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Chapter 5
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Experience suggests that approaching this component-by-component is most effective. For example, consider Component 1 (M&E organizational alignment and structures). Briefly discuss the current status (with reference to the latest M&E systems assessment), refer to the performance objective (the component’s ideal state), and only then develop a list of activities, both one-off and recurrent, to ensure the component’s functionality. Once complete, move on to the next component. Not all activities for each component need to (or can) be implemented in a single year. It is important in prioritizing and phasing activities to recognize that these might have short-, medium-, and long-term objectives and implications that require careful phasing. The work plan should not only contain activities needed to strengthen the M&E system but also activities that may already be working well and need to be maintained for the system to remain functional (e.g., routine surveillance). This work plan and costing, therefore, covers the total M&E system implementation and not only M&E system strengthening activities. In this way, the government remains in control of M&E system implementation and coordination, as agreed upon by its international development partners.
Deliverable: Agreed-upon time frame and draft list of activities for the M&E work plan.
Step 6: Build consensus around the activities to be included • After a zero draft list of activities has been developed (Step 5), some iterations and discussions are likely to be necessary. The discussions should focus on which M&E system activities to prioritize, such as activities that will yield quick wins, as well as activities that are most important for building the national system. • One agency should be assigned responsibility for executing each activity. Some countries divide the responsibility column into two: a lead agency and agencies to support this lead agency. • Customize an M&E work plan template for the country’s use. Do this by adding a sufficient number of years in the time frame columns of the M&E. The time frame of the M&E work plan should ideally correspond with the time frame in the plan of the program being monitored and the national M&E plan. • Complete the M&E work plan template (see Annex A). • After agreeing on each activity, specify when the activities will take place and illustrate this on the work plan template bearing in mind the short-, medium-, and long-term time frames of other activities and links between
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Making Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Work