II-c: Developing Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in Organizations

description

Systematically and frequently conducted monitoring and evaluations are becoming more and more important on all levels of societies. This workshop focuses on the organizational level. When establishing a Monitoring and Evaluation system on this level, the goal is to ensure and improve the quality of the work of this organization and to increase its overall steering capability. In difference to M+E systems on a national or program level, such systems must be embedded into the framework of the organization and linked to the general organizational strategy. According to this, a specific monitoring and evaluation policy must be developed, including specific regulations on the forms and scopes of evaluations, the regularity of its performance and its utilization, the inclusion of which departments at which time for which kind of evaluation, the enhancement of evaluation methodology and the instruments used for ensuring evaluations quality.

One of the first tasks is to establish a Monitoring and Evaluation entity being anchored as an independent unit within the organizational structure and linked into the most important organizational processes such as planning and implementing programs or projects. Such an entity needs resources for fulfilling the tasks defined in the Monitoring and Evaluation strategy like a self-administrated financial budget, qualified staff and appropriate technical equipment for governing Monitoring and Evaluation procedures.

This workshop discusses the pros and cons of different institutional solutions based on practical examples. On one hand side, it explains the specifics and differences of Monitoring and Evaluation. Furthermore, it adds on quality standards and criteria for Monitoring and Evaluation described in the IPDET core course and focuses on the need to develop tailor-made rules and instruments adapted to organizational characteristics. On the other side, the workshop highlights the role of stakeholder management for organizational learning and how Monitoring and Evaluation can contribute to this. One main task is to provide useful results and to disseminate them within the own organization and within relevant stakeholder groups in an adequate form and confidential manner.
During the workshop, a generally applicable grid is developed on base of the examples presented. This grid can be used as a practical guideline for implementations of Monitoring and Evaluation systems (or same particular elements) within the participants’ own organizations.

objectives

The participants

• Know how to develop an M+E-System for an organization,
• Be able to develop the central elements of an organizational M+E-Policy,
• Be capable to identify relevant stakeholders,
• Be able to institutionalize a M+E structure,
• Know about mechanisms for quality assurance,
• Be able to organize and manage M+E processes.

recommended for

• Responsible person for implementing an M+E in non-governmental or governmental organizations;
• M+E officers in Organizations;
• Executive staff in Organizations;
• Decision makers in a middle and upper management position at private or public organizations who are not involved in doing or planning evaluations but in managing its commission and utilization.

level

Introductory level, no previous knowledge about Monitoring and Evaluation necessary.

prerequisites

The attendance of the IPDET core course is recommended, no introduction or further explanation of Monitoring and Evaluation and specific terms will be given in this workshop.