Download Logical Framework

Logical Framework and
Development Project Cycle
2: The Logical Framework
Johannesburg
October 2005
CEFEB
Denis Walton
AGENCE FRANCAISE DE DEVELOPPEMENT
The Logical Framework





General principles and Origins of the LogFrame
Expected advantages of the LogFrame
Impacts on the project ’s management
Methodology and Examples
How does it fit in the Project Cycle?
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 General Principles
The Logframe is a tool for project design and planning,
monitoring and evaluation. It can be used as follows:
> To clearly articulate the project objectives
> To link them to an overall strategy/policy
> To support them by clearly defined activities, linked with
resources which will be alllocated to them
> To define the means to verify the achievement of the
project ’s objectives: to define indicators and data sources
> To list important assumptions, and external risks that may
have a critical impact on the project ’s implementation and
the achievement of the project ’s objectives
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Origins
> The method was originally used by the US Ministry
of Defense as a project design tool (1960 ’s)
> It was then « reinvented » in 1969 by a consulting
firm for USAID
> It became a widespread tool used by
many donors: CIDA, DANIDA, KfW,
UNDP, European Union, the World Bank
AFD….
> It was in fact adapted by each donor, and
continues to be a living tool.
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Expected advantages
A few recurrent problems in development projects:
Project preparation:
 Identifying strategy relevant project
 Getting the same view, among stakeholders, about the project ’s
design and objectives
 Preparing the project ’s monitoring and evaluation
Project implementation
 Losing sight of the project ’s objectives and original design
Project evaluation
 Having a reference framework for evaluating project ’s success
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Impact on project management
It ’s an additional tool, and additional concepts to master!
Expliciting and structuring project ’s contents:
 A better strategic alignment
 A better, more focused dialog between stakeholders
 A communication tool
 A explicit wording about the project ’s objectives and conditions
for their achivements: better results?
Structuring effect:
 Organize monitoring and evaluation: easier results measurement
 Better comparability between project designs
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Methodology
The concepts of the « Results Chain »
Inputs --> Outputs --> Outcomes --> Impacts
Inputs: Resources used and activities undertaken
Outputs: What is being directly financed, built, with the inputs
Outcomes: The direct consequences of the use/functioning
of the outputs --> the short/medium term changes
brought about by the project
Impact: The long term consequences of the project
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
The concepts of the « Results Chain » : example
Education project:
Inputs:
Ressources:
Activities:
Money from government and donors
Teachers, new thesaurus and books from
the Ministry of education
School building
Population sensitization
Incentives to put children to school
Outputs:
Classrooms, advocacy for school enrollment,
enrollment subsidies...
Outcomes:
More children are enrolled in schools with teachers
and books, more children complete primary education
Impact:
Literacy rates increase, average wages increase
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Matrix
The logframe
Project
strategy
Objectively
Verifiable
indicators
Sources of
verification
Assumptions
Development
Objective
Immediate
Objective
Outputs
Activities
Means
Costs
Preconditions
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Methodology
The formal output: a Matrix
Project
Strategy
Indicators
Sources of
Critical
verification assumptions
Development
Objective
Immediate
objective
Outputs
Activities
Activities
Means
Cost
Pre-conditions
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Example: Rural education project
Project
Strategy
Development
objective
Indicators
Fight poverty Average wage
Acces to
in rural areas secondary school
Data
sources
Critical
assumptions
Ministry of
education,
Finance
Increase access
Objective
to primary
education
Enrollment
& completion
rates
Outputs
Rural school
system
strengthened
School capacity
Project ’s
monitoring
reports
Sufficient
crop yields
Classroom
building
# of classrooms
Project ’s
monitoring
reports
Reforms
Teachers
get paid
Immediate
Activities
Resources
Teachers
absenteism
and teachers
Teacher training
X M$
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Ministry of
education
Example:
Regional Environmental Information Management Program
Development
objective
Project ’s
objectives
Indicators
Data
sources
Environment &
natural resources
better managed
Environment
status
indicators
Ministry of
environment
inform decisions
comm. by Gov
Outputs
Environment
info is shared
& managed
Existence of a
managed DB
Level uf use
Project ’s
monitoring
reports
Project ’s
monitoring
reports
Activities
Resources
Data collection
Training
Equipment
# of studies
# of trainees
X M$
Project ’s
monitoring
reports
Immediate
Objective
Environment # of publications
info is used to # of studies
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Critical
assumptions
Continued
economic
growth
High level
support for
the project
Project ’s objectives:
the narrative summary
 Development Objective: It ’s the ultimate, long term strategic goal of the
project.
The goal is beyond the sole control of the project.
Results chain: impact
 Immediate Objective (or Purpose): It’s the actuel reason why the
project takes place. It is within the control of the project. The
responsible agency is in fact responsible for this objective.
Results chain: outcome
 Outputs: What the project will directly produce, in terms of actual physical
products, or in terms of achievement. Outputs stem directly from the
activities. Usually, a project is structured in components. Each
component usually has one output.
