Description: Monitoring microproject implementation involves periodical, systematic observation and reflection on the activities implemented by the community members.
Key Principles:
Process of participatory M&E should lead to corrective actions during implementation
What makes the difference between Participatory and Conventional Approaches to Monitoring and Evaluation?
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Conventional M&E |
Participatory M&E |
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WHO |
External Experts |
Stakeholders, including communities and project staff, outside facilitators |
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WHAT |
Predetermined indicators, to measure inputs and outputs |
Indicators identified by stakeholders, to measure process as well as outputs or outcomes |
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HOW |
Questionnaire surveys, by outside “ neutral” evaluators, distanced from project |
Simple, qualitative or quantitative methods, by stakeholders themselves |
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WHY |
To make project and staff accountable to funding agency |
To empower stakeholders to take corrective actions |
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Source: Participation and social assessment, Tools and Techniques, World Bank 1998. |
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Objectives:
People adapt, according to the lessons learned, the further planning and implementation process
Activities:
1) Regular meetings in the communities during the process of microproject implementation:
The group representative of each micro project interest group has the responsibility to call meetings on a regular basis
2) The group talks about what went well and what was difficult in the planning and implementation phase. The facilitator asks questions such as:
Others
3) The group checks the work-plan and compares it with the activities and outputs that have been achieved in time and identifies the activities and outputs that have not been achieved yet.
4) For the record keeping, it may be helpful to identify indicators for the activities and outputs, both that have been achieved or that have not been achieved. Below you find some examples on how the group may create indicators:
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Four Ways to create Indicators |
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1. Measuring and counting: gives us exact numbers Example: The price of the good is measured: $ 0.45 per KG; The quantity is counted: 4 women out of a group of 20 big stones 2. Scaling or rating: gives us a gradual description Example: The quality of goods can be scaled: very good-good-average-bad-very bad 3. Classifying: informs about non-gradual categories Example: Is salt available: yes/no? Who takes the final decisions in the shop: women/men? 4. Describing qualitatively: describe in words only Example: How is the shop administered? The answer describes one or more aspects in words. The description may have a certain structure: (positive-negative aspects; leadership-purchase-sales-book-keeping) |
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Taken and modified from the source: Participatory Impact Monitoring, GATE 1998 |
5) The group talks about possible conflict and misunderstandings during the planning and project implementation. The facilitator asks questions such as:
Do some individuals feel excluded from participating in the implementation activities?
Is the workload equally distributed between the group members or are there some who contribute substantially more than others?
Others, etc.
6) The note-taker documents the key points mentioned, decisions taken and indicators identified, in a documentary booklet that is used in each of the following meeting to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the micro-projects. The group leader is responsible to take care of the booklet.
7) The note-taker copies the M&E documentation also on an extra sheet of paper to share it with the Subject Matter Specialist at the Woreda Level.
