CHAPTER 7

PARTICIPATORY MONITORING
AND EVALUATION
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 At the end of this chapter, the students should
be able to:
 1. define monitoring and evaluation and
explain their components;
 2. analyze the relationship between monitoring
and evaluation; and
 3. illustrate the importance of monitoring and
evaluation in determining the sustainability of
a project.
 OVERVIEW
 This chapter discusses the meaning, outcome,
impact, and methodology of program
monitoring and participatory evaluation, as
well as the concept of accountability to the top
management.
 LECTURE
 To monitor is to keep track of the
implementation of a project. Monitoring involves
the study of the progress of an undertaking in
relation to the agreed- upon schedule, resources,
and performance indicators. Moreover, it
identifies "lagging areas” that require
intervention. Monitoring has also been defined
as the management function guiding the project
towards its intended direction and checking the
performance of workers using pre-determined
plans and targets to ensure timely completion.
 LECTURE
 Furthermore, monitoring is the implementation of
effective internal controls which are generally built
into the daily operational activities. Along with
other procedures, monitoring can be in any of the
following forms:
 1. Assessment of one's daily operational activities
 2. Utilization of internal audit personnel or other
similar personnel who are performing a wide range
of functions
 3. Correspondence with third parties
 4. Implementation of additional safeguards
 LECTURE
 Monitoring is a type of process performed while a project
is being implemented. It aims to develop the project
design in real time. The information gathered during
monitoring is used to make important changes in the
project. As an internal activity, it provides constant
feedback on the progress of a project, i.e. , the problems it
is facing, and the efficiency with which it is being
implemented
 Evaluation is the study of the project outcome and the
factors that led to such an outcome (e.g., changes in
income, housing quality, benefits distribution, cost-
effectiveness, etc.) with the aim of improving the design of
future projects.
 LECTURE
 Evaluation is, therefore, used in selection.
Evaluation studies assess the extent to which a
certain project can produce certain results (e.g.,
increases in income, better housing quality, etc.)
and distribute benefits among different groups. It
also includes a review of overall cost-effectiveness.
 Monitoring and evaluation are neither expensive
nor complicated. They do not require specialists or
technicians. The complexity of these studies can be
adapted to fit the needs of the program.
 LECTURE
 The purposes of monitoring and evaluation are to:
 1. assess project results to find out if the objectives and
desired changes are being met;
 2. improve project management and process planning
to better adapt to contextual and risk factors such as
new social and political relations that may affect the
research process;
 3. promote learning by identifying lessons of general
applicability such as how different approaches to
participation affect outcomes, impact, and reach; what
works and what does not; and what contextual factors
enable or constrain participatory research;
 LECTURE
 4. understand - through direct participation in
monitoring and evaluation- the different
stakeholders' perspectives to allow the various
people involved in a research to better appreciate
each other's views and values and come up with
ways to resolve competing or conflicting opinions
and interests; and
 5. ensure accountability to assess whether the project
is effectively, appropriately, and efficiently executed
and accounted for to the key agencies supporting the
project (including, but not exclusively, the donors).
 Monitoring Outcomes
 Monitoring outputs is not new; it has been the
standard practice for a long time. However, it is
imperative to ask: In what way is it beneficial to
the target group? What has been the outcome,
result, and impact of a project? These questions
have often been neglected since they are difficult
to answer. But confronting them is highly
important since the question of whether or not a
project has been beneficial will answer the
question of whether or not the purpose of the
project has been fulfilled.
 Monitoring Accountability
 It has been proven that the continuous monitoring and
recording of information regarding the outcome and
impact of a project are crucial in project steering since
they fine-tune activities, thereby maximizing results.
 Providers are expected to have their projects
constantly monitored and evaluated by outside
experts and the project implementers. Constant
monitoring and evaluation provide a more immediate
feedback and facilitate learning. Having an external
evaluator is considered to be desirable and very
helpful in bringing out insights coming from an
independent and objective perspective.
 Monitoring Accountability
 Evaluation, according to Hall (2012), is the process of
systematically assessing the design, implementation, and
effect of certain programs, policies, or projects. In the
past, the evaluation process employed research methods
used in the social sciences to determine the impact of
public programs and policies. Modern evaluation has its
roots in the 1960s when government policymakers
wanted to know the impact of new public programs.
 The evaluation of completed activities is also called ex-
post evaluation, post- hoc evaluation, or summative
evaluation. The evaluation of current or ongoing
activities is called in-term evaluation.
 Participatory Evaluation
 Participatory evaluation involves the active participation of
the stakeholders in assessing the implementation and
impact of a project. The people concerned take the time to
present their own analyses. The following are some
techniques that can be used in participatory evaluation:
 1. Forming a focus group Focus groups are groups of people
who ask open-ended questions. The members are allowed to
say anything and be heard. The facilitator will summarize
the ideas presented in an overall evaluation.
 2. Spearheading participatory action research Participatory
action research involves asking inputs from both the
researchers and the participants in determining issues and
concerns.
 Participatory Evaluation
 3. Drawing metaphors This method is useful for
participants who are shy, timid, or reluctant to voice
out their comments or suggestions. In this strategy,
the participants answer evaluative questions by
drawing metaphors or word descriptions.
 4. Constructing tables In this method, the
participants construct a table or framework that
includes the following areas: objectives/goals,
activities, timeframes strategies, and outputs of the
project. They are then asked to interpret their project
table as an evaluation matrix.
 CONCLUSION
 Program monitoring and participatory
evaluation are used to determine the status of a
project. Due to time or financial constraints,
however, these efforts are invariably restricted
to only a few aspects of the program. Thus, it is
important to identify the most vital issues to be
monitored first and how monitoring could be
done using a participatory evaluation
technique.