Before You Begin… Take a few minutes to read through the questions below. You may find it helpful to write down your answers. As you then work through the chapter, compare your answers to the views of the authors. How do I know when an M&E plan is good and how do I know if it contains all the necessary sections?
Chapter 4
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What is the difference between an M&E plan and an M&E work plan? How is an M&E plan different to an M&E framework? What is the difference between an M&E plan and an M&E system? Which indicators should be in the M&E plan? What is the optimal number of indicators? What is an optimal timeframe for an M&E plan?
These questions remind us that not only do we need to have people (Component 1), who are skilled (Component 2) and prepared to work together (Component 3), we also need to have a structured and planned way of making the M&E system operational. For this, we need an M&E plan. This chapter will teach you all about what should be in an M&E plan, and how to develop one.
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Making Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Work