VALUE CHAIN MONITORING AND EVALUATION GUIDE

MODULE 6

Developing Analysis and Feedback Loops

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GETTING STARTED

OBJECTIVE OF MODULE 6• Outlines how collected data will be

channeled through feedback loops.

• Unlocks the power of information by translating data collection into improved project performance!

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GETTING STARTED

A Few Rules of Guidance1. Align feedback loops with client needs.

2. Focus on efficiency.

3. Keep it simple at the start.

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GETTING STARTED

WARNING!

Stay within limits of project resources and capabilities! Only use feedback loops that meet the needs of M&E clients!

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Market Engagement Indicator Information Sheet

M&E systems from other CARE projects or programs

Information on any donor requirements on feedback loops (reporting frequency, content required, etc.)

MATERIALS / INPUTS RECOMMENDED

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1

•Review your M&E CLIENT Map, Resources & Capabilities, Indicators and Tools

2

•Map the Anticipated Flow of Information: Point of Collection Point of Analysis M&E Client(s)

3

•Document Your Decisions

4

•Review your Plan against your Resources and Capacity Table

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 1

Take a moment to:•Review your M&E client map and the decisions you have made about indicators and tools•Re-review your assessment of the resources and capabilities of the project

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1

•Review your M&E CLIENT Map, Resources & Capabilities, Indicators and Tools

2

•Map the Anticipated Flow of Information: Point of Collection Point of Analysis M&E Client(s)

3

•Document Your Decisions

4

•Review your Plan against your Resources and Capacity Table

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 2

Consider Information Flow from both Types of Indicators

Routine Measurement•Consider how to make the gathered data useful for as many people as possible•Data flows upward from participants through field staff and a series of other internal clients before reaching the donor•Feedback from the donor may or may not be strong, but is progressively diluted

Routine Observation•Almost always intended to serve field staff and project managers first•Ensures the project is able to quickly understand, reflect and act on the direct experiences and perceptions of field staff and managers•‘Paths’ for this information will be very short feedback loops•Findings from these collections can be quickly analyzed and channeled to key M&E clients

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 2Donor

HQ / Senior

CO Staff

Project

Manager

Participant

Firm

Participant

HH

Field

Staff

Links to oth

er field

coord

inators

Links to other field

staff

Links to other local stakeholders

Key

-Data flow

-Feedback loop

 

Line width illustrates strength of data flow

Example of a Common Donor-focused M&E System

Feedback Loop

Field

Coordinator

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 2

Donor

HQ / Senior

CO Staff

Project

Manager

Participant

Firm

Participant

HH

Field

Staff

Links to oth

er field

coord

inators

Links to other field

staff

Links to other local stakeholders

Key

-Data flow

-Feedback loop

 

Line width illustrates strength of data flow

Example of an Ideal M&E System with Feedback Loops

Field

Coordinator

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 2Feedback Loop Participatory Exercise

• Convene a meeting of CARE program staff and implementing partners

• Build a diagram on the wall using different colors of note cards and different colors of string

• Facilitate a discussion regarding placement of cards and strings and whether this will meet M&E goals

• Document outputs of the meeting.

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1• Review your M&E CLIENT

Map, Resources & Capabilities, Indicators and Tools

2• Map the Anticipated Flow of

Information: Point of Collection Point of Analysis M&E Client(s)

3 • Document Your Decisions

4• Review your Plan against

your Resources and Capacity Table

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•Fill in the final columns in the M&E Indicator Information Sheet:

Data Collection Frequency

Data Analysis and Feedback Loop Description

Data Collection Responsibility

•Develop a narrative description of the data collection frequencies, alignment with priority M&E client needs, feedback loop structure and rationale and data collection responsibilities.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 3

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1• Review your M&E CLIENT

Map, Resources & Capabilities, Indicators and Tools

2• Map the Anticipated Flow of

Information: Point of Collection Point of Analysis M&E Client(s)

3 • Document Your Decisions

4• Review your Plan

against your Resources and Capacity Table

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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: STEP 4

Again, review decisions against project resources and capacities!

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CASE EXAMPLE

SDVC• Tasks, frequency and output in a regular reflection cycle

• Schedule of knowledge management

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CASE EXAMPLE

SDVC M&E Staff’s Role Distribution

Technical Coordinator-

M&E

Technical Coordinator-

M&E

Technical Officer-M&ETechnical

Officer-M&E

M&E Support Officer

M&E Support Officer

Posted at Rangpur

Lead in Design

Implement M&E tasks at RangpurReporting and Information sharingDirectly Supervise TO-M&E and Indirectly M&ESORepresent M&E Unit internally and externally.

Posted at Bogra

Assist TC-M&E in design

Ensure Data entry & data management

Implement M&E tasks at Bogra

Assist TC-M&E in reporting

Data backup and filing

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CASE EXAMPLE

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF SDVC DATA FLOW MANAGEMENT

Technical Coordinator-M&E

Technical Coordinator-M&E

Technical Officer-M&E

Technical Officer-M&E

M&E Support Officer

M&E Support Officer

Project Officers (Team leaders)

Project Officers (Team leaders)

Field FacilitatorsField Facilitators

Project ParticipantsProject Participants

CARE-BCARE-B SDVC StaffsSDVC Staffs

DONORDONORCARE-USACARE-USA Other International Audiences

Other International Audiences

Team level

Field level

Region &National

level

International level

GOB/Private sectors/INGOGOB/Private sectors/INGO

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COMMON PITFALLS

Designing a system that is unmanageable. It is important to balance interests with resources and focus on the priority feedback loops. This is why it is important to review the resources and capacity sheet as the conclusion of this step.  Losing focus on the multiple clients you are trying to serve. As many M&E systems focus largely on meeting donor expectations, it is easy to narrow down your feedback loops to focus on that particular client at the expense of all others. Be sure that the feedback loops you design will be sufficient to meet the needs of multiple M&E clients. If this seems impossible, you may need to engage the donor in additional discussions about how the M&E system will be structured.

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QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS?

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Multiple ways to continue the discussion and continue learning:• Initiate a monthly session on the M&E guide

and case studies from across CARE. Contact cpennotti@care.org

• Join the Market Engagement Community of Practice on LinkedIn.

• Join a task force to review and refine the universal indicators. Contact nardi@careinternational.org

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