Intro to Logical Framework Approach

The Danish Youth Council, Egypt 2010

Intro to LFA

Basic project understanding and an introduction to Logical Framework Approach

• What is a project?• Basic tools and terms used in project management• Working with LFA - design, monitoring and evaluation of

international development projects

Intro to LFA

What is a project?

• Projects have a purpose: projects have clearly-defined aims and set out to produce clearly-defined results. Suggesting one or more solutions, it aims at lasting social change.

• Projects are unique: all projects stem from new ideas. They provide a specific response to a need (problem) in a specific context. They are innovative.

• Projects are realistic: their aims must be achievable, and this means taking account both of requirements and of the financial and human resources available.

• Projects are limited in time and space: they have a beginning and an end, and are implemented in a specific place and context.

• Projects can be assessed: projects are planned and broken down into measurable aims, which must be open to evaluation.

WHAT IS A PROJECT?

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT

Resources

- The organizational structure suited to project- Realistic budgets and strong budget control- The project team working with the bureaucracy, policies and

procedures - not against them.etc.

Project planning

- The project team involved in planning- The project team takes appropriate use of planning tools

and lets not be the final plan - open for adjustment.- The project team AGREE on SMART goals- The target audience is involved from the beginningetc.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT– AND WHEN IT GOES WRONG

Resources

- Poor communication- Poor technical skillsetc.

Project planning

- The project team was not involved in problem solving- Inadequate management and monitoring- Unrealistic project plan- Unclear project objectives- Group can not take decisions – what is your mandate?etc.

DON’T:

• start your project against influential people in the community!

• think that you know everything about your target group!

• do it for young people, do it with them!

• get stuck in passivity, fatalism or pessimism!

DO:

• Ask the opinion of those involved in the project!

• Ask several people’s opinion including potential partners, sponsors, or simply those whose support you may need!

• Think about the social dynamics the project could kick off (negative and positive)!

• Look for results of similar projects elsewhere (did it work?)

• Remember that there is no objective analysis

DOs and DON’Ts

Intro to LFA

Basic tools and terms used in project management

WORKING WITH PROBLEMS AND OBJECTIVES

ObjectiveA goal or objective is a projected state of affairs that a project plans or intends to achieve - a desired end-point in some sort of assumed development.

= what you want to change in the world!

ProblemThe present situation that you want to change.

A problem is not the absence of a solution – but an existing negative state.

Not: Jordanian schools need better schoolbooksBut: Jordanian kids have trouble doing their homework

WORKING WITH PROBLEMS AND OBJECTIVES

Activities

Specific actions set in motion to produce a projects output – to make the project reach its objective

What is the situation right now?The existing negative state - problem

Where do you want to be?

Development objective

Future

What do you want to change?

Present

Projectarea

Projectarea

Activities

Immidiate objective

Th

e p

roje

ct

Indicatorsare visible signs that shows whether the project is proceeding as planned and demonstrates that the outcomes are achieved at a certain standard

AttendanceReading scores

Social behaviour

Skills

Number of volunteers

Involvement Visibility

Reports in media

Communication

methodology

WORKING WITH INDICATORS

Often, indicators can be counted

But sometimes the signs or the evidence will be something more descriptive

Quantitative indicators

Qualitative indicators

Tells you something about a change in numbers or sizes

Tells you something about a change in how things are functioning or a change in behavior. Are mostly assessed by conversations and observations

TWO TYPES OF INDICATORS

S pecific

M easurable

A ttainable

R elevant

T imely

SMART goals and indicators

An indicator must always be

Development objective

Present Future

Project area Project area

COHERENCE IN YOUR PROJECT

Immidiate objective

Activities

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

SWOT analysis

Intro to LFA

Working with Logical Framework Approach

• Objectives oriented• Target group oriented• Participatory

The LFA is an analytical, presentational and management tool which can help planners and managers

• Analyze the existing situation during activity preparation

• Establish a logical hierarchy of means by which objectives will be reached

• Identify the potential risks to achieving the objectives, and to sustainable outcomes

WHAT IS LFA?

