Here are some key questions I would ask and information sources I would consider when conducting a field monitoring visit for this project: 1. What activities have been implemented in the last 6 months? How do these compare to the workplan? (Project reports, discussions with project team) 2. How many farmers/cooperatives have participated in training? What feedback have they provided? (Training records, interviews with participants) 3. How is the new equipment/infrastructure being utilized? Any issues encountered? (Site visits, discussions with users) 4. What marketing activities have occurred? How successful have they been in increasing sales? (Sales records, interviews with farmers/cooperatives) 5. Have

1. EuropeAid
ENPI
CROSS BORDER COOPERATION
SEMINAR ON MONITORING
METHODOLOGY
5. Collecting and using relevant
information / external monitoring
BRUXELLES, 9-10 SEPTEMBER 2010

2. Project / Programme Manager roles - issues EuropeAid
• Complexity of work and tasks (objectives,
responsibility, accountability, performance
measurement, bureaucracy)
• Volume of work for Programme Managers –
multiplicity of projects
• How to increase time and resources allocated to
supporting “management for results” and the use
of monitoring systems?
• How to enhance PM role as ‘informed dialogue
partner’?
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3. Collecting relevant information - issues
EuropeAid
Formal: 3 types of Monitoring
• Project progress reports (internal monitoring)
• Official EC ROM reports or other external
missions organized by the programme (external
monitoring)
• Field visits by Programme Manager (with /
without ENPI CBC HQ representatives) and their
own monitoring reports (Joint monitoring)
+
Informal:
• Project review meetings
• Other sources – such as national statistics,
special studies, media reports, etc.
• Informal ongoing communication with
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stakeholders (i.e. during a conference / meeting)

4. Other information sources EuropeAid
Many other possible sources of information:
• Ongoing informal contacts with project partners
and other stakeholders
• Other local development agencies and civil
society groups
• Other government agencies
• Local media, internet, etc
4

5. Programme Manager roles in project monitoring: EuropeAid
the need for information
• Best to ‘triangulate’ sources and methods
• Develop first hand knowledge of the projects
and establish effective working relationships
with implementing partners
• Assess quality of internal monitoring
arrangements and capacity development needs
• Assess content and quality of internal
monitoring reports
• Collaborate with Monitoring teams and follow-
up on recommendations
• Contribute to regular reviews of project
progress
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6. Programme Manager roles in project monitoring EuropeAid
• Keep appropriate records of progress/results,
issues and follow-up required
• Support timely disbursement of project funding,
based on ongoing assessment of performance
• Facilitate effective information dissemination
and communication
• Make timely decisions to solve problems and
support implementation
• Comply with relevant instructions from ENPI
CBC management
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7. External Monitoring EuropeAid
• Typical External Monitoring are the missions organised
through ROM contractors (see Module 2)
• They are normally planned by the ROM external
contractor in agreement with the regional EC manager
and the ENPI CBC HQ officers
• In general they survey projects larger than 1 million euros
but on demand they can visit smaller projects
• Outputs are the monitoring report, the BCS, containing
assessment of situation and recommendations
• An alternative could be the development of external
monitoring organised by the programme management,
following the main features and procedures of ROM to
ensure consolidation and comparability of data
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8. Using external monitoring (EC ROM) - issues EuropeAid
Strengths
• Independent assessment
• Consistent methodology
• Generates data that can be aggregated
• Allows comparison of project quality over time,
geographic zone, sector, etc
• Provides often information where there is no other
first hand information on the progress of the project;
• Useful tool for use of findings, in particular at
programme central level.
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9. Using external monitoring (EC ROM) - issues EuropeAid
Limitations
• Currently only covers limited % of all projects
• Rapid assessment – very limited time
• Highly dependent on project documentation
• Limited local participation/ownership
• External Consultants often learn the most!
• ROM not designed to give numerical data on
performance;
• Assessment of portfolio so far limited to “classic”
project modality;
• Limited scope for info on cross cutting issues
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10. Making the most of EC ROM EuropeAid
Programme Managers can:
• Participate in planning for EC ROM visits, and
ensure local partners are actively engaged
• Participate in EC ROM team meetings/site-visits
• Review and access information from EC ROM
reports
• Contribute opinion to EC ROM reports, including
feedback/response on EC ROM
recommendations
• Follow-up on EC ROM recommendations, as
appropriate
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11. Data analysis - issues EuropeAid
• Data needs to be analysed to turn it into useful
management information
• Some projects generate data that lends itself to
some quantitative analysis – others do not
• Programme Managers can provide ideas/advice
to implementing partners to improve their analysis
– as well as contribute their own opinions as to
what data may indicate about project
performance
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12. Data analysis tips and tools EuropeAid
Options for quantitative analysis
• Planned vs actual
• Percentages / ratios
• Trends over time and comparison between
periods
• Geographic variance
• Group variance
• Work norms and standards 12

13. Interpreting data EuropeAid
Indicators and resulting data/information help
tell us what is happening, but not necessarily why
A project may not be achieving objectives and
targets for a variety of reasons, including:
o Unrealistic initial objectives/targets
o Constraints outside project’s control; or
o Poor project management
Reasons need to be understood if appropriate
corrective action is to be taken
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14. Activity D – analysis of BCS (In small groups) EuropeAid
• Read the common text of the BCS (separate handout) as
basis to produce a monitoring reports
• After reading the project profile provided (see handout),
prepare a question checklist you/others could use to
conduct six-monthly field monitoring visits to this project
• Limit to no more than 10 key questions (document on flip-
chart) Try to link the questions with the information you
need
• Identify key issues you want to include in your
implementation report update – including which sections of
the report you would place this information in
• Indicate the main sources of information/collection
methods
• Consider how you would help ensure the
reliability/accuracy of your findings/information (avoid bias)14

15. EuropeAid
• After reading the project profile provided (see handout), prepare a
question checklist you/others could use to conduct six-monthly field
monitoring visits to this project
• Limit to no more than 10 key questions (document on flip-chart)
• Indicate the main sources of information/collection methods
• Briefly document/summarize on flip chart paper
• Consider how you would help ensure the reliability/accuracy of your
findings/information (avoid bias)
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