and/or stakeholders
 Provide opportunity for giving free expression about the project
c) Control room
It is a conference room with facilities for data collection, processing and data display. It enables the project team
to get specific information easily and promptly
d) Project management meetings
The project should organize regular meetings with project staff and with all the stakeholders. The meeting must
be planned, have an agenda, venue and time.
e) Field visits
These can either be formal or informal visit to project site
f) Work plans
Describes what needs to be done during project implementation. It should also include targets/objectives and
milestones to be achieved. The work plan can be as a basis for monitoring
Choice of monitoring guide
The choice of the guide to use in monitoring depends on
 Nature of the project
 Money available for monitoring
 Level of training of monitoring team

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PROJECT AUDITING
Project audit is the process of verification of the extent to which the project realisation complied with the rules
and principles of project management. It also implies an inspection of the project to determine whether financial
controls are in place (systems audit) and whether they are being followed (compliance audit).
A project audit provides an opportunity to uncover the issues, concerns and challenges encountered in the
execution of a project. It affords the project manager and project team an interim view of what has gone well and
what needs to be improved for the project to be successfully completed.
Conducting an audit is imperative to assess the progress of a project and regular audit sessions ensure that a
project’s management is in-sync with the established project objectives.
Reasons for auditing;
 Revalidate the business feasibility of the project
 Reassure top management and donors
 Confirm readiness to move to next phase of the project
 Investigate specific problems
Project audits should;
 Determine what is going right or wrong, and why
 Identify forces and factors that have prevented achievements of cost, schedule, and technical performance
goals
 Evaluate the efficacy of existing project management strategy
 Provide an exchange of ideas, information, problems, solutions, and strategies with the project team
members
BENEFITS OF PROJECT AUDITS
Project audits are highly beneficial to the organization and provide a number of outcomes/benefits which include;
 Development of “Lessons Learned” on the project that can be applied to both the organization and its
stakeholders.
 Development of strategies, which if implemented would increase the likelihood of future projects and
change initiatives being managed successfully.
 Development of project success criteria which would include on-time, on-budget, meeting
customer/beneficiary and other stakeholder requirements
 Recognition of risk management so that risk assessment and the development of associated contingency
plans becomes a norm within the project.
 Development of change management success criteria which would include how staff are involved, how
project target beneficiaries are impacted, how the organization is impacted, etc
WAYS OF AUDITING
There are various ways of auditing but the most common ones are
 Financial audit
Seeks to find out how well the books of accounts are maintained
 Human resource audit
Assesses how well human resources are utilized
 Assets audit
Examines the available assets and their conditions and how best they can be utilized even when the project
is completed
PROJECT AUDIT PROCESS
A project audit consists of three phases:
Phase1: Determine success Criteria for the audit and develop a Questionnaire
Phase 2: Using the questionnaire carry out an in-depth Research
 Conduct individual interviews with stakeholders including vendors, suppliers, contractors, other
project internal and external resources and selected customers.

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  Assess the issues, challenges and concerns in more depth to get to the root causes of the
problems.
 Review all historical and current documentation related to the project
Phase 3: Report Development

ESSENTIALS OF AN AUDIT
 Competent Audit team
 Easy access to records
 Easy access to project personnel/team, community and other stakeholders

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROJECT AUDIT AND PROJECT EVALUATION

Project Audit is concerned with accountability while project evaluation ascertains the level of accountability
and provides opportunity for learning

Evaluation = Accountability + Learning

Audit = Accountability

TOPIC THREE
PROJECT CONTROL
Project Control identifies project variations from the set plan/targets after which corrective actions are identified
and implemented. Project control helps to stay on course /schedule during project execution
As way to remember Project control is to think PDA
P-Prevention-Prevent variance from occurring
D-Detection- Early detection of variance
A- Action- Detection must trigger an appropriate and timely response

KEY ELEMENTS OF CONTROL

 Good planning: providing better definition of scope, budgets, milestones, and risks/opportunities
assumptions leading to alignment and commitment of key stakeholders.
 Good controls: providing proactive and effective management of opportunities, risks and changes
leading to maximising project and program outcomes.
 Good reports: providing efficient capturing of accurate and early detection of deviations from project
targets and hence outcomes.
STEPS IN CONTROLLING
 Establish performance-Setting goal
 Monitor performance-measure progress
 Taking corrective actions

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THREE TYPES OF CONTROL PROCESSES
1. Cybernetic Control:
This is the most common kind of control mechanism. A project has inputs and outputs. The outputs can be in
the form of milestones that have to be met. Cybernetic controls focus on the outputs. If these milestones do not
measure up to the set standards, then the situation is investigated to see if there is a sufficient cause to change
patterns of activity.
2. Go/No-go Control:
Go/no-go control takes the form of testing to make sure that certain preconditions are met before a task is
undertaken. This type of control can be used for a specific part of the project.
Let us take the same example of the showroom. The plastering will start only after the wiring and plumbing
are complete. So, if the plastering does not start off in time, then obviously there have been some delays in the
preceding tasks.
Go/no-go controls are linked to the actual plans and are not as independently set on a calendar.
3. Post-performance Control:
Post-performance controls are applied after the completion of the project or the task, The focus here is not on
altering what has already happened but in making sure that good and bad practices are recorded for being of
help in future projects.
PROJECT CONTROL AS A FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT
Controlling is an important function in management and when done well, controlling;
 Ensures that the overall direction of project team is consistent with short and long term plans of the
institution or organization.
 It helps ensure that project objectives and accomplishments are consistent throughout the project.
 It helps maintain compliance with essential organizational rules and policies.
BALANCE IN THE CONTROL SYSTEM
A balanced control system
 Is directed towards correcting deviations rather than punishment
 Exerts control only to the degree required to achieve its objective
 Utilizes the lowest degree of hassle consistent with accomplishing it goals
PROJECT SCOPE
It is what needs to be achieved and the work that must be done to deliver a project.
PROJECT SCOPE CHANGE-
Occurs when a request is considered to change the agreed scope and objectives of the project to accommodate a
need not originally defined to be part of the project.

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PROJECT SCOPE CREEP
Scope creep (also called requirement creep) refers to uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in a project's
scope. This phenomenon can occur when the scope of a project is not properly defined, documented, or controlled.
It is generally considered a negative occurrence, and therefore should be avoided.
Typically, the scope increase consists of either new products or new features of an already approved project,
without corresponding increases in resources, time, or budget. As a result, the project team risks drifting away
from its original purpose and scope into unplanned additions. As the scope of a project grows, more tasks must
be completed within the budget and schedule originally designed for a smaller set of tasks.
Project scope creep can result in a project team overrunning its original budget and schedule.
Factors that could contribute to the occurrence of a scope creep include;
 Poor change control
 Lack of proper initial identification of what is required to realize the project objectives
 Weak project manager or sponsor
 Poor communication between stakeholders
PROJECT CHANGE
With the pace of change today, it is almost certain that projects will face the demand for change during their life.
REASONS OF PROJECT CHANGE
 Uncertainty in internal and external environment e,g Technology on which that work of the project is
based on
 An increase in knowledge
 Change in rules/policies of carrying out the project
 Natural tendency of project team to improve the project
 New demands and performance requirements that were not there during project planning
PROJECT CHANGE CONTROL
Change control is an important part of the project management process. While change may help ensure the project
alignment with business needs, it is important to consider and approve each change carefully.

