Monitoring and Managing Systems: 

Continuous Tracking of Performance

A key planning activity is defining indicators to be used for tracking performance, establishing targets, how to collect data and how they are to be aggregated and presented to management. In many projects, monitoring is often a weakness, typically reporting on activities rather than on deviations from expected results.

Many projects address issues that can be difficult to measure. Governance and capacity building are examples of areas where it is often difficult to track progress. But there is considerable international attention to these areas, and Scanteam is keeping abreast of what "good practice" measures exist. We have therefore helped actors find reasonable, relevant, and valid indicators that help decision makers adjust and improve resource allocations and focus.

Improving the Monitoring System

The World Bank asked Scanteam to review the monitoring frameworks in one of the IDA countries. The 15 projects had total budgets of USD 850 million and thus represented an important investment source for the partner country as well as an important portfolio for the Bank.

Scanteam assessed the Frameworks for each project against the country's Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Bank's own Country Assistance Strategy. The "monitorability" of objectives, outputs and indicators were analysed, which varied considerably from one project to another. While some were excellent, others required considerable improvements. More important were suggestions regarding how the Bank's Country Team could improve the general approach to monitoring and thus the results reporting from the entire portfolio.