THE PME

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THEPME

• This presentation is a very general introduction
  to PME. It will be progressively revised, so
  please let us have your comments.

Version 1 January 2003
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After the PBD, the EBD, the AFU, the UAD, the
ODP, the FPD, the PFR, the GAP, the MAP, the PAP,
the PP, the IAP, the AC, the HCP, the HR, the
EBD, and other ABBS the acronym family is
pleased to announce the arrival of the PME (PSE
in French).
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• PME Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
• PSE Planification, Suivi et Evaluation

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This is not just something for the specialists

• The acronym may be unfamiliar, but fundamentally
  there is nothing really new.
• Some people are already PME-ing without realising
  it.

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But what is it exactly?

• Planning, evaluation, and monitoring are
  individual components of a development activity.
  These instruments require a climate of
  co-operation where everyone is willing, with
  their partners, to observe their own activities
  with a critical eye and draw the necessary
  conclusions for future actions and attitudes.
  Once the PME is part of everyones concern, it
  becomes a tangible element of organisational
  practice. (DDC, 1996)

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Er OK, but can you be a bit more specific

• The PME is the unit around which the individual
  elements, which are planning, monitoring and
  evaluation, revolve.
• These elements need to be considered globally,
  and their results implemented via an
  apprenticeship process.
• DDC, 1996

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We can see the  P 
Questions to be examined during planning Questions to be examined during planning Questions to be examined during planning Questions to be examined during planning Questions to be examined during planning
Who ? does what ? when? how? why ?
? Bodies and persons involved ? Activities ? Schedule ? Resources and methods ? Objectives and results
IUED, 1996
Programming is done in outline and at least for
the project period. planning concentrates on a
shorter period and is much more detailed.
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But the M and the E are a bit harder to make out

• Monitoring The systematic and continuous
  collecting, analysis and using of information for
  the purpose of management and decision-making.
• Evaluation A periodic assessment of the
  efficiency, effectiveness, impact, sustainability
  and relevance of a project in the context of
  stated objectives. It is usually undertaken as an
  independent examination of the background,
  objectives, results, activities and means
  deployed, with a view to drawing lessons that may
  guide future decision-making.
• UE,2001

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In other words

• Evaluation is not monitoring!
• Monitoring is the periodic supervision of the
  implementation of an action with the aim of
  determining to what extent the delivery of
  resources, the schedule of activities, other
  requisite actions and the expected results are
  proceeding as planned, in order to be able to
  react in time to any problems that may have been
  detected () Monitoring does not call the
  formulation, the action operation plan or the
  choice of objectives into question, but rather
  examines the present state of activities against
  what was initially intended.
• The evaluation does not assume that the original
  formulation of the action is the best. It is a
  process that attempts to determine, as
  systematically and objectively as possible, what
  has really happened, the cause of these findings
  and their origins. It can challenge the main
  options (such as the formulation and planning) in
  seeking to determine the background to the action
  and its justification. The evaluation not only
  allows improvements tp be made in the activities
  underway, but also in the programming and
  decision-making.
• COTA, 2002

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To be even more precise
The evaluation The monitoring
Provides an assessment Carries out the supervision
Examines the past, the whole duration of the action, from the beginning up to the time of the evaluation Focuses on the present moment
Aims to determine the relations of cause and effect, the unforeseen and the unplanned, the correct policies, the achievement of results and objectives Aims to measure the divergences planned / realised based on activities implemented and adherence to the approaches
Provides feedback occasional (the important milestones), based on achieved results and in a long-term context. Provides feedback continuous or systematic, based on intermediate activites and results, in the short-term.
Supports decisions on Major re-planning of the action, Re-formulation, The success or failure of the action The validity of the hypotheses of the action, The potential for reproduction Supports decisions on Regular management of the action, Adjustments to the action plan, Conformity with legal procedures, The programming of resources COTA, 2002
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But above all, more than the P, the M or the E,
it is the link between the three that is
essential in PME.
The planning needs to be measured in order to be
adjusted. The monitoring needs a measuring
reference.
The plan is redefined as a result of the
evaluation. The evaluation uses the plan as a
point of reference for analysis.
The monitoring relies on the evaluation to be
 amended. The evaluation uses the results of
the monitoring.
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The approach is simple enough, after all.

• Well so are the tools!
• Or they should be

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How will the PME tools be formalised at HI ?

• They will be formalised during 2003 by using
• The (many) tools that already exist
• The tools recommended in the methodological
  guides
• Consultations with the different parties
  concerned (PBD, FPD, DO, TC, FC)
• A trial within the 15 or so programmes concerned
  by the PME in 2003.

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An essential tool

• The logical framework is an essential tool to
  PME.
• And yet, only too often we produce it for the
  funding body, and then hardly refer to it during
  the implementation of the project

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Breaking down the logical framework allows us to
programme, to define the monitoring tools and
also serves as a reference for the evaluation.
The evaluation and monitoring base themselves on
work/ budget plans. They focus on different
parts of the logical framework
Evaluation
Monitoring
Work plans and budget plans based on activities
Programming/ planning
UE, 2001
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Bibliography

• The following references are available on line or
  from the documentation centre

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• On the PME in general
• DDC, 1996, PSER une entrée en matière PMER -
  an introduction, 29p.
• This brochure outlines the principles of PME
  clearly and concisely.
• The DDC prefers to speak of PMEI to stress the
  fact that the PME procedure should not be too
  heavy and end up being prejudicial to the
  project  s implementation (I).
• The brochure is available from the documentation
  centre. The Methodology TC can provide you with a
  paper copy, if you so wish.

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• On project cycle management
• UE, March 2001, Manuel Gestion du cycle de
  projet Project cycle management handbook.
• This handbook is an essential reference on the
  project cycle management method and the logical
  framework approach. It offers a reminder of the
  concepts and principles and presents the
  essential tools. It is available on line or a
  computerised version can be obtained from the
  Methodology TC (.pdf).
• To download (in French/ English/Spanish)
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/evaluation/me
  thods/pcm.htm

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• On planning
• HI, 2000, Logic of programming, 30p.
• This guide was produced by the Methodology
  resource group.
• It only describes the logic of programming and
  its tools, and not how this logic may be
  implemented.
• It has 5 sections observation of the
  situation, problem analysis, programming the
  objectives and strategy, action plans,
  evaluations of the programming and programming
  evaluations.
• The guide is incorporated into the
  Administrative handbook (Chapter IV), available
  on the intranet (Programmes/ tools) and on CD Rom.

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• On monitoring
• Europact, 2002, Le suivi dun projet de
  développement Monitoring a development project,
  84p.
• This methodological guide appears in the F3E
  collection. It is available on line on their web
  site www.f3e.asso.fr
• It presents the objectives, the approach and the
  implementation of project monitoring.
• It is one of the rare documents to be devoted
  specifically to monitoring.

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• On evaluation
• COTA, 2001, Organiser lévaluation dune action
  de développement dans le sud Un guide pour les
  ONG du nord Organising the evaluation of a
  development activity in the south - A guide for
  NGO from the north , 82p.
• This practical guide is for NGO with little
  experience of evaluation. Particularly didactic,
  it is divided into 2 main sections Definitions
  and concepts (1/ the stakeholders in the action
  and partnership, 2/ definitions, final objectives
  and evaluation functions, 3/ the different types
  of evaluationThe practical organisation of an
  evaluation (4/ stages in an external evaluation
  5/ drawing up the terms of reference 6/ useful
  information).

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