PROJECT CHANGE PROCESS

This is a formal process that ensures all changes made to a project are brought about in a controlled and
coordinated way that reduces any disruption to ongoing project activity and remains cost effective without placing
a large requirement on generally scarce resources.
The change control process in project management ensures that each change proposed during a project is
adequately defined, reviewed and approved before implementation. The change control process helps avoid
unnecessary changes that might disrupt the project life and also ensures the efficient use of resources.
Project change process has the following steps
 Proposing a Change
The request the change using Change Request Form (CRF)
 Summarise Impact of the change
This process is carried out by the project manager, who will determine the overall effect of change on
the project
 Decision
This process involves a review of the change request by an approved authority who will consider all the
information provided by the project manager and a final decision is made.
 Implementing a Change
If the change is approved then it is planned, scheduled and executed at a time agreed with the
stakeholders.
 Closing the Change
There are two documents used during the process:
Change Log: used to provide a record of all changes requested and decisions made
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Change Request Form: used to document details of the change,

TOPIC FOUR
PROJECT EVALUATION
PURPOSE OF EVALUATION
Project evaluation is a systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed project.
Main purposes of evaluation
The aim of project evaluation is to determine project relevance and level of achievement of project objectives,
effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

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Relevance –
The extent to which the objectives of the development intervention (e.g. project) are consistent with beneficiary’s
requirements, country needs,
Efficiency –
The fact that the project results have been achieved at a reasonable cost, i.e. how well inputs/means have been
converted into activities, in terms of quality, quantity and time, and quality of the results achieved.
Effectiveness –
The extent to which the development interventions’ objectives were achieved or are expected to be achieved,
taking into account their relative importance
Sustainability –
An assessment of the likelihood of benefits produced by the project to continue to flow after external funding has
ended

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WHEN SHOULD EVALUATION BE CONDUCTED?
Evaluation data should be collected at several (and sometimes all) stages of a program or project. These stages
include;
The design stage.
When information is collected before a project begins, it is called a “needs assessment.. Knowing the needs of a
target audience helps determine desired outcomes/impact.
The start-up stage.
Evaluation information gathered at the beginning of a project or project helps establish a baseline to which
changes can later be compared. This usually involves conducting a pre-test or other ways of gathering information
about existing conditions.
Project wraps up/Terminates.
A summative evaluation “sums up” what has occurred in the project, asks for end-of-project reactions, and
assesses success in meeting objectives. It is typically used for accountability purposes.
Long after the project is completed
This evaluation is called ex-post. It looks at the long-term benefits of a project (impact of the project).
PROJECT EVALUATION LIFE CYCLE

EVALUATION STANDARDS
Evaluation must have the following standards
Objectivity:
Every evaluation needs to achieve a maximum level of objectivity and impartiality. Results, conclusions and
recommendations need to be supported by evidence

Independence of evaluators:
The evaluators must have expert knowledge. Credibility also includes the independence of evaluators from all
staff involved operatively.
Participation of all parties concerned in the entire process:
An evaluation needs to be as participatory as possible (e.g. developing jointly the Terms of Reference with the
project partners, the possibility of all parties involved to comment on the results or the evaluation report).
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Transparency and Focus:
The evaluation assignment must be clearly defined and focussed: Description of the initial situation (project
details), objectives of the evaluation, central questions, methodologies, qualifications of the evaluation team,
reporting requirements
Reliability:
The utilisation and preparation of basic data is necessary in order to prove the assessment and the conclusions in
a credible fashion. The evaluation results stated in the evaluation report must be comprehensible.
Completeness and clarity of reports:
The report has to be structured according to defined criteria and evaluation questions. All evaluation questions
must be answered.
Fairness and protection of the interests of the parties involved:
Security, dignity and rights of the persons involved in the evaluation must be protected.
Utility:
Evaluation recommendations are used for improving projects or programmes. Feedback to political and operative
decision makers must be guaranteed through a clear responsibility for the implementation of the evaluation results.
Question:
What are the roles of control and monitoring in evaluation?

TOPIC 5
MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORKS
Framework
A framework is a supporting structure around which something can be built upon
Frameworks in project management
There are three types of frameworks in project management
 Conceptual framework
 Results Framework
 Logical Framework or Logframe
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Conceptual framework is a theoretical map/plan of a project that shows the relationship between different
components of the project
It defines pathways between the key components and helps to clarify the processes that lead to desired project’s
effect or outcome.
Conceptual frameworks are successful organising tools:
 They are applied to a project whose ultimate purpose and goal is known and clear
 They identify the key factors that will determine project success or failure
 They identify components that can be operationally defined and measured through indicators
 They represent a shared project’s perspective among stake holders.
Having a conceptual framework prior to M&E planning can stimulate strategic thinking (Where are we going and
how will we reach the destination?)
RESULTS CHAIN FRAMEWORK
Results framework is a diagram that identify levels of project’s results and illustrate relationships linking all levels
of a project’s objectives. It is also called Strategic framework
A results framework represents the underlying logic that explains how the project developmental objective
(project goal) will be achieved.
Elements of Results Frameworks
 Goal Statement— the change that the project hope to achieve
 Strategic (or Key) Objective (SO)—the main result that will help us achieve our project goal and for
which we can measure change
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  (Intermediate) Results (IRs)—the things that need to be in place to ensure achievement of the Strategic
Objective
 Strategies & Activities —what a project does to achieve its intermediate results that contribute to the
final project objective

Results frameworks
 Help us focus on project END result(s) and the strategies that we can use to achieve them
 Force us to identify the logic and links behind the project and to identify necessary and sufficient elements
for success

LOGICAL FRAMEWORK (LOGFRAME)

A Logframe or Logical Framework, a project planning tool consisting of a matrix which provides an overview
of a project’s goal, activities and anticipated results.
It is 4 by 4 matrix which enables the decision maker to monitor and evaluate projects. Logframe is formulated
through Logical Framework Approach (LFA) process carried out at the planning stage of the project.
LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH (LFA)
LFA incorporates the following steps /elements:
 Clients’/Stakeholders’ identification and Analysis
 Problem Analysis to generate a Problem Tree
 Objectives analysis to generate an Objective Tree
 Selection of the preferred implementation strategy
 Testing of vertical Logic
 Specify Assumptions and Risks
 Identify Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs).
 Identify Means/sources of verification (MOVs)
 Testing Horizontal logframe Logic

