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Section Five: Lessons Learned
The OSSAP-MDGs has stressed on several occasions that the OPEN M&E should not only focus
on the organizational activities and outputs of DRG projects but should, more than ever, pay
adequate attention to actual outputs and outcomes so as to be able to provide a results-based
assessment as to whether or not DRG projects are leading to the desired results and achieving
the right goals. How would OSSAP-MDGs know if it is on the right track and if the DRG
projects are leading to the desired results and outcomes? The bottom line is the existence of
an M&E system capable of generating the needed information and the extent to which the
information so generated can be used to populate the right content in the M&E reports and
the extent to which the information contained in the report is used to improve government
performance. The following are lessons learnt from this consultancy that will lead to the
achievement of this goal:
There is no best model of what DRG M&E report should look like. Much depends on a
clearindicationfrom OSSAP-MDGs on what it wants to use the M&E information for and a
clear understanding by the consultants and CSOs about what type of M&E information is
needed by OSSAP-MDGs, their capacity to generate the required M&E information, and
the quality of their experiences in preparing monitoring and evaluation reports.
A good M&E report is the product of a well-designed M&E system with a clear Logical
Framework, an articulated results chain for each programme/project, a detailed M&E
plan for data collection and analysis, a reporting flow and formats, a feedback and
review plan, and a feasible plan for ensuring that the system will achieve its goal. Care
should be taken not to ―over design‖ or ―over engineer‖ the process by focusing on the
data collection and data entries. This can result in the collection of volumes of
information that serve no useful purpose and can eventually overwhelm and undermine
an M&E system. An M&E report has no inherent value. It is only valuable if it is used to
take corrective actions and improve project performance.
The bottom line is the extent to which the data coming from the M&E process can be
translated into useful results-based M&E information and used to improve government
performance at all levels.
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