Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation – Capacity Assessment

The self-ratings and the measures of quality of many items such as the proposal, detailed
implementation plan, M&E plans and systems, baseline, and adequacy of training do not appear
to be borne out by the many results that the analyzed data has brought up. These ratings and
quality measures may be clouded by socially desirable responses or other subjectivity. The
results on these measures of quality and ratings needs to be viewed with caution and interpreted
with skepticism.
Finally, the DME CA was visualized as a process to aid reflection and gather lessons to learn
from the successes and weaknesses of project design, monitoring, and evaluation. The objectives
of this exercise also included a refresher on the principles of DME, including reading the Impact
Evaluation Checklist as a part of a larger structured group exercise. The data suggests that in
many projects this exercise may have been short-circuited, probably by pressing project needs.
At the same time, many Country Offices (as evidenced by the narrative summaries from 12
Country Offices) have used the results from the DMECA to undertake a review, reflection, and
analysis of their approach to DME. This has resulted in identification of specific areas for
improvement, reassignment of roles and responsibilities pertaining to DME, and even developing
a DME manual (as in Kenya) as they march onwards to “realistic and adequate, but not
necessarily perfect systems to do M&E activities” (comment from CARE-Kenya). This
‘evaluation as intervention’ has achieved partially its potential to raise the consciousness on and
knowledge of DME.
Some specific recommendations include:
• Encourage better continuity from the ‘D’ (proposal) to ‘M&E’ (design and detail of M&E
plan)
• Systematize before you automate the M&E system
• Institutionalize the process of DME through Country Office teams / individuals
• Encourage the adoption of full HLS or other forms of formal holistic diagnosis
• Systematize the process of review of all elements of proposals with clear and helpful
guidelines for review of proposals
• Encourage the use of quantitative surveys as one of the essential elements of baseline
studies
• Undertake a review of MIS systems in CARE projects and systematize and strengthen
before computerization
• Refocus reports to balance the reporting requirement with the immediacy of management
• Further study of the results of this DME CA exercise through inclusion of -
o Sector-level information on projects
o Information on remaining projects and
o A more in-depth qualitative analysis of the narrative reports.
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DME CA Global Synthesis v