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Clients’/Stakeholders’ identification and Analysis
The target group analysis result is a clear view on the problems that should be given priority by the project
Problem analysis
The second stage is an analysis of the existing situation (the major problems). These problems are identified and
the main casual relationship between problems, causes and effects as visualized leading to a problem tree

NOTE: Problem Tree is always converted in an objective tree

Objective analysis
Identify future solutions for problems formulated during the problem analysis and then draw an objective tree

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OBJECTIVE TREE

21
EXERCISE:
Develop an objective tree from the problem tree below

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LFA AND LOGFRAME

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PURPOSE OF LOGICAL FRAMEWORK:

 Logframe is a project planning tool

 Project Monitoring and Evaluation – It forms the most important foundation for generating M&E plan
 Communicating the details of what the project is all about – Informing partners about the overall
objectives of the project
 It provides a structure to help specify the components of a project and its activities and for relating them
to one another.
 Identifies the measures by which the project’s anticipated results will be monitored. ut through M&E to
link planned achievements to actual achievements

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24
LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIX
Project objectives Performance Evidence (Means of Assumptions
Indicators verification)
Goal Impact Indicator External factors necessary
Simple clear statement Quantitative or qualitative data source, and frequency to sustain the long-term
of the impact or results means to measure of data collection for stated impact, but beyond the
that the project should achievement indicator project’s control
Achieve or to reflect the changes
connected to stated goal
Outcomes Outcome Indicator External conditions
Set of beneficiary Quantitative or qualitative data source, and frequency necessary if the outcomes
and population-level means to measure of data collection for stated are to contribute to
changes needed to achievement or to reflect the indicator achieving the goal
achieve the goal (usually changes connected to stated
knowledge, attitudes outcomes
and practices,
Outputs Output Indicator Factors out of the project’s
Products or services Quantitative or qualitative data source, and frequency control that could restrict
needed to achieve the means to measure of data collection for stated or prevent the outputs
Outcomes completion of stated outputs indicator from achieving the
(measures the immediate outcomes
product of an activity)
Activities Process Indicator Factors out of the project’s
Actions needed Quantitative or qualitative data source, and frequency control that could restrict
to produce the outputs means to measure of data collection for stated or prevent the activities
completion of stated indicator from achieving the
activities outcomes
Inputs Input Indicator Factors out of the project’s
Resources used to Quantitative or qualitative data source, and frequency control that could restrict
implement activities means to measure utilization of data collection for stated or prevent access to the
(financial, materials, of stated inputs (resources indicator Inputs
human) used for activities)

Question
Briefly explain the following terms as used in Logframe:
Objectively verifiable Indicator (OVI), Goal, Objective, Input, activity, Output, Outcome, Impact/goal,
Assumption, Means of Verification (MOV)

NOTE: Once the log frame has been developed and is in use, project performance measurement can be carried

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF LOGFRAME

TOPIC SIX
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE
BASELINE
Baseline is the value or initial condition against which all future measurements will be compared.
It is the standard that is used to measure the performance i.e baseline serves as a point of comparison
Project baseline
A baseline is a fixed initial conditions that represents the standard that is used to measure the performance of
the project.
Project baselines are, generally, approved by project management team and they are used to measure and
control projects.
Project baselines include, but are not limited to:
 Schedule baseline
 Cost baseline
 Scope baseline
 Quality baseline

Project Baseline study

It is analysis describing the initial conditions (Baseline indicators) before the start of a project/ programme,
against which progress can be assessed or comparisons made.

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Establishing the baseline is the formal end of project planning and the beginning of project
execution/implementation

The Role of project baselines

 Enable setting of performance targets
 Give the project manager a best way to understand project progress by analyzing baseline vs. actual and
to forecast the project outcome.
 Though baselines are outputs of planning stage, they are referred and updated during executing & monitoring and
controlling the project.
 To improve the accuracy of future estimates.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
 Indicators are signposts of change.
 It what we observe in order to verify whether progress is being /not being made and to what extent
towards the goal.
 Are a sign that shows us the status of something or/ how a situation is developing”. Are thus a measure
of performance
 They are stated in measurable terms e.g. number, Km, kgs etc
 Indicators can be used as a reference point for monitoring, decision making, evaluation etc.
Project Indicators are very important in measuring performance/ project progress
They are used at all point on the project ‘results chain’ of the project i.e inputs, activities output, outcome and
impact/goal.

Types of Indicators in a project

 Input indicators; measurement of resources (financial, physical and human) e.g. No. of doctors,
vehicles and amount of money required for an immunization programme.
 Activity / Process indicators: are those indicators that are used to measure project processes or activities
 Output indicators; measurement of the product e.g. number of children vaccinated
 Outcome indicators; measures the intermediate results generated relative to the objective of operation
e.g. percentage of children that have contracted measles

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  Impact/goal indicators; measures long term results or changes produced directly or indirectly, e.g.
Infant mortality levels

Importance of Indicators
 At the initial phase of a project, indicators are important for the purposes of defining how project
performance will be measured.
 Indicators are an important in a project, particularly for monitoring and evaluation.
 During project implementation, indicators serve the purpose of aiding project managers
assess project progress and highlight areas for possible improvement.
Qualities of appropriate project indicator
Any appropriate M&E indicator must meet the following thresholds. They must be:

 Precise/Well defined: Indicators must not be ambiguous. Otherwise, different interpretations of indicators
by different people implies different results
 Reliable: The indicator yields the same results on repeated trials/ attempts when used to measure
outcomes. If an indicator doesn’t yield consistent results, then it is not a good indicator.
 Valid: Validity here implies that the indicator actually measures what it intends to measure. For example,
if you intend to measure impact of a project on access to safe drinking water, it must measure
exactly that and nothing else.
 Measurable: If an indicator cannot be measured, then it should and must not be used as an
indicator.
 Practicable: An indicator must be able to utilize locally available resources while at the same time being
cost effective.
Good indicators must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound)
PROJECT MILESTONES
They are intermediate work results i.e intermediate outputs. The final work output is broken down in to work
units each with specific output. They are used to determine whether the project is on schedule and on budget.
Engagement milestone are important for several reasons
 They serve as a beginning point of development of detailed work plan that that breaks up the end
work products in to manageable pieces
 They serve as measuring points for progress towards project objectives ie for tracking progress.
 These measuring points (milestones) are critical for the project control. The client can use
milestones to review and measure project team performance
 They play a psychological role i.e a feeling of accomplishment is achieved when a milestone is
achieved

PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERRUNS

Time overrun-
Project’s duration difference between the project’s original budgeted completion time and actual completion
time of the project. It is an increase in project time duration
Cost overrun
A cost overrun, also known as a cost increase or budget overrun, involves unexpected costs incurred in excess
of project budgeted amounts due to an underestimation of the actual cost during budgeting.
Causes of overruns in projects
Failure to:
 Poor project planning
 Have a risk mitigation strategy in place
 Forecast cost
 Resolve change orders and
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  Respond to and close audit findings
 Conduct diligent contract administration
 Generate timely, accurate and relevant cost reports
 Implement strong project controls and internal controls
 Establish and periodically review contingency and reserves
 Conduct periodic audits and risk assessment
Overrun could also be due to bad estimation at the planning stage, poor project management or unavoidable
risks
Time and cost overruns can be used as a criteria for evaluating Project management performance
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
Project performance measurement is done to;
 Assess current performance
 Set goals for improvement
 Anticipate any potential deviation
When we are measuring the performance of a project we are interested in the impact the project has at a point in
time, or over a fixed timeframe. Project performance can be measured with the help of a monitoring system and
key indicators. Like all systems, a project monitoring system must begin with management commitment.
Components of an effective performance measurement system
Key components of an effective performance measurement system include
 Clearly defined, actionable, and measurable goals that cascade from organizational mission to management and
program levels;
 Cascading performance measures that can be used to measure how well mission, management, and program goals
are being met;
 Established baselines from which progress toward the attainment of goals can be measured;
 Accurate, and verifiable data;
 Feedback systems to support continuous improvement of processes, practices, and results.
Performance Objectives
All projects are expected to have specific objectives; that is, an end result, which costs so much and should be
completed within a certain time-frame.
Therefore, projects that achieve scope, cost, schedule (time), and quality objectives are successful. Those that do
not are failures. Project Success or failure is a simple measure of performance.

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EARNED VALUE (EV)
It is the cost of project work performed up to the project current status date. EV is called Budgeted Cost of Work
that has actually been performed in carrying out a scheduled task during a specific time period. EV tracks the
value that is earned by the project as activities get completed

Earned Value Analysis (EVA)

EVA is a standard method of measuring a project's progress at any given point in time, forecasting its completion
date and final cost, and analyzing variances in the schedule and budget as the project proceeds
BENEFITS OF EARNED VALUE ANALYSIS (EVA)
 Provides a uniform unit of measure for reporting project progress.
 It provides the basis for cost performance analysis
 Enables project managers to institute controls to minimize cost overruns and ensure efficiency in project
implementation
APPROACHES TO ESTIMATE EARNED VALUE (EV)
1. Percent-complete method:
Earned Value (EV) = Total project budget multiplied by the fraction of completed project
2. Milestone method:
EV is zero until you complete the activity, and it’s 100 percent of the total activity budget after you complete that
activity.
3. 50/50 method:
EV is zero before you start the activity, 50 percent of the total activity budget after you start it, and 100 percent
of the activity budget after you complete the activity

PERCENT-COMPLETE METHOD:
Earned Value calculation
Example
Assuming that we are halfway through a year-long project that has a total budget of Kshs 100,000.
Earned Value (EV) = Total project budget multiplied by the fraction of completed project
Earned Value (EV) = Ksh 100,000 * 6/12 = Kshs 50,000

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31
32
Specifications and Standards
Standards are documents spelling out specifications. They are set to ensure products, services and systems are
safe, reliable and consistent.
The work of project managers is to translate the stakeholders; expectations into specifications hence standards. A
project must meet various set specifications/standards throughout its life.

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Types of Evaluation standards
 Utility evaluation standards
Utility standards ensure that information needs of evaluation users are satisfied. These standards address such
items as identifying those who will be impacted by the evaluation, the amount and type of information collected,
the values used in interpreting evaluation findings, clarity and timeliness of evaluation reports
 Feasibility evaluation standards
Feasibility standards ensure that the evaluation can be practically done. These standards emphasize that the
evaluation should employ practical, non- disruptive procedures; and that the use of resources in conducting the
evaluation should be prudent and produce valuable findings
 Propriety evaluation standards
Propriety standards ensure that the evaluation is ethical (i.e. conducted with regard for the rights and interests of
those involved and affected). These standards address such items as developing protocols and other agreements
for guiding the evaluation; protecting the welfare of human subjects; weighing and disclosing findings in a
complete and balanced fashion; and addressing any conflicts of interest in an open and fair manner
 Accuracy evaluation standards
Accuracy standards ensure that the evaluation produces findings that are considered correct. The standards include
such items as describing the program and its context; articulating in detail the purpose and methods of the
evaluation; employing systematic procedures to gather valid and reliable information; applying appropriate
qualitative or quantitative methods during analysis and synthesis; and producing impartial reports containing
conclusions that are justified
Project Deliverables
A tangible action item within a project.
Project deliverable is a product or service that a project produces for its customer, client, or project sponsor. It is
the product or service that the project “delivers” to its stakeholders’
Deliverables are why projects are created.
Project deliverables are not objectives themselves, but deliverables and objectives are very closely related.
Objectives are statements of what you plan to accomplish at each phase of the project and with the project overall.
You usually need deliverables to help you achieve project objectives. For example, if your objective is to
understand your customers, you need a deliverable, a customer profile, to help you do that.
Performance improvement
This is a methodology for improving the quality of institutional and individual performance. It addresses human
performance within organizations at the individual, process, and organizational levels.
Performance improvement stages:
 Getting agreement on the project goal from the clients, stakeholders, and PI practitioner;
 Conducting a performance needs assessment (identifying performance gaps and their root causes);
 Designing the interventions to close the gap;
 Implementing the interventions, and
 Evaluating the change in the performance gap.
The following conditions are needed for people to perform well;
 Clear job and performance expectations
 Clear and immediate feedback on performance
 A supportive environment, including adequate and proper tools, supplies, and work space
 Motivation to perform to expectations (intrinsic motivation to do the job)
 Organized support in terms of strategic direction, leadership and management communication,
organizational structure, and well-conceived job roles and responsibilities
 Knowledge and skills to do the job (technical competencies that match the requirements of the job)
Quality
 Fit for use or purpose it is intended for- Juran
 Conformance to requirements- Crosby
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Quality is based on what is acceptable to the customer or fit for the purpose

Quality can be quantified as follows

Q= P Where Q= Quality of the product/service
E P= Performance of the product/service
E= Expectations of the customer/client
Quality assurance
 All the planned and systematic activities implemented within the quality system that can be demonstrated to provide
confidence that a product or service will fulfil requirements for quality
 Giving evidence to give confidence that quality is maintained
Quality assurance in projects
Activities and management processes that are done to ensure that the products and services the project delivers are at the
required quality level
Objectives of quality assurance in projects
 Demonstrate efforts to deliver quality
 Enhance confidence to clients and stakeholders that quality is being maintained
Bottlenecks of project success
A bottleneck is one process in a chain of processes, such that its limited capacity reduces the capacity of the whole
chain. The result of having a bottleneck is stalling project performance
Types of bottlenecks:
 Short -term bottlenecks - These are caused by temporary problems.
 Long-term bottlenecks - These occur for a time.

