Executive Summary:

The purpose of this evaluation has been to document and assess the value addition of
this course to capacity building of the individuals as well as organization. It covers the
purpose of the training course that is to impart knowledge of the basic concepts of
M&E among the participants and how can it be used for effective planning and
execution of project? To introduce the basic tools and techniques under practice for
effective monitoring and evaluation. Introduction of the training Institute (Pakistan
Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) with brief history and its contribution in
nation’s development. Schedule of training course and details of main events. An
overview of the basic concept and key elements of M&E, its importance and role it
plays in the efficient and effective implementation of the project. Monitoring and
Evaluation is one of the important components of the project life cycle. It starts with
the start of the project and progresses with the course of the project. M&E are in fact,
two distinct set of organizational activities related but not identical. Monitoring relates
to the principles, practices and processes of M&E and evaluation relates to the
analysis of results. The basic function and primary focus of M&E. This is an inbuilt
and ongoing process and have key role in keeping the activities during the progression
of the project on tract. Briefly described the quality of facilities provided by the PIDE
and at the end suggestions/ recommendations for further improvement.

1
Acronyms

PIDE Pakistan Institute of Development Economics

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
DRU District Reconstruction Unit
SERRA State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency
PERT Programme Evaluation and Review Technique
LFA Logical Framework Analysis
SWOT Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat/ Challenge
CPM Critical Path Method
RBM Result Based Management
WBS Work Breakdown Structure
ZOPP Zeal Oriented Project Planning (German)
GOPP Goal Oriented Project Planning (English)
ATOM Activity to Output Monitoring
LAST Livelihood Asset-Status Tracking

2
Course Title: “Project Monitoring and Evaluation”.
Organized by: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE).
Venue: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Quaid-e-
Azam University, Islamabad.
Duration: 15 days (September 16-28, 2013).
Participants: Total number of participants; 19
Participants were a bunch of flowers representing the whole Pakistan; they were from
different cultures and back grounds and having multi dimensional experience, like 07
from AJ&K, 04 from Sindh, 02 from Balochistan, 01 from Punjab, 01 from KP, 02
from Planning Commission of Pakistan, 01 Mphil research scholar from PIDE and
one faculty member from Business Management Department PIDE.

Medium of Instruction: Mostly English, I can rather say it was mixture of Urdu and
English.

Brief Introduction of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE):

PIDE is the pioneer on research in the field of Development Economics and is the
first of its own nature. Soon after Pakistan came into being it was felt that there must
be some facility for the bringing up the upcoming generations of economists. By
sensing the dire need Government of Pakistan decided to establish an institution. It
was established in the year 1957 as a think tank by the donation from Sir Agha Khan,
at Karachi the then capital of Pakistan for the development of human capital. It was
shifted to Dhaka in 1970 but later on moved back to Pakistan and was established at
the premises of Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad in 1972. Sir Agha Khan was
a visionary person who envisaged through his foresightedness that the country
required well envisioned economists for its development, economic growth and
prosperous future. PIDE is devoted to theoretical and empirical research in
Development Economics in general and on Pakistan-related economic issues in
particular. It started Phd programme in Economics in 2000 and accredited the status of
University in 2006. To date the Institute produced 22 Phds. PIDE is divided into five
research divisions and four Centers of Excellence.
PIDE is considered as Pakistan’s one of the top most institutions in the field of
research on Development Economics. Since its inception it has been producing top
brose economists. RePEc (Research Papers in Economics) has ranked PIDE among

3
top 5 % economic institute in the world and 10th in Asia. Initially it was established
solely for research purposes but now besides research it has introduced eight
academic programmes, six of them at M.phil and two at Masters level. World Bank
has also provided grant in aid for its strengthening. The Institute is working under the
Planning Commission of Pakistan, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission being its
Chancellor. The Government of Pakistan has allocated land for the construction of
purpose build campus. PIDE has started training programmes in the field of Project
Management by establishing “Project Evaluation & Training Division” headed by Dr.
Usman Mustafa.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) an Overview:

Monitoring and Evaluation are in fact, two distinct set of organizational activities
related but not identical. Monitoring relates to the principles, practices and processes
of M&E and evaluation relates to the analysis of results. M&E is ideally understood
as dialogue on development and its progress between all stakeholders. Before further
discussion on M&E first we have to understand what is project;
Project:
Project is a unique set of activities which has;
a specific starting point,
a specific end point,
intended to achieve a specific goal.
Monitoring:
Monitoring is an ongoing process which starts with the start of the project and
remains continuous throughout the life of the project.
Evaluation:
Evaluation is carried out after the completion of the project or some times during the
implementation of the project. It is based on the data gathered during the
implementation phase. It paves the path for further planning.
The basic functions of M&E are;
 Review of progress;
 Identify problems in planning and in implementation;
 Make adjustments so that you are more likely to “make a difference”.
and primarily focuses on;
 Efficiency;

4
  Effectiveness and;
 Impact;

Ongoing monitoring and evaluation must be an integral part of project/ programme.

Many governments fail to learn, in time, the way a project is unfolded and the manner
in which it generates benefits. There are also many who do not see the benefits of
evaluation and simply believe it to be a donor-driven activity of no management use.
Whereas M&E is an important component of project cycle and is considered as
effective tool to keep the project on track. To
determine the progress made, the obstacles to be surmounted, and the gaps to be filled
;
There is a misconception about M&E that it starts when on ground activities of
project are started. But in my opinion it starts right from conceptualization of the idea
of the project till its completion. Because if the project is conceptualized after
assessing the need in true letter and spirit, by taking into consideration the past
experiences and lessons learnt, the chances of success increase by many folds. The
smart evaluation of previous projects usually paved the path for new projects. The
lesson learnt helps a lot in good planning and implementation. It is well known fact
that a well planned project is always easy to implement.

Purpose of the Course:

The course was devised to introduce the basic concepts of M&E among the
participants and how can it be used for effective planning and execution of project for
socio-economic uplift of the society? To impart the knowledge about basic tools and
techniques under practice for effective monitoring and evaluation.

The basic theme of the training course was to describe;

i. Key principles of Monitoring and Evaluation;
ii. How to plan M&E?
iii. Tools and techniques used for M&E;
iv. Application of tools and techniques for effective M&E;
v. Reporting mechanism;
vi. Linkages between Monitoring and Evaluation;

5
vii. Linkages between operation design and M&E monitoring tools and
techniques;
viii. Proactive application of M&E tools and techniques in the implementation of
public sector programmes/ projects;

Following were the main events during the training course:

 Registration
 Reception of Participants
 Brief Introduction
 Welcome Speech
 Training Sessions
 Group Work and Assignment
 Tea Break
 Lunch
 Study Tour
 Group Photograph
 Group Presentations
 Certificate Distribution Ceremony
 Closing Remarks

Topics covered:
1. M&E differences, Myths and Terminologies
2. Project Cycle with Special Reference to Monitoring & Evaluation
3. CPM/PERT for Effective M&E/Exercise
4. Development of Indicators
5. Computer Application for M&E using MS-Project
6. Introduction to Monitoring Techniques
7. LFA Introduction & Exercises
8. Types of Evaluations and its Techniques
9. Participatory M&E Tools and Exercise on SWOT Analysis
10. Procurement Procedure and Requirement
11. Application of PC 3, 4 and 5

6
 12. Evaluation in the UN Context
13. Earned Value Analysis
14. Effective Communication Skill
15. ATOM and LAST Monitoring Model
16. M&E Case Study of Care International
17. M&E Case Study of NGO Sector

Welcome and Introduction:

Participants were welcomed at the main entrance of the PIDE and then were guided to
training hall. As all of the participants were seated, an introductory documentary
about PIDE was played. Registration farms were provided and were duly filled by all
the participants. Dr. Usman Mustafa the Chief Training and Monitoring formally
welcomed the participants and then introduction was done. After that pre-course
assessment was carried out. Then Dr. Usman Mustafa briefed us about the history and
achievements of PIDE and how it progressed from a think tank to a university and
how it achieved the level of excellence. He explained what institution expected from
the participants and what expectations participants might have from this course. It was
further added by him that the training course was conceptualized on the basis of
participatory approach and was planned in a way that every aspect of M&E was
elaborated and explained. The participants were expected to take active part in every
event, whether, it was formal or informal. The basic theme of the training was
knowledge sharing rather than formal lecturing.

Evaluation of the Training Course:

The basic purpose of this evaluation is to evaluate what were the expectations and
what is delivered. The course was devised in a way that it covered each and every
aspect of Monitoring and Evaluation with minute details. The topics had relevance
with each other and with over all prospective of the course. Sessions were planned in
a sequential way. Though there was little repetition because Project Cycle, SWOT
Analysis, LFA and PERT was repeated by different resource persons many a time. The
reason behind was may be, that the resource persons had planned their sessions
individually. The resource persons mostly had delivered their sessions in participatory
way. They tried to involve the participants in the sessions rather than lecturing.

7
The emphasis of the course was the capacity building of the participants to use the
tools and techniques of M&E efficiently and effectively in the implementation of
projects. The ultimate result of individual capacity building is the organizational
capacity building. As for as individual capacity building is concerned it is the capacity
development (development of adequate knowledge, skills, competences and
attitudes), utilization of capacity (application of knowledge, skills and competences
at work place) and retention of capacity (facilitation of knowledge and skills transfer
within the organization). Whereas organizational capacity building is capacity
development (establishment of efficient processes procedures), utilization of capacity
(integration of structures, processes and procedures in daily work flow) and retention
of capacity (regular adaption of structures processes and procedures) at the
organizational level.
The topics discussed during the training course covered the different tools and
techniques which are in practice while doing M&E, like CPM, PERT, WBS, SWOT
Analysis and LFA etc.
Project cycle was discussed in detail and different events through which project
under goes to accomplish the goal/ target. Following are the components:
 Identification
 Preparation
 Appraisal
 Approval
 Implementation
 Monitoring
 Evaluation
How to Plan M&E?
The M&E plan must give clear guidance regarding the information or data to be
collected, how they can be collected, and how to disseminate and use the results. The
M&E Plan also documents how these activities contribute to the achievement of the
programme goals / expected results.
After that above mentioned techniques were discussed one by one:
Critical Path Method (CPM) is used to sequence the activities and to calculate the
earliest time required to complete the project and the longest path to follow.
Programme Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is a network analysis used
to estimate project duration when there is high degree of uncertainty about the
individual activity duration estimates.

8
Steps in the PERT Planning Process:
 Activity identification;
 Activity sequencing;
 Network diagram construction;
 Time estimation;
 Determine the critical path;

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is used for;

 Breaking of a single task into multiple tasks’
 Breakdown can be based on;
 Area;
 Sequence of work
 Any strategy;
 Others;
There were a number of computer software’s under use in Project Management now a
days and the MS-Project is one among the many.
 It is used for:
 To estimate project’s completion time;
 To estimate project budget;
 To find out critical path and activities;
 To estimate resources and activities;
 To monitor the project progress;
 To develop a sequence of activities;
 To break a single task into sub tasks;

SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT Matrix) is a structured planning method used

to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats/ Challenges
involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for
a product, place, industry or person. It involves specifying the objective of the
business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are
favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective.

