By Dibyendu Chaudhuri
NEW DELHI (India CSR): Non-profit organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems to track progress toward the organisational goal. Beyond project-based M&E, driven mostly by donor demands, organisations see the need for an internal M&E system to support learning and strategic alignment. Project M&E is a subset of the broader organisational M&E system.
Many organisations have an M&E unit or officer to spearhead the design, set up, and operation of the M&E system. Experiences from NGOs show that designing the M&E system is relatively straightforward, often supported by external experts. However, challenges arise post-design. In some cases, the system fails to launch due to a lack of an implementation plan; in others, it runs for a short period before collapsing, or it runs, but employees distrust the accuracy of the data, and the data is used solely for external compliance. These scenarios constitute M&E failure.
Early signs of M&E failure include employees perceiving data collection as burdensome. This can be followed by loss of interest in dashboard or reports, and the data might not be used for internal reflection or learning. Such issues can lead to system collapse. When an M&E system fails, organisations often revamp it, rearticulating their Theory of Change, creating a new M&E plan, and updating the MIS with new indicators. However, the cycle of failure often repeats.
This article focuses on organisational M&E, where failure is most common. Project M&E, driven by donor compliance, tends to be implemented more rigorously but focuses on achievement rather than learning.
There are sixmajor reasons for M&E failure:
Limited employee involvement in design: Although most organisations agree that M&E design should involve all the staff, particularly those working closely with the community, this process is often costly and time-consuming. As a result, only a small group participate, and while the design may be shared for feedback, this does not lead to ownership. Employees not understanding why certain data is collected, view themselves as data providers rather than users or learners, undermining the basic objective of M&E- learning.
Complicated and or overdesigned system: Many organisations start with a simple M&E system, but it becomes complex over time, often due to more project-based funding requiring new indicators. This leads to an overload of indicators. Additionally, some organisations aim for an M&E system that serves both the organisation and the community, which is unrealistic. Organisational M&E should focus on tracking progress towards the organisational goals, while communities may have their own monitoring methods. The use of multiple, complex technologies can also cause system collapse if one data channel fails.
Theoretical rather than contextual indicators: Indicators developed from theoretical frameworks without considering context may not fit the organisation’s operational reality. For example, indicators for ‘agency’, for an Adivasi woman in Jharkhand, may differ from those for a woman in Europe. Without contextualisation based on organisational experience, collected data may lack meaning.
Lack of focus on Employees’ growth and development: An M&E system will be sustainable if it benefits employees, especially those who are delivering the development task to communities and other organisations, by supporting their personal and professional growth through feedback or a sense of achievement. However, most often, M&E focuses on data collection and analysis rather than learning, causing employees to lose interest.
Lack of an implementation plan: Organisations often fail to implement the M&E plans due to a lack of strategy. Unlike other projects, M&E implementation lacks rigour, leading to delay and an outdated design, ultimately a complete stoppage.
M&E as a showpiece: When the leadership or M&E team focus on showcasing the system rather than learning, the system loses its purpose. This emphasis on appearances leads to failure due to a lack of focus on employee and organisational growth.
The way to avoid failure in M&E, is to focus on employee and organizational learning. One should involve staff during the design process, discuss the pros and cons to ensure ownership and relevance. This way, people will feel connected and stay focused won’t lose interest over the time.
About the Author
Dibyendu Chaudhuri, Integrator, PRADAN.
(India CSR)