Challenges /bottlenecks to project success

Poor Project Undefined /poorly defined Lack of management commitment/support

management objectives and goals

Lack project Lack of user Lack of competent project team

planning/plan inputs/cooperation

Lack of Poor management of No universal templates and documentation

proactivity in budget resources
managing/
combating
project risk

Poorly defined Inadequate or vague Stakeholders’ conflict

roles and requirements
responsibilities

35
 Team Unrealistic timeframes Competing priorities
weaknesses and tasks

Poor Insufficient resources Business politics

communication (funding and personnel)

Overruns of Estimates for cost and Ignoring project warning signs

schedule and schedule are erroneous
cost

Scope creep No change control process Not meeting end user expectations

TOPIC SEVEN
DATA MANAGEMENT
Data
Facts that can be analyzed or used in an effort to gain knowledge or make decisions.
Data is raw in nature and form the basis for generating information
Types of data
 Secondary Data
This is data already available i.e. it is data which have already been collected and analyzed by
someone else.
Sources of secondary data: literature, reports, past projects’ records, electronically
stored data and information systems
 Primary Data
Data collected from the field (from respondents) by project monitors/evaluators. This type of data
has not been published yet and is more specific for a specific study /project
Primary data can either be
 Quantitative-Numerical
 Qualitative- Textual
Data collection methods/Techniques
 Interviews
Face-face (Personal interview), Key informant interview, Telephone interview
 Observations
Undisguised observation, disguised observation
 Focus Group Discussions
 Use of Questionnaires
o Structured
o Unstructured
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 o Semi structured
 Use of Checklists

Data collecting instruments

Data collection tool refers to the instrument used to record the data that will be gathered through a particular
method. Tools may be used/administered by project staff/donors/stakeholders.
There are various data collection instruments data

Quantitative data Qualitative data

Structured questionnaire Unstructured questionnaire
Structured interview schedules/guides Unstructured interview schedule/guides
Focus group discussion guides
Undisguised observation guides Disguised observation guides
Survey tests & examination (structured) Unstructured essay tests & examinations
Key informant interviews guides
Instruments that give both qualitative and quantitative data are known as semi structured.
Instruments that give quantitative data are known as structured.
The researcher must select the best method/tool in view the following factors:-
 Nature, scope and objective of the enquiry
 Availability of funds
 Time factor
 Precision required
Purpose of data analysis
What and how data is analysed is largely determined by the project/programme objectives and indicators and
ultimately the audience and their information needs. Therefore, data analysis should be appropriate to the
objectives that are being analysed, as set out in the project/programme logframe and M&E plan.
Data quality
All features and characteristics of data that bear on its ability to meet stated needs and expectations of the
user.Data has quality if it satisfies the requirements of its intended use
Project Data Quality
Project Data quality -Data collected during project monitoring and evaluation adequately represents the
project’s performance
Adequately represents means that it is accurate and reliable. Accurate means is interpreted as measuring what
we intended to measure (that it is correct) i.e. it is valid
Reliable implies that it has been collected and measured in the same way (consistently) during all the reporting
periods
Data collected are only meaningful if they are of highest possible quality. Data quality must be monitored at
every stage of the project. data monitoring should not depend on only one person to ensure quality-It is a
collective responsibility

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Why is data quality important?
 For better project decision making
 For Sharing program/project information
 For Reporting
 For accountability-Show others that you are effective and efficient
Data Quality Management (DQM)
DQM is:
 The acquisition of data
 The implementation of advanced data processes/analysis
 Effective distribution of data
 Managerial oversight of data
Dimensions of data quality
Quality data have 6 key attributes:
 Accuracy or validity
 Reliability
 Timeliness
 Completeness
 Precision
 Credibility or integrity
Accuracy or validity
Data are correct and reflect the object or transaction it describes- The degree to which an instrument measures
what it is supposed to measure
Reliability
Data has been collected/ measured in the same way (consistently) during all the reporting periods. It is
measured/collected consistently – based on protocols and procedures that do not change according to who is using
them, when or how often they are used-
Timeliness
Data are up-to-date (current) and available on time -Available to the end-user when needed
Completeness
All the expected data attributes are appropriately included
Precision
Data is operationally defined in clear, understandable terms – Data have the expected sufficient detail
Credibility or integrity
The degree to which users trust both the accuracy (validity) and reliability of data
Data should be protected from deliberate bias or manipulation (political or personal)
What influences data quality?
 Lack of clear mechanisms for data ownership and accountability for data quality
 Inability to address data problems due to lack of time, competing priorities, inability to access correct
data, lack of authority or unavailable administrative support
 Motivational issues such as the desire to focus on more challenging work or reluctance to expose data
problems created by co-workers
 Not acknowledgement that poor data quality is a problem
 Lack of discipline across the board
 Lack of investment on financial and human resources
 Data quality is perceived to be extremely manpower-intensive

Data quality assurance (DQA)

DQA refers to the procedures for ensuring that Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) data are accurate, complete,
consistent and reliable.
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Role of computers in data analysis
Computers can process and analyze data with ease and speed. The results obtained are generally correct and
reliable. Such programmes such as Statistical Programs for Social Scientists (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel are able
to analyze data and come up with pictorial graphs and reports.
What are the benefits of using computer in data analysis?
Limitations of computer based analysis
 Computerized analysis requires setting up of an elaborate system of monitoring, collection and feeding of
data.
 Various items of detail which are not being specifically fed into the computer system may get lost sight of
the expression “garbage in garbage out” describes the limitation
Over reliance on computers in managing projects
 Computer paralysis
 Selective treatment of data
 Data overload
 Isolation-The project manager become a slave of the computer
 Over dependence on the computers in solving a problem/decision making
 Misdirection-Effects of a problem are tackled rather than the causes

TOPIC 8
PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Communication
Communication involves exchange/transmission of information/message from a sender to a receiver.
The sender is responsible for making the information clear, unambiguous and complete so that the receiver can
receive it correctly. The receiver is responsible for making sure that the information is received in its entirety and
understood correctly.
Communication dimensions;
 Written and oral, listening and speaking
 Internal (within the project) and external (to the customer, media, public, etc.)
 Formal (reports, briefings, etc.) and informal (memos, ad hoc conversations, etc.)
 Informal/grapevine. Unofficial communication.
 Vertical (up and down the organization) and horizontal (with peers)
Importance of Communication
 Bring about change/effects change.
 Sustain stability- people need to be assured that things are going to continue the same way they are.
 To lead people to common objectives- objectives need to be communicated well and thus leads to
teamwork.
 To integrate every activity of the project.
 To establish links between the project and its stakeholders/suppliers/donors.
 To sustain discipline.
 To reduce rumors
 Increased efficiency i.e. by updating people on what is happening within the project enables then to
handle challenges and risks more effectively
 Better and increased responsiveness from the project team
 Enhances innovation through constant sharing of ideas
 Saves time
 Enhances effective resource mobilization
Project communications management
Project communications management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation,
collection, dissemination, storage and ultimate disposition of the project information. It provides critical links
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among people, ideas, and information that are necessary for success. Everyone involved in the project must be
prepared to send and receive communications in the project “language” and must understand how the
communications they are involved in as individuals affect the project as whole
The Process of Communication

