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Monitoring is the way in which projects are measured, managed and kept on track according to the plans: if a project cannot be monitored and measured, it cannot be managed. Project management must keep asking the questions 'have the funds been disbursed on schedule, will this activity lead to the planned Output, are there any important Assumptions that need attention and will the Outputs lead to achieving Project Purpose?'

Within PCM, monitoring uses a planned and actual format with explanations of why any variance between the two occurred and what action the project management took to bring the plans back on track. Sometimes it is not possible to bring plans back on track and the results of the project will be delayed. Knowing this in advance is part of good management and these changes to the plans must be made at this point.

The key points in monitoring: 

  • It is an internal management responsibility
  • Measures progress against Objectives, Indicators and Assumptions
  • established in the Logical Framework
  • Measures the budget planned against actual expenditure.
  • Identifies problems and highlights potential solutions
  • Keep the broad project picture and the stakeholders in focus
  • Uses both formal and informal data gathering methods
Evaluation is when the assessment of the project is undertaken and any lessons learnt can be identified and disseminated widely. A decision about Evaluation is taken at the Formulation stage and the initial points to be included should have been drafted by the project design team.

Evaluation is undertaken at a time when the flow of benefits should start to be gained and lessons can be learnt. It should also be undertaken by an independent evaluator. The Evaluation conclusions, recommendations and lessons learnt should be clearly presented and disseminated widely to other agencies and the programme co-ordinators.

The key points of evaluation:

  • clarity about the purpose of the project as stated in the project proposal
  • focus on the flow of benefits and the outcome of the project
  • review the monitoring reports and Logical Framework
  • prepare statement of actual achievements against planned targets
  • identify lessons learnt and disseminate the findings widely to future
  • projects and policy