Monitoring & evaluation
Create a clear basis for tracking programme delivery and assessing results. We develop indicators, collection methods and reporting arrangements, with evaluations that explain the evidence and its limits.
How we can help
A programme needs a clear account of both the work completed and the changes it is intended to support. We help teams develop monitoring and evaluation arrangements that connect their objectives to defined indicators, suitable data sources and named collection responsibilities. The framework is designed around the programme and any reporting format required by its funder.
Support can include a results framework or logframe, data collection tools, dashboards and mid-term or end-of-project evaluation. We consider what information the team can collect consistently and how it will be checked. Evaluation findings distinguish the results supported by evidence from questions that the available data cannot resolve.
When this may be useful
- A programme is starting and needs agreed indicators, baselines and a workable plan for collecting results data.
- Reporting draws on inconsistent spreadsheets or definitions, making it difficult to compare progress across reporting periods.
- A funder or board requires an evaluation of results and recommendations for the next stage of work.
What the work involves
Define the results framework
Clarify the programme's intended outputs and outcomes, then select indicators relevant to them. Record indicator definitions, proposed targets and baseline needs so that the team understands what each measure does and does not show.
Plan data collection and checks
Identify sources, collection methods, reporting frequency and responsible staff. Prepare practical tools and quality checks, considering the burden on delivery teams and participants and the limitations of the records already available.
Develop monitoring reports
Organise the information into reports or dashboards that support programme reviews. Where reliable digital sources exist, assess opportunities to automate updates while keeping data definitions, reporting dates and validation responsibilities clear.
Evaluate and interpret findings
Agree evaluation questions and an approach suited to the programme and available evidence. Review results, explain material limitations and develop recommendations that identify the decisions or changes the implementing team should consider.
How the assignment runs
Agree the questions
Review programme objectives, funder requirements and the decisions that monitoring or evaluation should inform.
Design the framework
Develop indicators, methods and reporting arrangements with the staff responsible for collecting and using the information.
Review the evidence
Support monitoring or carry out the agreed evaluation, checking data quality and identifying gaps that affect interpretation.
Discuss findings
Present the results and limitations, and work through practical recommendations with the programme team.
What to prepare
These details will help us understand the starting point and agree a useful scope:
- Programme design, intended outcomes and any existing logframe
- Funder reporting requirements and available baseline or monitoring data
- Current data collection tools and staff responsibilities
If some information is still being developed, we can discuss what is available in the first conversation.
Questions about this service.
For anything specific to your organisation, get in touch. We can discuss the requirements before you decide on an engagement.
Can you work within our funder's M&E template?
Yes. We review the required format and definitions first, then develop the framework and reporting around them. Gaps or ambiguities are raised with your team for clarification through the appropriate channel.
What if the programme has no baseline?
We assess whether suitable existing records can provide a credible reference point. If they cannot, the evaluation will explain that limitation and use an approach that avoids unsupported claims about change.
Can our monitoring dashboard update automatically?
This depends on the source systems and the consistency of the data. We review what can be connected reliably and which checks still require human review before recommending an automated reporting arrangement.
Let’s talk about what you need.
Share a little about your project, the challenge you are facing and where you would like some help.