Summary

In this Study Session, you have learned that:

• Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities are a key management component of interventions and programmes. Monitoring is a systematic and continuous assessment. Evaluation is an assessment of the value of a programme and the extent to which its objectives have been achieved.
• Baseline data should be collected at the start of a programme so that it can be compared with data collected later.
• M&E is intended to track progress, measure impact, increase accountability, inform decision-making, encourage investment and build capacity.
• The main features of monitoring activities are collecting data, analysing information and acting on that information.
• Effective monitoring needs careful identification and definition of an appropriate number of measurable indicators.
• Evaluation is a cyclical process that should be regularly reviewed and repeated. It can be undertaken with respect to processes, outcomes or impacts.
• There are several tools for data collection for monitoring including surveys, observation, interviews, community discussions and focus groups.