Developing Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks

This practical book provides clear, step-by-step guidance on how to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework in a participatory, logical, systematic, and integrated way. The authors outline the key stages and steps involved, including: scoping the framework; identifying planned results; using program theory and program logic; developing evaluation questions; identifying processes for ongoing data collection and analysis; determining means to promote learning; reporting; and dissemination of results. A final chapter focuses on planning for implementation of the framework, with reference to the broader program and organizational context. The authors draw on their extensive experience in developing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to provide examples of good practice that inform organizational learning and decision making, while offering tips and guidelines that can be used to address common pitfalls.

Anne Markiewicz is an independent evaluation consultant and the Director of Anne Markiewicz and Associates. Commencing her professional career a social worker, Anne held academic positions in Social Work at two Australian Universities. In 1997, Anne pursued her interest in evaluation and commenced working as an independent consultant. In 2000, she completed a Master of Education in Program Evaluation at the University of Melbourne. Since that time, Anne has completed a significant number of evaluation projects for a range of Australian government departments, non-government organizations and international agencies. She has specialized in evaluating programs with social justice objectives.

Anne’s practice as an evaluator has highlighted the need for early evaluation planning to provide a clear and agreed focus, ensure data availability and support the production of credible evaluations. She has increasingly focused on the development of Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks for a range of clients. She has designed and delivered an array of related training programs, which also encompass areas such as stakeholder engagement, negotiation and evaluation reporting. This training has been delivered extensively in Australasia, particularly within Australia and Papua New Guinea. Anne has a commitment to evaluation capacity building and has provided mentoring support to a range of government and non-government organizations.

Anne is a past board member of the Australasian Evaluation Society, holding positions of Secretary and Vice President. She has received two awards for excellence in evaluation from the Australasian Evaluation Society. These were the ‘Indigenous Evaluation Award’ (2008) for an evaluation completed with the Australian Department of Finance and Deregulation, and the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Evaluation Award’ (2013). Anne has published articles on the political context to evaluation, balancing stakeholder interests in evaluation and the evaluation of programs for Indigenous Australians.

Dr. Ian Patrick is an independent evaluation consultant and Director of Ian Patrick and Associates. Ian has a number of threads in his career which have supported his move into evaluation. Building on a background in teaching and radio and television production, Ian shifted his focus to international program management. He became aware of the challenges involved in evaluation of complex programs operating in the Asia-Pacific region while working for several Australian universities and managing contractors. Ian completed a PhD in Asian Studies in 1997, and commenced working in academic roles in international development for both the RMIT University and Deakin University, Australia. Ian is currently an Honorary Senior Fellow with the Development Studies Program at the University of Melbourne.

Ian commenced working as an independent consultant in 1998 with roles encompassing evaluation, program design, strategy development and organizational review. The focus of this work has progressively shifted to concentrate on the evaluation area and has also achieved a balance between Australian and international contexts. He has undertaken evaluation related assignments for a range of international agencies, Australian government departments and non-government organisations. He has interests in evaluation practice in both public sector and civil society contexts with sectoral experience crossing areas such as law and justice, health, education, rural and urban development, environment, human rights, disaster management, media and the arts, and migration and Indigenous issues.

Ian is a member of the Australasian Evaluation Society and the American Evaluation Association. In 2012, he received the Best Evaluation Policy and Systems Award from the Australasian Evaluation Society for a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework developed for the Mongolia Australia Scholarship Program.