Overview

Most of the existing Monitoring and Evaluation models start by jumping straight into building a results-based system—without even knowing where a country or an institution stands in relation to several critical factors, including

1.     organizational roles,
2.     responsibilities, and capabilities
3.     incentives and demands for such a system
4.     ability of an organization to sustain systems

Most experts look at the “what” questions:

1.     what are the goals?
2.     what are the indicators?
 
and not the “why” questions:

1.     Why do we want to measure something?
2.     Why is there a need in a country or institution to think about these issues?
3.     Why do we want to embark on building sustainable results-based M&E systems?

 
There are 6 key questions to consider:

1.     What is driving the need for building an M&E system—legislative or legal requirements, citizen demand, etc.?
2.     Who are the champions for building and using an M&E system—government, civil society, donors, others?
3.     What is motivating those who champion building an M&E system—a political reform agenda, pressures from donors, political directive?
4.     Who will benefit from the system— administrators, civil society, donors, citizens?
5.     Who will not benefit from building an M&E system—administrators, civil society, donors, citizens?
6.     Are there counterreformers inside or outside the training system?

Competences addressed

• Manage and facilitate people from different cultural backgrounds helping them to work together effectively and smoothly
• Manage M&E projects in multicultural contexts
• Design and assess contingency plans for corrective actions in M&E systems
• Select and train staff with relevant skills to get involved in M&E projects
• Facilitate and promote interaction, understanding and collaboration amongst different stakeholders in a multicultural learning environment

OBJECTIVES

The readiness assessment is a diagnostic tool that can be used to determine whether the prerequisites are in place for building a results-based M&E system. It is intended to assist and benefit institutions and individuals to obtain a culture of quality assurance. The readiness assessment provides a guide through the eight areas that must be considered and explored in determining an organization’s, trainers’ or trainees’ ability and willingness to adopt and move forward with a results-based M&E system.

GROUP SIZE

A regular class of medium size (8-12 students).

TIME REQUIRED

The tool requires approximately 6 hours to complete.

RESOURCES

Trainees may use the following template to initiate discussion amongst group members and obtain a holistic overview of the entire monitoring and evaluation process.

PROCESS

In class trainees are exposed to selected measuring tools (e.g. questionnaires and surveys) and they go through their key stages and characteristics. Then, they are asked to design their own instrument.

VARIATIONS

Based on the instrument designed trainees are asked to adapt it following different scenarios (e.g. research needs, audience, purpose, etc.)

EXERCISES

• Exercise 1
• Trainees are divided into four pairs and each pair is asked to address selected questions:
  
  Pair 1
  1.      What Potential Pressures Are Encouraging the Need for the M&E System within an institution and Why?
  2.      Who Is the Advocate for an M&E System?
  
  Pair 2
  3.      What Is Motivating the Champion to Support Such an Effort?
  4.      Who Will Own the System? Who Will Benefit from the System? How Much Information Do They Really Want?
  
  Pair 3
  5.      How Will the System Directly Support Better Resource Allocation and the Achievement of Program Goals?
  6.      How Will the Organization, the Champions, and the Staff React to Negative Information Generated by the M&E System?
  
  Pair 4
  7.      Where Does Capacity Exist to Support a Results-Based M&E System?
  8.      How Will the M&E System Link Project, Program, Sector, and National Goals?
• Exercise 2
• To be uploaded later.