9
  Strengths: characteristics of the business or project that give it an advantage
over others
 Weaknesses: are characteristics that place the team at a disadvantage relative
to others
 Opportunities: elements that the project could exploit to its advantage
 Threats/ Challanges: elements in the environment that could cause trouble for
the business or project
The Logical Framework (LFA) is a project planning and management tool. It has
the power to communicate a complex and costly project clearly and understandably
on single sheet of paper.
Used to:
 Develop the overall design of the project
 Manage the project cycle as a learning system
The LOGFRAME uses a 16 box Matrix to lay out a program or project design.
Each box contains specific information about the project. The boxes have a dynamic
tension among them. Changes in one’s affect, changes the others. The boxes concerns
people and interests so that these changes may require face to face re-negotiations of
agreements.
The above explained tools and techniques provide basis for effective M&E. The
discussions were found really beneficial and added a lot in the knowledge of the
participants.

Tabulated below is the evaluation of the course keeping in view the key in
dicators:
Indicators Rating
1 Are the objectives of the course clear? Very clear
2 Do you agree that the correct objectives are Completely agree
targeted?
3 Does the course meet the stated objectives? Yes
4 Does the course sustain your interest? Yes
5 Is the information presented in a logical Logical (though felt repetition
sequence? sometimes)
6 Is the information presented clearly? Moderately clear
7 Is the content of the course relevant to your job? Very relevant
8 Do the examples or illustrations help you learn? Moderately aided in learning
9 Do the practice exercises help you learn? Little practice is provided

10
 10 Do you feel you gained valuable knowledge from Gained good knowledge
the course?

Conclusion:
There has been some progress in M&E practice over the last few years. However,
much more remains to be done. Additional investment and new ways of working are r
equired if functional M&E systems
are to become a reality. New collaborations are crucial to spark new work. The advanc
ement of M&E practice also calls for long‐term planning to ensure that all component
s required for a functional M&E system are strengthened.

Here is little discussion about the facilities provided by PIDE:

Venue:
The overall ambience was excellent. Training hall having state of the art equipment
(Audio visual aids, large screen LCD monitors, multimedia, and video conferencing
link, etc…) furniture and fixture.
Standard of Training:
Good.
Resource persons:
Some were excellent, some were good and some were average.
Time Keeping:
More attention is required.
Coordination:
Special attention is required.
Transport:
Transport remained a problematic area.
Dining Hall and Food:
Dining hall is well maintained.
Generally quality of food was good. Participatory approach while deciding menu may
be little more beneficial.

Suggestions/ Recommendations for SERRA:

 Training should be designed in a way that attracts the attention of each

11
 participant;
 After impart of basic trainings, refresher may be arranged to get maximum
benefit;
 Opportunities should be provided to participants to implement what they have
learnt, on their return to work/ organization;
 The training institute should be selected keeping in view its profile, (capacity,
facilities available etc);
 Both at SERRA and at DRUs level measures are required to be adopted for
strengthening of M&E system;
 The lesson learnt during the implementation of reconstruction and
rehabilitation programme in last eight year should be documented;
 The impediments and obstacles faced by SERRA and DRU’s should be
critically analyzed and evaluated while executing the projects to overcome all
those problems in future;
 Evaluation of completed projects should be done at SERRA level by involving
DRUs.
 Exchange visits to PERRA projects and projects under implementation in
flood affected areas of Pakistan for sharing of experience.

Suggestions / Recommendations for PIDE

i. Quality of resource person may not be compromised some relevant faculty
members may be included in the pool of resource persons;
ii. Overall quality of training may be improved by paying little attention on
coordination and time keeping.
iii. More human resources are required in the division to overcome the
shortcomings;
iv. PIDE must have its own boarding and lodging facility for enhancement of
comfort level of the participants, so that they may get training without any
trouble and interruption; This may also help in ensuring the timings be
observed;
v. Training Division must have independent vehicles on their own disposal;
vi. The training facility must have dedicated computer Lab;

12
vii. Participatory approach must be the essence of training programme, so that
sense of ownership prevails among the participants of the courses.
The above suggestion require no or little financial resources except vehicles and
computer Lab but these will be of great help in creating an extra ordinary impact and
improvement in the quality of training.

----------X-----------X---------

13