SENDER Medium/Channel RECEIVER

Message

Feedback

Ways to improve communication

 Keep the message simple - use numerous short messages rather than one long message and keep the
message to a single topic (especially in email)
 Write down as much as possible - written communication can be examined many times to improve
understanding
 Communicate messages through a number of different media - different people learn in different ways.
Try using at least visual, auditory and activity-based methods of communication to capture as many people
as possible.
 Repeat key messages frequently - advertising does this well - repeat the message to maximize the
likelihood that a person will hear it when they are most open to it.
 Explain why decisions are made - giving people context with their information helps them to process it in
a way that is easy for them.
 Hold regular, focused team meetings - take every opportunity to listen and understand how others
communicate.
 Ask questions and encourage feedback - if people don’t understand you, find out why and fix it
Audience Analysis
The project management must define exactly who it is that the team will formally communicate with. Remember,
formal communications are a method for controlling the messages sent out by the team. They promote a single
consistent view of the project to a specified audience so that "everyone has the same version of the truth".
Each target audience group will have their own needs. These stakeholders will require information that is specific
to their role in the project.
Audience
 Analysis-Breaking message in understandable facts
 U-Understanding-Thorough understanding of the facts
 D-Demographics-Know the composition of the audience

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  Interest- Create interest
 E-Environment-Know the environment
 N - Needs-Know the needs of the audience
 C- Customization- Customize the message
 E-Expectations-The message must meet the expectations of the audience
Presentation of Monitoring and Evaluation results to stakeholders
It is also important to disseminate and communicate M&E results to key stakeholders and other audiences as soon
as possible and in forms that are easy to understand and use.
First disseminate results to those with a direct interest in the project being evaluated especially to those with
responsibility for making important decisions about the project and then to other potential users.
In addition to delivering a final report, it is useful to organize meetings with various stakeholders using a variety
of techniques such as visual displays and oral presentations to communicate evaluation results, and help users
assimilate and interpret the information.
Choosing the right information for the right audience requires:
 Defining your goals-What do you want to use data for?
 Defining your audience-Beneficiaries, Implementers, Policy Makers, Donors Each may need to be
approached differently and may need different way of presenting the information
 Finding out what influences the audience thinking- Understanding the concerns, motivations and
objectives of each audience
 Use the data to address their concerns- Finding ways to use the data that address the particular concerns
of the target audience.
 Using the right language-The key messages that will appeal to them
 Getting the length right. A report has no value if no one reads it or listens to it. This means fitting the
key information into the time people are prepared to dedicate to presentation
 Choosing the best messenger- People listen to the people they trust and every audience trust different
people:
 Timing it right- Timing is everything.

Remember the 3V’s message delivery

o Verbal-Language is simple (make it simple)
o Visual-Using Visual aids and body language
o Vocals-Tone of the voice (Avoiding monotones)
Characteristics of a good report
 It should be long enough to cover the subject but short enough to maintain interest
 It should not be dull. It should sustain the reader’s interest
 It should be written in objective style, in simple language
 It should provide a ready availability of the findings such as charts, graphs and statistical tables
 The layout must be well thought out
 It must be attractive in appearance, neat and clear
Importance of monitoring and evaluation report
 It provides a written history of the project which can be referred to easily and quickly.
 It serves as a record of why certain changes were made during M&E.
 It provides a means to compare findings between this and any future evaluations that may be carried
out.
 It allows new staff who join the project to learn quickly what happened during the evaluation.
 It enables project manager to give a written account/ summary of M&E findings to people who may be
interested in the project

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 TOPIC NINE
PROJECT TERMINATION
The concept of termination
Project termination/close-out/final shutdown is the last stage of managing the project, and occurs after the
implementation phase has ended. Acceptance testing has been carried out, and the project deliverables have been
handed over to the client.
A project is successful when:
 The objectives/deliverables of the project have been achieved to the full satisfaction of the users,
 All closeout activities have been completed, and
 All designated interests, including the project's sponsor and/or initiator officially accept the project results
or products and close the project."
Why terminate a project?
Projects usually are terminated for two basic reasons:
 Project success
 Project failure due to
o Poor management
o Lack of top management commitment
o Changed priorities
o Failure to comply with legal requirements
o Lack of political goodwill, leadership
o Change in technology
o Natural calamities
o Lack of funds
o Lack of raw materials

Project termination approaches/types of project termination

There are FOUR ways to terminate a project
Termination by Integration
Termination by integration occurs when the project resources such as equipment and supplies, money or human
resources are removed from the project and moved to other areas of the business or to other projects which have
become more significant. The output of the project becomes a standard part of the organization
Termination by Extinction
Projects that come to an end either because they have been completed, project goals and stakeholder requirements
have been met
Termination by addition
Most projects are in house and they are carried out by the parent organization. If a project is a major success, it
can be terminated by institutionalizing as part of the parent organization. In termination by addition, the project
personnel, equipment and property are simply transferred to newly formed division in the company
Termination by starvation
It is a slow starvation by decreasing the project budget. Budgets are sometimes used to mask project termination
because the top management do not wish to terminate an unsuccessful or obsolete project or they do not want to
admit that they are championing failure
In some organizations, it is seen as bad manners to inquire into such projects or to ask why they are still in
company books
Project termination process
Project closure processes ensure the successful completion of the project. Therefore, once the project deliverables
are completed and delivered, accepted by the customer, project closure processes take place to close the project.
The termination process include
 Develop project Closing Procedures to help get a closure easily
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  Ensure delivery and client acceptance.
 Ensure that all bills/debts have been paid
 Redistributing of resources, staff, facilities, etc
 Closing out financial issues
 Determine what records (manuals, reports, and other paperwork) are to be kept and place them in storage.
Assign responsibility for product support, if necessary.
 Oversee the closing of the project's books.
 Documenting the success of the project
 Conducting a ‘lessons learnt’ session
 Writing project final report
 Celebrating project success
Project final report
The last step in the project is to summarize the different stages into a final report. It is very important that the
final report contains all the necessary information regarding your project. Try to keep in mind that you should
write the report so that the reader would be able to recreate all of your steps, if they so desire.
Project Final Report Format
o Project summary
Provides background information concerning the project
o Project performance
Highlights project achievements
o Administrative performance
Includes among others the project team and their roles in the implementation process
o Recommendations and conclusions

