1. OGB Partner Advocacy Workshop 18th & 19th March 2010
Introduction to M&E
OGB Partner Advocacy Workshop
18th & 19th March 2010

2. What do we mean by… Monitoring? Systematic assessment over time
Ongoing collection and review of data
Provides stakeholders with indications of progress against plans and towards objectives
Evaluation?
Complements and builds from ongoing monitoring
In-depth, verifiable assessments at a particular point in time
Makes a judgement about the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of an intervention

3. Why monitor & evaluate?
To acknowledge that we are testing theories about how best to contribute to positive change
To encourage critical questioning, and satisfy curiosity
To improve the effectiveness of our interventions - To build an evidence base of reliable, verifiable information to inform decisions
To engage with donor demands for evaluative information

4. If we aren’t rewarding success, we risk of repeating failure
Why monitor & evaluate?
If we aren’t rewarding success, we risk of repeating failure
What is the cost of not knowing if we are making
a difference?
Maximize Effectiveness:
Using data in real time to learn what strategies or tactics are working well and where midcourse corrections many be needed.
Understand which strategies and tactics are effective under which conditions
Accountability:
Being responsible for the resources with which we have been entrusted - making a credible and defensible case that we contributed to the outcomes and goals we said we would achieve.

5. M & E is ongoing and cyclical
M&E information may lead to a decision to change the programme.
As the programme changes, the programme is revised to reflect the change.
M&E assesses if these changes are having the desired effect, and so on …
The mantra : create, validate, update.

6. Underlying principles of M&E in OGB
Use different processes for different needs
Integrate M&E into everyday work
Link learning and decision-making
Secure adequate resources
Involve key stakeholders

7. Basic elements of good M&E
Clear Logic – what are you trying to achieve? and how? What does success look like?
Indicators –How will you know if you: have implemented well? are making progress? Have succeeded?
Data Collection – how will you collect information against your indicators?
Moments for Review – how/ when will we use this information?

8. Experience with M&E
What has been your experience with monitoring and evaluation to date?
What particular challenges have you faced in monitoring and evaluating your work?

9. Challenges of M&E of advocacy
Advocacy objectives are often imprecise or unclear, with buried assumptions
Time Frame - Social and political change is slow and complex, and the ultimate goal of advocacy efforts is often long term, but campaigns tend to be relatively short
Advocacy interventions usually operate in fragile, complex and/ or fast changing contexts and require flexibility
Contribution, not attribution
Collecting and managing data from multiple actors/ across a coalition can be difficult
Ensuring rights-holders’ voices are heard
Incentives - prioritising M&E of outcomes in a culture that manages to activities/outputs

10. Overcoming the Challenges
Clear theory of change – a roadmap of how we will get from “here” to “there”
Clarifies thinking – focus on outcomes, not activities
Lifts up the importance of advocacy’s ‘interim outcomes’ -recognising much of the progress occurs in landscape along the way
Identifies the unique contribution
Infuse M&E into your work from the beginning
Collect data systematically over time – consider ways to integrate evaluation into your everyday activities
Ensure sufficient space to use data to adapt and evolve
Develop measures of success – turn the informal cues that signal success in your work and try to convert them to measurable statements
Contribution, not attribution