Monitoring & evaluation

­­ This page is divided into the following sections:

Monitoring and evaluation guidelines

Institutionalizing evaluation: a review of international experience
Compares experiences of institutionalising government evaluation efforts through a discussion of the three leading models in Latin America – Mexico, Colombia and Chile - the non-centralized system of monitoring and evaluation adopted in South Africa, and the policylearning approach taken in China (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, October 2009).
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In the eye of the beholder? A framewo­rk for testing the effectiveness of parliamentary committees
­Argues that it is both possible and valuable to quantitatively assess the performance of parliamentary committees (Parliamentary Studies Centre, Australia).

A guide to collaborative inquiry and social engagement
Supports the creation and mobilization of practical, authentic knowledge for social change. Read more about the IDRC's approach to evaluation (International Development Research Centre, 2008).

Monitoring and evaluation toolkit: HIV/AIDS tuberculosis and malaria
With revised indicators at the output, outcome and impact levels for HIV/AIDS (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria, March 2008).

Using appreciative inquiry in educational research: Possibilities and limitations­ (National Foundation for Educational Research, February 2009).

How will we know the Children's Act is making a difference to the situation of children? A system for monitoring progress
Proposes a rights-based system to monitor the Children's Act (Human Sciences Research Council, July 2008).

Bridging the gap: the role of M&E in evidence-based policy making
Brings together the lessons learned from different stakeholders on the strategic role of monitoring and evaluation in evidence-based policy (UNESCO, 2008).

Ten steps to a results-based monitoring and evaluation system: a handbook for development practitioners­
Serves as a guide to the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system (World Bank, 2004).

How to build M&E systems to support better government
Supports the efforts of governments in developing countries to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems and capacities. Also see the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Independent Evaluation Group, World Bank, 2007).

WK Kellogg Foundation evaluation handbook
This handbook is designed to encourage dialogue on the role evaluation should play at the project level (WK Kellogg Foundation, 1998).

WK Kellogg Foundation logic model development guide
Defines the program logic model as a picture of how an organisation works or the theory and assumptions underlying the programme (WK Kellogg Foundation, January 2004).

Setting national goals, monitoring and evaluation: a comparison of approaches across selected countries
Compares governments' monitoring and evaluation activities from some countries around the world. Download part one  and part two of this report (Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, 2005).

Five theories of change embedded in appreciative inquiry
Describes five different ways of thinking about how an appreciative inquiry can create change in social systems by recalling 'something at it's best' (University of Vancouver, 1998).

The community builder’s approach to theory of change: a practical guide to theory development
A guide aimed at planners and evaluators who are facilitating a process for creating a theory of change for community-based programmes and community change initiatives (Aspen Institute).

Developing a 'theory of change' to evaluate local public service agreements
Describes and discusses the Aspen Institute's approach and identifies its utility to local public service agreement (LPSA) evaluations (Department for Communities and Local Government).

South African public service evaluations

In the South African public sector context a number of formal evaluations are performed periodically. These include:

Report of the Presidential Review Commission on the reform and transformation of the public service in South Africa (Public Service Commission, February 1998).

Towards a ten-year review - synthesis report on implementation of government programmes: discussion document (Policy Co-ordination and Advisory Services, South African Presidency, October 2003).

Fifth consolidated public service monitoring and evaluation system report (Public Service Commission, September 2008).

Towards a fifteen year review (South African Presidency, 2008).

Report of the independent panel assessment of parliament (January 2009).

State of the public service report 2009 (Public Service Commission, June 2009).

South African CEDAW report: progress made on the implementation of the Convention for the period 1998 to 2008 (South African Presidency, May 2009).

South African reference documents

The South African Presidency, National Treasury and Public Service Commission have developed guidelines for conducting periodic reviews:

Policy framework for the government-wide monitoring and evaluation system. Download part one here and part two here (South African Presidency, November 2007). 

Basic concepts in monitoring and evaluation
Aims to clarify basic monitoring and evaluation concepts and ideas as they apply in the context of the South African public service (Public Service Commission, February 2008).

Monitoring and evaluation: capacity-building within the public sector: general outline
Outlines the curriculum for monitoring and evaluation courses conducted in the public sector (Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy).

The Public Finance Management Act (1999) and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework- Treasury Guidelines (2007) have institutionalised standard reviews and evaluations through quarterly and annual reporting.