TOPIC TEN
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Gender
The term gender refers to the male and female roles shaped by a society learned individually and re-negotiated
by each new generation. It encompasses the learned behavioral differences between men and women in a given
community or household, and the roles which are expressed according to sex in women's and men's actions, tasks,
and responsibilities. Male and female roles are determined primarily by the social, cultural and economic
organization of a society, and by the prevailing religious moral and legal perception
Gender and project management
Responsibilities of all project management staff in gender mainstreaming should be clearly spelled out. Including
a gender adviser on the project management team can be crucial to ensuring gender-sensitivity of the project
during implementation..
The team leader and all team members need to have a mandate to mainstream gender concerns within their sectors
and in the overall project design.
Development initiatives can be significantly improved through greater awareness on the part of government
counterparts, project management and beneficiaries on gender differences and their practical implications. Project
staff and implementing organizations need to be trained on how to address these differences. There is an emerging
consensus among regions that efforts to increase gender awareness must take the local culture into account.
Projects can facilitate empowerment by making available information and skills that people want, and by helping
communities to break through traditional stereotypes that prevent women from enjoying equity in decision
making and access to resources. Wonderful examples do exist, where even in highly traditional communities with
severe gender inequity, men and women together have come to realize the benefits of extending the same human

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rights to all members of the community. Harmful gender taboos can be broken, but it helps to have skilled and
dedicated project facilitators.
Projects and community development
Community development Projects struggles to address problems of social, economic, and physical distress in low
and moderate-income communities. They do help the Indigenous people develop work and skills. Participants
receive a Community Participant Supplement (CPS) for taking part in the program.
Purpose of Community Development Projects
 Seeks to establish to support community.
 Build individual skills and capacity to take up work where opportunities arise
 Provide on-the-
communities including through supporting priority projects
 Build capacity of local Indigenous organizations to deliver a range of services, including other
employment services such as the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP), and
 Make sure community members undertaking similar activities have the same income and participation
requirements.
The fundamental mission is to build community leadership and empower low-income people to take charge of
their future. Despite great adversity, the field of community development has matured and grown tremendously
over the years. The intent is to provide community development practitioners, educators, researchers, and the
general public with a body of materials that will foster a better understanding of the impact and importance of the
community development movement in the contemporary societies.
PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability can be defined as the ability of a project to maintain its operations, services and benefits during its
projected life time. However, the issue of sustainability should also be seen within time and changing social,
economic and political contexts. A project that is seen as worth sustaining today, may not be so in future. Thus
that sustainability concerns itself with:
 Level of continuation of delivery of project goods and services
 Changes stimulated / caused by the project
 New initiatives caused by the project
Dimensions of project sustainability
There are several dimensions to project sustainability. Depending on the nature of a sector or a project each of
these dimensions has the capacity to influence project sustainability in one or way or another. These dimensions
are listed below.
 Continued operation and maintenance of project facilities - i.e., has the project received necessary support
(both budgetary and institutional) to enable it to maintain required level of facilities? (Logistics
Dimension)
 Continued flow of net benefits - i.e., for economic sector projects has all the cost and benefits under varying
conditions weighted properly and does the project guarantee an acceptable level of financial and economic
return? (Economic Dimension)
 Continued community participation - i.e., has the project involved the community? Has it succeeded in
maintaining a desirable level of participation of the community in the project activities? (Community
Dimension)
 Equitable sharing and distribution of project benefits - i.e., has the project incorporated mechanisms that
guarantee equitable access to and distribution of project benefits on a continuous basis?
 Institutional stability - i.e. has the project considered adequately the institutional requirements and thus
made provisions so that management support to project operations continue, during the life of the project?
 Maintenance of environmental stability - i.e., has the project considered environmental implications so
that negative impacts on environment are either avoided or mitigated during the life of the project?
(Environmental Dimension)

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Strategies to enhance project sustainability
 A project should be designed to meet specific needs and constraints of the target population. Undertake
an in-depth assessment of the needs of the target groups and involve them in the needs assessment
 Safeguard the innovative components of your project during its implementation and at the same time
ensure that the innovation is acceptable by the government
 Ensure continuous and well-balanced involvement of each partner throughout the project’s life (in order
to avoid risks of partners dropping-out or, on the contrary, becoming over-involved).
 Promote prospects of new related projects between consortium members/project stakeholders
 Make provision for involvement of target groups in project activities
 Identify precisely which activities need to be sustained and try to estimate their cost.
Donors and project management in developing countries
Donors are a very important stakeholder in any charitable project. Their interests, guidelines and conditions need
to be met for good relations with the project management and team. In most developing countries like Kenya,
most community based projects are funded by donors.
Any developing country should put efforts to improve aid management and donor harmonization in by both the
government and development partners. The attempts at improving aid effectiveness in developing countries
appear to be largely donor-driven with minimal evidence of active government leadership in the process. All
donors should commit to respecting the leadership of partner countries and helping to strengthen their capacity to
exercise it.
Fundamental Principles of Partnership in Developing Countries
Some of the areas that developing countries like Kenya need to improve and strengthen are:
 Enhancing the accountability of donors and partner countries to their respective citizens and
legislatures for their development policies, strategies, and performance. These accountability should
drive to positive development results
 Eliminating the duplication of efforts and rationalizing donor activities to make them as cost-effective
as possible.
 Reforming and simplifying donor policies and procedures to encourage collaborative and progressive
alignment with the priorities, systems, and procedures of partner countries.
 Donors must align their overall support on the national development strategies, institutions, and
procedures of the partner countries.
 Harmonization :- making the actions of donors more harmonized, transparent, and collectively
effective
 Ensure that the government actively engages its citizens in formulating its development projects
Challenges of monitoring and evaluation in developing countries
 Lack of deliberate planning to reflect on M&E results
 Lack of appreciation on the value added in respect to M&E
 The tendency to put in place M&E mechanisms long after the project implementation has
commenced
 Too many data collection tools
 Lack of continuous data quality assurance hence low quality data
 Information dissemination not prioritized by implementing institutions-reporting to donors is
easily considered good enough effort
 Duplication/scaling-up of interventions which are not evidence based. This often leads to wastage
of the limited resources and stagnation of performance indicators
 Needs assessments usually done in hurry often using weak research designs and in most cases, the
involvement of the target beneficiaries is minimal
 Inadequate number of competent experts to formulate and implement strong and appropriate
project/program M&E

