What is a result?
A result is an observable, describable or measurable change in a state, which is typically derived from a cause-and-effect (or contributory) relationship.
What are some different types of results?
Results may be:
a) apparent within a short time or take years to be fully realised
b) planned or unforeseen
c) either positive or negative
d) reflected at the level of individuals, groups or society
Define Results Based Management: (4)
RBM is a Broad Management Strategy that is used to improve management effectiveness and accountability by using a transparent and participatory approach in:
- Defining realistic expected results related to a strategic intent.
- Monitoring progress towards the achievement of expected results and evaluating performance.
- Reporting and integrating lessons into management decisions.
What is Results Based Management according to UNESCO? (2)
RBM is a management strategy aimed at changing the way institutions operate, by improving performance, programmatic focus and delivery.
It reflects the way an organization applies processes and resources to undertake development interventions to achieve desired results(i.e. output, outcome, impact) integrating evidence and lessons learnt on past performance and actual results into management decision-making.
Name and briefly explain the principles of RBM:
- Outcome and impact orientated: Leads to a clear understanding of the results needing to be achieved.
- Interdisciplinarity towards collective results: Ensures more integrated, interdisciplinary comprehensive responses and less duplication.
- Inclusive & participatory approach: Ensures stakeholders’ empowerment and ownership for sustainability.
- Transparency: Ensures that everyone has access to information throughout the development.
- Adaptive management: Ensures adaptation to changing circumstances to achieve sound, concrete and measurable results.
Name and explain the two RBM phases: (4)
- In programming phase, the RBM approach ensures that the delivery of outputs contributing to the achievement of an outcome will be supported by a necessary and sufficient sum of activities.
- During the implementation phase, the RBM approach helps to ensure and monitor that these intended results continue to be supported by all necessary and sufficient resources (financial, human, and institutional).
What are the 8 key steps of the RBM approach?
- Results chain
- Situation analysis
- Theory of change
- Results framework
- Implementation strategy
- Monitoring
- Evaluation
- Reporting
What are the components of the results chain? Name and briefly explain: (5)
- Input: Resources required for activities.
- Activities: Actions undertaken to produce results.
- Output: Immediate results of activities (deliverables)
- Outcomes: Short- to medium-term effects of outputs.
- Impact: Long-term, lasting changes resulting from the outcomes.
Explain the process of ‘Monitoring’ and ‘Evaluation’: (4)
Monitoring is the on-going process by which regular information on the progress being made towards the achievement of goals and objectives are generated.
Evaluation is a time-bounded, assessment of either ongoing or completed endeavours (strategic initiatives, programmes, projects, etc.) to determine the extent to which they are achieving stated results and contributing to decision-making.
What is the difference of Monitoring vs. Evaluation: (6)
Monitoring:
-Continuous: day-today
-Documents progress
-Data is collected regularly and reported frequently.
Evaluation:
-Periodic: important milestones
-In-depth analysis of achievements
-Data is usually collected periodically (e.g. At baseline, midterm, and final phases)
What are the shortcomings of monitoring data? (3)
Monitoring data does not :
Provide the basis for attribution and causality for change.
Provide evidence of how changes are coming about or that they are or are not occurring.
Address the strengths and weaknesses in the design of the project, program, or policy
Name and explain the different types of Evaluation: (4)
- Performance-logic evaluation:
This is usually focused on determining the strength and logic of the causal model behind a policy, programme or project. - Implementation evaluation:
This typically assesses the extent of congruence (compatibility) between whatever was intended to be implemented and what happened. - Outcomes Evaluation:
This generally seeks to establish the effectiveness of interventions. The primary aim is to determine if targeted groups have benefitted as anticipated from the strategic intervention and if desired changes are
being realised. - Impact Evaluation:
This is the classic evaluation that attempts to establish if there are any changes in the broader population and the extent to which they can be attributed to the strategic intervention executed.
Define ‘outcomes’: (2)
- Outcomes constitute the core benefits (strategic objectives) that the initiative or strategy aims to realize.
- Outcomes, when correctly stated demonstrate the positive translation of a people-focused problem or challenge that the strategy, initiative, or project seeks to address.
What are some ways of describing outcomes?
Outcomes are what changes with:
-Attitude/Belief
-Knowledge/Skill
-Behaviour
-Condition
What are indicators? (2)
Indicators are quantitative or qualitative
variables used to objectively determine the changes that are being realized by an initiative.
What criteria should indicators meet? (5)
Good indicators must satisfy the CREAM criteria which implies that they must be:
* Clear: Precise and unambiguous
* Relevant: Appropriate to the subject at hand
* Economic: Available at a reasonable cost
* Adequate: Provide a sufficient basis to assess performance
*Monitorable: Responsive to independent
validation
Define and explain ‘Logframes/logic frameworks’: (4)
Logframes are a systematic, visual approach to designing, executing and assessing projects which encourages users to consider the relationships between available resources, planned activities, and desired changes or results.
A logic framework provides the skeleton or
structure of an initiative. It usually gives a clear picture of the initiative and how its elements (from beginning to end) are systematically linked. It provides a common approach for integrating planning, implementation and evaluation.
What is the use of logframes? (4)
The Logic framework is useful for:
*Mapping out programme elements, creating a fuller picture of what results and approaches the programme team plans to be accountable for.
*Helping the programme team ‘keep their eyes on the ball’ by focusing on planning, selection and implementation of activities that lend themselves to the achievement of programme objectives.
Define and explain a ‘Balanced Scorecard’ (BSC): (2)
Developed by Kaplan and Norton, the BSC looks beyond financial measures of performance and recognises the importance of matters related to
internal business processes, customers as well as learning and growth within the overall scheme of organisational
performance.
What are the perspectives that the BSC looks at? (4)
1.Financial: How do we look to shareholders?
2.Customer: How do customers view us?
3. Internal Business Processes: What must we excel at internally?
4. Learning & Growth: How can we continue to improve and create value?
Look at balanced Scorecard on slide 32/40 and learn its structure
Use this card to track how well you know the structure of the BSC.
What does the balanced scorecard do for you as a tool? (4)
- Its a framework to map strategy using 4 perspectives.
- Its a communication system for responsibility.
- A measurement system on past performance and future performance.
- A process for implementing and managing organisational change.
What does a balanced scorecard enable organisations to do? (4)
The BSC enables organisations to:
1. Translate the vision: Through clarifying and gaining consensus.
2. Communicate and link: Improve communications with stakeholders.
3. Business planning: Align business activities and budgets with vision and strategy.
4. Feedback and learning: Effectively monitor its performance against preset strategic goals and plan.
Explain the elements that are present in each of the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard: (4)
Each perspective has the following elements:
1.Goals - what the strategy is to achieve in that perspective?
2.Measures - how progress for that particular goal will be measured?
3.Targets - refer to the desired value that the company seeks to obtain for each measure?
4.Initiatives - what will be done to facilitate the reaching of the target?