 Activities & resources: Activities are usually grouped, according to
the project ’s components.
Results chain: outcome
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
The problem tree method
How to design the narrative summary
Consequence 1
Consequence 2
Problem
Cause 1
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Cause 1
Cause 1
The problem tree method
Finding solutions to problems...
Goal 2
Goal 1
Development
Objective
Output 1
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Output 2
Output 3
The problem tree method
Example… the problem side
Urban environment deteriorates (and so do
living standards in urban areas)
Urban industris and urban comunities
have environmental unfriendly behaviors
They are neither sensitized
nor trained to take
environment into account
There is no incentives to
environmental friendliness
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Responsible government
authorities are not
coordinated
The problem tree method
Example… the solution side
Urban environment is protected and living
standards increase
Urban industries and urban communities integrate
environment protection in their behavior.
Awareness to environment
degradation is increased
A anti-pollution fund is
created, with the help of the
industry sector
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
A legal framework defines
coordination between
responsible government
agencies
The narrative summary
Examples
Narrative
Summary
Development
Objective
Immediate
Objective
Outputs
Activities
Infrastructure
Rural Development Energy/
Environment
Fight against rural
Global biodiversity
Poverty Alleviation
migration
conservation
Inccrease average
wage
Increase exchanges
and safety on
secondary network
Feeder roads and
trails maintenance
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Education
Inequality reduction
Increase and sustain
crop yields
Forest environment
conservation
Increase literacy rates
for girls
Sustain soil fertility
Alternatives to Fire
wood are p ut in place
A greater proportion
of girls go to school
Extension of soil
friendly practices
Increase in the supply Girl classrooms and
of rural electricity
teachers. Sensitization
Hints
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
The goal must be aligned with a strategy
There should be only one development objective
Different levels should never rephrase one another
Development objective should be within the responsibility of
the responsible agency, and not that of the implementing
agency. Outputs are under the implementing agency ’s
responsibility.
Objectives at different levels are articulated by sentences
describing an action (if possible).
The vertical logic doesn’t skip any important steps
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Critical assumptions
Horizontal logic...
Project ’s
objectives
Indicators
Data
sources
Critical
assumptions
Development
Objective
Immediate
Objective
Outputs
THEN
IF
Activities
Resources
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
AND
Critical assumptions: hints
1.
They should describe the expected case (positive)
2.
They should not be prerequisites for project start-up
3.
They should reflect external risk, not within the responsibility
of the responsible or implementing agency
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Choosing indicators...
> Delicate step!
> Chosing the right type of indicator: the
the type of objective to inform about
Narrative
Indicator type Term
summary
Impact
Long term
Development
(outcome)
Objective
Impact
Middle
Immediate
(outcome)
terme
Objective
Outputs
Activities
Implementation Short and
process
Middle
term
Implementation Short term
process
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
closest possible to
Monitoring and
Evaluation ?
Ex-post Evaluation
Evaluationat
completion and expost
Monitoring and
mid-term
evaluation
Monitoring and
mid-term
evaluation
Choosing indicators...
> The qualities of a « good » indicator
• Can be objectively measured (or is available!)
• Can be compared in time (basis)
• Is specific and robust
• Is timely
--> PROXY indicators
> What do you need to know about an indicator?
• Its definition ;
• Its value and its unit;
 The possible meanings of its changes ;
 Which decisions it informs ;
 Its method and frequency of measurement,
the systemic error it entails ;
 Its cost of measurement (in case it is paid by the project)
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Choosing indicators...
> Other criteria...
• « SMART »: Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Reliable, Timely
• « QQT indicators »: Quantity, Quality Time
• « RACER » : Relevant, Accurate, Credible, Easy, Robust
> The power of figures
• « what you measure is what you get » ;
• an illusion of certainty;
 but a good decision making tool
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Choosing indicators… Hints
1.
Use only a limited number of indicators. Too much data
kills the information.
2.
Try to always incorporate a notion of time and quality in the
outcome and impact indicators and their target.
(e.g. by when?)
3.
Implementation/process indicators must be objectively
verifiable and measurable
4.
Don’t underestimate the importance of the data sources:
if you don ’t know them, then you ’re not likely to monitor
the project effectively.
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 How does the LogFrame fit
in the project cycle?
 Strategy alignment:
Project identification
 Project Design:
Component structure of the project
 Activities and resources:
Project technical and financial plans
 Objectives and indicators:
Project Monitoring and Evaluation
The LogFrame must be built early on during the project cycle: it can
serve as a check list for monitoring and evaluation arrangements.
The LogFrame must be kept alive throughout the project ’s
implementation.
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
 Resources
(In English)
LogFrame handbook (the World Bank)
Project Cycle Mangement (European Commission)
Logical Framework
CEFEB, Johannesburg, October 2005
Thank you for your attention!
AGENCE FRANCAISE DE DEVELOPPEMENT