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  Lack of competent staff in project implementation who can provide competent oversight for the
often out-sourced project evaluation services
Project environment
Today, there is a growing awareness and concern on the impact of projects on the physical environment.
Fortunately, today's technological disciplines responsible for such work are becoming attuned to the idea of
mitigating the adverse impacts of the projects on the environment.
In many countries including Kenya, it is mandatory to carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on a
major project.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
EIA is the assessment of the environmental consequences (positive and negative) of a project prior to the decision
to move forward. The purpose of this assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the project
environmental impact so as to decide whether or not to proceed with the project.
Project health and safety
Occupational fatalities, injuries and disease result in considerable human suffering and affect not only the workers
directly involved in the project but their families and communities and contribute to the national cost of medical
care and rehabilitation. However, occupational disease, fatalities and injuries also contribute to resource which
increases project risk.
This risk is manifested in increased cost, damage to the environment, non-conformance to quality standards and
schedule overruns. Another aspect is that of contractor and client image which is negatively affected by accidents.
As each member of project teams influences and contributes to occupational health and safety, project managers,
in their capacity as project leader and coordinators, are uniquely positioned and have a duty to integrate health
and safety into all aspects of project design and implementation.
Participatory monitoring and evaluation
Participatory monitoring & evaluation (PM&E) is a process through which stakeholders at various levels
engage in monitoring or evaluating in a particular project, share control over the content, the process and the
results of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
PM&E involves primary stakeholders as active participants and offers new ways of assessing and learning from
change that are more inclusive, and reflects the perspectives and aspirations of those most directly affected by
the project
Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation is one of many approaches to ensure that the implementation of the
project leads to the expected outcomes. As with all other monitoring and evaluation elements, the process for
PM&E has to be prepared prior to project implementation
Purpose of participatory monitoring & evaluation
 Local people are active participants — not just sources of information.
 Stakeholders evaluate, outsiders facilitate.
 Focus on building stakeholder capacity for analysis and problem-solving.
 Process builds commitment to implementing any recommended corrective actions
 Involving beneficiaries in evaluation increases its reliability and provides the opportunity to receive
useful feedback and ideas for corrective actions
 PM&E allows for flexibility ― Activities should be stopped or adapted when evaluation makes it clear
that they are not contributing to the intended improvements
 Strengthens ownership regarding successful outcomes of planned initiatives
 Widens the knowledge base necessary for assessing and ― if required ― correcting the course of action
 Increases the motivation of stakeholders to contribute ideas to corrective actions
 Creates trust in Local Government policy and action (provided that the stakeholders’ input is genuinely
taken into account)
 Contributes to the learning of all involved

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Disadvantages of participatory monitoring & evaluation
 Needs skilled facilitator to ensure everyone understands the process and is equally involved
 Can be dominated by strong voices in the community (for example, men dominating women in
discussions, political, cultural or religious leaders dominating discussions and decision making)
 Can be time consuming - needs genuine commitment
 Needs the support of donors as does not always use traditional indicators
 Those responsible for implementation of certain projects may not want the administration or public to
learn about failures or mistakes due to a fear of disciplinary action.

QUESTIONS
1. Distinguish between project monitoring and project evaluation.
2. Provide a critical analysis of a project reporting system.
3. You have been promoted to be the new project monitoring and evaluation officer of a very effective local
NGO in Kenya. Justify the need for an M & E department.
4. Explain three situations that may lead to the project sponsor requesting for project change(s).
5. Describe nine key areas of a project phase-out evaluation report.
6. Define the following terms as used in project monitoring & evaluation;
 Project benchmarks
 Project environment
 Project Impact
 Project deliverables
 Project bottlenecks
7. Distinguish between the following:
 Control system and control room
 Time overrun and cost overrun
 Outputs and outcomes
 Purpose and objectives
8. An effective project evaluation is dependent on quality and authentic dates. Outline six sources of
documented information you would demand from the project implementing agency for your terminal
evaluation as an external consultant.
9. Critically analyze the following contemporary issues in project management;
 Gender issues
 Participatory development
 Sustainability
 HIV & Aids
 Financial partners
 Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
10. Discuss the four major components of communication process in relation to project implementation.
11. Evaluate the role of Technology in project implementation and management.
12. Identify and discuss five project sustainability strategies you would put in place to make sure a Borehole
Water Project you initiated in semi-arid part of Kenya sufficiently serves the intended community to the
foreseeable future.
13. Evaluate the role of safety and health department in ensuring that the employees are working in a healthy
and safe environment.
14. Well managed project meetings contribute to the effective communication of project information. Analyze
the importance of project meetings.
15. Discuss common problems experienced in many project meetings
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 16. Project monitoring, control and evaluation is mainly concerned with diverse number of issues. What are
these diverse issues?
17. Discuss the main elements in project monitoring, control and evaluation.
18. Describe the typical content of the final CDF project termination report.
19. Analyze the common project reporting problems.
20. Communicating project information among stakeholders is critical for the success of any project. Further
still, several communication strategies can be adopted. In relation to effective project communication,
critically discuss the two statements
21. Examine reasons why the Jubilee Government’s free laptop for primary schools project may be forced to
change/shift along the way.
22. Explain the hindrances of success in community projects.
23. Project auditing is a very important exercise.
 Justify the above statement.
 Analyze ways of project auditing.
25 Explain the essentials elements of a project audit report.
26 Briefly explain the following terms as used in project monitoring and evaluation.
Indicator, Target, Goal, Objective, Input, Output, Outcome, Impact, Assumption
27 Explain three methods of terminating a project.
28 Once a decision is made to terminate, the project must be planned, scheduled, monitored and controlled.
Discuss process of project termination.
29 Describe the contents of a final project report.
30 During a review of ‘ongoing scheduling and monitoring’, what have been achieved in past planning
period is taken into consideration.
Referring to statement in question above, define the following related terms;
i) Scope monitoring
ii) Ongoing monitoring
31 Outline importance of ongoing schedule monitoring in a project.
32 Discuss the four sub-plans found in a project execution plan.
33 “There is no project management without monitoring” Discuss this statement in light of project
monitoring and evaluation.
34 Explain reasons why monitoring in project implementation process is important.
35 To evaluate means “to ascertain the value or worth of” according to its Latin root. Although evaluation
may be retrospective, they are essentially forward looking with regard to their process. Discuss purpose of
carrying out an evaluation of an intervention.
36 Describe the evaluation life cycle
37 The phase of project management involves knowing whether a project was managed well or not. What are
the indicators of successful project?
38 Many good projects have failed because of inability of the system to evaluate its performance.
Discuss the factors used in the earned value analysis as an analytical frame for measuring
performance in project.
39 Describe the project change management process.
40 Provide justification for project change
42 Explain five types of monitoring
43 Discuss giving examples the elements of an effective M & E system
44 What are the steps in developing a monitoring and evaluation system?
45 Outline the steps in the project M & E process
45 What factors contribute to the failure of M & E Systems?
46 Write short notes on
 Utility evaluation standards
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  Feasibility evaluation standards
 Propriety evaluation standards
 Accuracy evaluation standards
Accuracy standards ensure that the evaluation produces findings that are considered correct. The standards
include such items as describing the project and its context; articulating in detail the purpose and methods of the
evaluation; employing systematic procedures to gather valid and reliable information; applying appropriate
qualitative or quantitative methods during analysis and synthesis; and producing impartial reports containing
conclusions that are justified.
47 What is an indicator in M & E?
48 Differentiate between a qualitative and a quantitative indicator.
49 How would you ensure the development of effective indicators?
50 What is involved in
 Data validation?
 Data presentation?
51 .What are the key issues to be noted when taking corrective action in M & E and what is its importance?

49