This document discusses project cycle management and logical frameworks. It outlines the typical components of a project cycle, including identification, stakeholder analysis, assessment, problem analysis, logical framework approach, activity planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It then discusses logical frameworks in more detail, explaining key terms like causation, assumptions and indicators. It provides guidance on developing a logical framework, including defining the project, completing the framework matrix, and ensuring indicators are SMART.

1. S E S S I O N S 4 & 5 : P R O J E C T C Y C L E
M A N A G E M E N T 2 : L O G F R A M E S
E M A N U E L S O U V A I R A N
M A R C H 2 0 1 4
Practical Approaches to Managing
International Development Projects in
the Face of Complexity
T H I S P R E S E N T A T I O N W I L L B E M A D E A V A I L A B L E T O S T U D E N T S V I A S L I D E S H A R E

2. T H E T Y P I C A L C O M P O N E N T S
• P R O J E C T I D E N T I F I C A T I O N
• S T A K E H O L D E R A N A L Y S I S
• A S S E S S M E N T S T A G E ( R E S E A R C H )
• P R O B L E M A N D S O L U T I O N A N A L Y S I S
• L O G I C A L F R A M E W O R K A P P R O A C H
• A C T I V I T Y P L A N N I N G
• I M P L E M E N T A T I O N
• M O N I T O R I N G
• E V A L U A T I O N
Project cycle management

3. T H E T Y P I C A L C O M P O N E N T S
• P R O J E C T I D E N T I F I C A T I O N
• S T A K E H O L D E R A N A L Y S I S
• A S S E S S M E N T S T A G E ( R E S E A R C H )
• P R O B L E M A N D S O L U T I O N A N A L Y S I S
• L O G I C A L F R A M E W O R K A P P R O A C H
• A C T I V I T Y P L A N N I N G
• I M P L E M E N T A T I O N
• M O N I T O R I N G
• E V A L U A T I O N
Project cycle management

4. Logframes

5. Logframe Jargon

6. Logframes: but what do the
words mean?

7. Causation

8. Causation?

9. 1 . W H A T I S T H E C O N C E R N ? T H I S I S T H E P R O B L E M O R O P P O R T U N I T Y T H A T L I E S
B E H I N D T H E P R O J E C T / P R O G R A M M E . I T I S W H A T L E A D S U S T O B E L I E V E T H A T
„ S O M E T H I N G N E E D S T O B E D O N E ‟ .
2 . W H A T I S T H E T A S K ? I T I S W H A T W E I N T E N D T O D O T O A D D R E S S T H E C O N C E R N .
W E N E E D T O H A V E C L A R I T Y A S T O T H E B O U N D A R I E S O F W H A T W I L L B E D O N E I N
T E R M S O F T I M E , M O N E Y A N D P E O P L E .
3 . W H A T I S T H E P U R P O S E O F T H E P R O J E C T ? T H I S I S T H E B E N E F I T O F
A D D R E S S I N G T H E C O N C E R N . T H E A N S W E R U S U A L L Y B E G I N S W I T H T H E W O R D S … I N
O R D E R T O …
4 . W H O I S T H E E N D U S E R ? T H I S I D E N T I F I E S W H O W I L L M A K E U S E O F T H E P R O J E C T
O U T C O M E S .
5 . W H A T W I L L B E T H E E N D R E S U L T ? T H I S I S T H E „ W H E N ‟ A N D T H E „ W H A T ‟ ; T H E
T A N G I B L E T H I N G S T H A T T H E S U C C E S S F U L P R O J E C T W I L L D E L I V E R . W E N E E D T O
S P E C I F Y T H E E N D R E S U L T A N D J U D G E W H E T H E R I T ‟ S C O N G R U E N T W I T H T H E
C O N C E R N , T A S K A N D P U R P O S E .
6 . W H A T A R E T H E S U C C E S S C R I T E R I A ? T H E S E A R E T H E T H I N G S W H I C H A R E
M E A S U R A B L E A N D E N A B L E U S T O D E M O N S T R A T E T H A T T H E P R O J E C T H A S
A C H I E V E D I T S I N T E N D E D O U T C O M E S A N D B E E N C O N D U C T E D W I T H I N T H E
R E S O U R C E S I N T E N D E D . U S U A L L Y T H E C R I T E R I A W I L L R E L A T E T O B O T H T H E
Q U A L I T Y / Q U A N T I T Y O F T H E O U T P U T S A N D T O W H E T H E R W E K E P T T O T I M E A N D
B U D G E T , A N D T O T H E O U T C O M E S A C H I E V E D A N D T H E L O N G E R - T E R M I M P A C T .
Defining the Project: The Big
Six Questions

