Are you asking the right questions to support good decisions?
Key Principles and Steps
“The most serious mistake is not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question”, Peter Drucker
“The effective use of data – learning by measuring – is at the heart of how we should manage complexity” Owen Barder
Monitoring and results measurement (MRM) is the key to successful market systems development programmes. Market systems are complex, and intervening to make them more efficient and inclusive is not a matter of implementing a fixed plan. MRM must be both rigorous and pragmatic in order to deal with this complexity.
MRM in market systems development programmes must take into account two specific considerations:
- Monitoring and measuring system level change and its impact on the poor: measuring change and its sustainability, at the system level is a priority. Ascertaining whether system-level changes are benefiting the poor is also vital. Programmes must be able t measure causality from intervention to poverty reduction via system-level change, isolate the impact of their interventions from wider influences, and identify programme beneficiaries within a wider population
- Dealing with complexity and unpredictability change processes are driven by market partners operating in dynamic environments, outcomes are not fully within programmes’ control. Flexibility and responsiveness are crucial. Programmes need timely, accurate feedback to assess interventions effectiveness and adjust their actions accordingly. MRM must be integral to the intervention process and the role of all staff.
The information generated by an effective MRM system supports two interrelated yet distinct goals. It provides evidence to ‘prove’ development outcomes (i.e. impact and their attribution to programme intervention). It also supports continuous learning and adjustment in order to ‘improve’ the effectiveness of programme intervention to bring about better outcomes.
Establishing a rigorous process for MRM capable of providing and improving outcomes entails five steps:
Step 1: Assign sustainability indicators, augmenting the results chain where necessary:
Set results chain indicators that measure progress towards system-level, pro-poor growth or improved access and poverty reduction changes, as well as the sustainability of these changes
Step 2: Project how much each indicator will change by:
Predict the extent of change anticipated for each indicator as a result of each intervention by a given date
Step 3: Create a plan for collecting information to measure performance:
Detail who will undertake each measurement task, when where and using which methods
Step 4: Establish appropriate baseline information, then measure results:
Baseline information for each indicator is needed before intervention begins. Carry out measurement duties as per the measurement plan.
Step 5: Analyse and use MRM information to inform decision making and external communications:
Interpret the findings of MRM and use them to inform decisions about improving programme strategy and interventions. Learn from achievements and failures and communicate both to funders and other stakeholders