What is Monitoring and Evaluation?
Monitoring is the systematic collection, analysis and subsequent use of information collected from projects and programmes. It is vital to enable:
- Effective decision making
- Learning from past actions
- Accountability for resources being used
Evaluation assessed the information collected through monitoring in an objective manner in order to demonstrate whether activities and outcomes are relevant, effective, efficient, sustainable and whether desired impacts are being achieved.
Monitoring and evaluation are complementary, both are necessary to engage and satisfy the range of stakeholders in any monitoring and evaluation intervention. This process enables:
- Effective governance of projects and programmes
- Demonstration of value for money and outcomes from funded programmes
- Continued learning resulting in continuous improvement
- Transparency from inception through to the realisation of outcomes and benefits
Specific terms used with regard to monitoring and evaluation include:
- Participatory monitoring and evaluation
- Results based management
- Monitoring and evaluation logical framework