10. 1 . I S T H E T A S K C A P A B L E O F D E L I V E R I N G T H E P U R P O S E ?
2 . I F T H E P U R P O S E I S A C H I E V E D W I L L I T S O L V E ( O R
L A R G E L Y S O L V E ) T H E C O N C E R N ?
I F N O T O E I T H E R Q U E S T I O N T H E N L O G I C A L L Y ( I N T E R M S O F
T H E P R O J E C T ‟ S O W N I N T E R N A L V A L I D I T Y ) T H E P R O J E C T
W I L L F A I L !
I F T H I S I S T H E C A S E , T H E N E I T H E R T H E P R O J E C T H A S G O T
T O S T R E N G T H E N T H E T A S K I N T E R M S O F T I M E , M O N E Y O R
P E O P L E ( A N D I N M O S T S I T U A T I O N S I T W I L L N O T B E
P O S S I B L E T O G E T M O R E R E S O U R C E S ) O R R E - E X A M I N E T H E
C O N C E R N A N D S E E I F A L E S S A M B I T I O U S C O N C E R N S T I L L
M A K E S F O R A W O R T H W H I L E P R O J E C T - O N E W H E R E A N
A C H I E V A B L E P U R P O S E ( T H A T C A N B E D E L I V E R E D B Y T H E
T A S K ) W I L L S O L V E T H I S L E S S A M B I T I O U S C O N C E R N .
Testing the Concern, Task And
Purpose

11. Completing a log frame

12. I D E N T I F Y T H E R I S K S B Y :
1 . L O O K I N G A T T H E V A R I O U S A N A L Y S E S T H A T H A V E B E E N C A R R I E D
O U T , F O R E X A M P L E , S T A K E H O L D E R , E C O N O M I C ,
E N V I R O N M E N T A L , S O C I A L , P R O B L E M
2 . G O I N G B A C K T O T H E O B J E C T I V E S T R E E A N D C O N S I D E R I N G T H E
C O N S T R A I N T S
3 . L O O K I N G A T E A C H O B J E C T I V E I N T H E L O G F R A M E A N D
B R A I N S T O R M I N G T H E A S S U M P T I O N S T H A T H A V E T O B E M A D E I N
O R D E R F O R T H E H I G H E R O B J E C T I V E T O B E A C H I E V E D .
A U S E F U L S E R I E S O F Q U E S T I O N S T O A S K I S :
• I F W E D O T H E S E A C T I V I T I E S , W H A T C A N S T O P U S F R O M
D E L I V E R I N G T H E S E O U T P U T S ?
• I F W E A R E S U C C E S S F U L I N D E L I V E R I N G T H E S E O U T P U T S ,
W H A T C A N S T O P U S F R O M A C H I E V I N G T H I S P U R P O S E ?
• I F T H E P U R P O S E I S A C H I E V E D , W H A T W O U L D S T O P I T
C O N T R I B U T I N G T O T H E G O A L ?
Assumptions

13. L I S T A L L T H E R I S K S A N D N U M B E R T H E M . T H E N C O N S I D E R H O W L I K E L Y I T I S T H A T E A C H
O N E W I L L H A P P E N ( P R O B A B I L I T Y ) A N D W H A T T H E I M P A C T O F E A C H R I S K H A P P E N I N G
M I G H T B E . T H I N K O F T H E I M P A C T O N P R O J E C T S U C C E S S A N D A L S O T H E I M P A C T O N T H E
B E N E F I C I A R I E S . P L A C E T H E N U M B E R S I N T H E M A T R I X .
F O R E X A M P L E , I N A P R O J E C T T O I M P R O V E Y I E L D S , T H E F I R S T R I S K I D E N T I F I E D I S T H A T
F A R M E R S M I G H T N O T A D O P T N E W V A R I E T I E S O F S E E D . T H E P R O B A B I L I T Y O F T H I S
H A P P E N I N G I S C O N S I D E R E D T O B E M E D I U M A N D T H E I M P A C T O N T H E P R O J E C T I F T H I S
R I S K H A P P E N S I S H I G H . S O A „ 1 ‟ I S P L A C E D I N T H E R E L E V A N T B O X .
Impact/Probability matrix

14. The „If-Then‟ test
When we have filled in the objectives for each level, we must make sure the statements are logically linked to each other.
To do this, use the „If-Then‟ test:
1. Look at the activities. If we carry out all of the activities, then will they result in the outputs?
2. Look at the outputs. If the outputs are produced, then will they achieve the purpose?
3. If the purpose is achieved, then will it contribute towards the goal?
For example:
• If we train members of the community to maintain and repair hand pumps (activities), then sources of safe water will
be improved (output).
• If sources of safe water are improved (output), then access to safe water will be improved (purpose).
• If access to safe water is improved (purpose), then the incidence and impact of diarrhoeal disease will decrease (goal).

15. T O S E T A N I N D I C A T O R , S I M P L Y A S K : “ W H A T W O U L D W E S E E ? ”
I N D I C A T O R S N E E D T O B E :
• S P E C I F I C
• M E A S U R A B L E
• A T T A I N A B L E
• R E S U L T - O R I E N T E D A N D R E L E V A N T
• T I M E - B O U N D
Setting S.M.A.R.T. Indicators

16. I F A N I N D I C A T O R R E Q U I R E S U S T O A S K “ W H A T W O U L D
W E S E E ? ” , F O R E V I D E N C E / M E A N S O F V E R I F I C A T I O N
W E N E E D T O A S K “ W H E R E W O U L D W E S E E T H I S ? ”
F O R E X A M P L E , B O D Y T E M P E R A T U R E I S A N I N D I C A T O R
O F H E A L T H . A T H E R M O M E T E R P R O V I D E S T H E
E V I D E N C E .
A N I N D I C A T O R A N D T H E E V I D E N C E N E E D S T O B E
O B J E C T I V E L Y V E R I F I A B L E
Sources of Evidence/
Means of Verification