What are the functions of monitoring and evaluation? First of all lest understand what monitoring and evaluation involves; Monitoring is a systematic process that which enables people and especially project managers to get the actual current data of what is happening in the project activities. Monitoring is done by project teams at the beginning of a project or program, implementation stage rather than the end of a project. Monitoring is important for identifying the unwanted developments and to know if the right things are been done, while evalution is needed for understanding the objectives if they have been met, outcomes, impact, relevance and effectiveness of the project.
What is involved in Monitoring
Measurement of performance: Monitoring involves creating a measurement of performance, it generates the indicators and expected signals which higlight the status quo of the project and the desired outcomes after any interventions.
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Monitoring information amagement systems: Have a good monitoring information system is cardinal to the management of observations been descovred within the project. This helps in avoiding errors, miss calculations and making decisions based on mare assumptions. With a good system, it becomes easy to manage, adjust and make chnages to any plans or activities.
What is involved in Evaluation
Evaluation isa process that involves finding out if the right thing is been done, rather than right things. This is why is performed at teh end of a project or programme. Measures the archeived goals, imapct and outcomes. Evaluation provides answer the following questions in every project; Effeciency, Effectiveness, Relevance, Impact and Sustanability.
- Efficinecy it ensures the most minimal time was utilized in the project. How long did the project take to its completion and was cost affordable.
- Effectiveness relates to how quick it was for the project to provide solution to problem.
- Releance has to do with the importance of the project or program to the community and stakeholders
- Imapct this can be possitive or negative. Postitive if the right things was done and archieved its goals, negative when unwanted results are generated.
- Sustainability if the project has been sustainable to the community and fullfiled the set objectives.
Difference between monitoring and evaluation
- Monitoring consists of systems in place, which measure developments and challenges in real-time
- Evaluation focuses on information and data coming from the monitoring stage and performs analysis of such data to measure its relevance and imapct.
- Monitoring is systematic in nature and long term process of collecting data, making observations based on the project activities.
- Evaluation gives ability to be very specific about the impact, to avoid failure and plan your successes
- Monitoring mostly relies on observatios coming from activities within a project
- Evaluation gives rationale for the manner in which resources are used.
- Monitoring
- Provides information enabling management to make necessary assessments and develop an implementation progress to make quick decisions.
- Evaluation inspires confidence for further funding of an organization. For instance it inspires confidence in sponsors.
- Monitoring is concerned with verifying that project activities are being undertaken correctly.
- Evaluation ensures the activities are being delivered, and project is leading to the desired outcomes and behavior.
- Monitoring is an internal activity carried out by the people involved directly with the project or programme.
- Evaluation is an institutional activity, therefore external evaluators and experts can take part in it to facility the results and obtain results which are desired.
- Monitoring takes place during the implementation phase.
- Evaluation is very important for making decisions based on the overall project direction.
What are the functions of monitoring and evaluation?
[Answer] Functions of monitoring and evaluation, according to food and agriculture organization [FAO] Monitoring and Evaluation helps with decision-making towards explicit goals of a project or programme. The main functions of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is to provide a continuous systematic process, measurable and sustainable, efficient of ensuring desired outcomes of a project, while assessing its impact and relevance to the community. Monitoring and Evalution management functions helps to assess the progress which is been made in achievÂing expected results and objectives.
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The organization also noted, “For any planning phase there is need for monitoring then evalution helps to focus on results that matter. M&E performs a an important role of facilitating a platform of learning from past successes and working on challenges and tcoming up with ways to overcome those encountered during implementation of a project”.
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Source: schoolofsciencery
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