DescriptionDescription Verifiable Verifiable IndicatorsIndicators

Means of Means of VerificationVerification

CriticalCriticalAssumptionsAssumptions

Development Development ObjectiveObjective

Immediate Immediate ObjectiveObjective

OutputsOutputs

ActivitiesActivities

InputsInputs

THE PROJECT PLANNING MATRIX

Development objective: The long term development impact (policy goal) that the activity contributes to.

Intermediate Objectives: The medium term result(s) that the activity aims to achieve – in terms of benefits to target groups. The immediate reason for a project.

Activity: Action taken or work performed within a project in order to transform inputs into outputs

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Outputs: The tangible products or services that the activity will deliver

Inputs: The funds, personnel, materials, etc. of a project which are necessary to produce the intended output.

Indicators: How the achievement will be measured – including appropriate targets (quantity, quality and time).

Means of Verification: Sources of information on the Purpose indicator(s) – including who will collect it and how often.

Assumptions: Event, condition or decision which is necessary for project success, but which are largely or completely beyond the control of project management.

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Development objective

FuturePresent

Projectarea

Projectarea

Immidiate objective

Activities

Inputs Outputs

1. Situation Analysis – the foundation for the project:1) Step 1: Stakeholder Analysis/participation analysis

2) Step 2: Problem Analysis

3) Step 3: Objectives Analysis

4) Step 4: Alternative strategy/Choice of Strategy

2. Project Design:1) Step 5: Project Elements

2) Step 6: Assumption/External Factors

3) Step 7: Indicators

4) Step 7: Means of Verification

3. Implementation1) Project management

2) Monitoring/Evaluation

THE LFA PROJECT PLANNING PROCESS

The aim is to:•Identify main stakeholder groups; their interest and relationships•Ensure that the views and interests of the main stakeholders are taken into account during project•Clarify and openly discuss conflicting views•Access ‘local’ expert knowledge•Define ownership•Secure the sustainability of the project

Stakeholder analysis/participation analysis

Anyone who has an interest in or is affected by the project or preliminary results, for example:

• Board

• Suppliers and partners

• Authorities

• Parents

• Funders

• End Users

• Project Participants

• Management and colleagues

• Neighbors

• Etc..

Who are the stakeholders?

Stakeholders: Individuals or institutions that may – directly or indirectly, positively or negatively – be affected by or affect an Activity.

Target group(s): The group/entity who will be directly positively affected by the Activity at the Activity Outcome level. This may include the staff from partner organisations;

Who are the stakeholders?

•Write down all persons, groups and institutions affected by the problem environment•Categorize them, e.g. interest groups, individuals, organizations, authorities, etc.•Discuss whose interest and views are to be given prioritu when analyzing the problems. Specify gender.

How to…

StakeholderThe impact of

interest1-10 (impact)

Stakeholder benefits

Stakeholder consAdvantages /

disadvantages1-10 (A/D)

(impact) x (A/D)Preventive measures

Responsible / deadline

Who is the stakeholder?

1: Not important for project10: Very important project

Description of the known benefits of the project for the stakeholder

Description of the known drawbacks of the project to stakeholder

Weighting of the advantages / disadvantages1: Distributions released completely handicap10: Disadvantage released completely in favor

1: minor problems100: Very important problem

Description of measures that will reduce the interest's points

Tool – actionplan in relation to stakeholders

Participation in the project

Influence on project

Necessary for implementation

Not necessary / Small influence Large influence

HostageBe informed- Large meetings- Education- Gather information through schemas  or focus groups

Gray eminenceBe heard- Interview- Meetings- In reference group

External StakeholderBe informed- Newsletters- Create a good image

Resource personBe involved- Interview- Meetings- Workshops- Working in

Tool – Stakeholders and information strategies

The aim is to:

• Establish an overview and shared understanding of problems and clarify how they are related to each other

• Link the problems in causal chains thereby developing a problem tree

Problem analysis

Problem tree

What are the conditions that you have observed in the present situation?

Cau

ses – becau

se…

Eff

ects

– l

eed

to

…

High illiteracy among childrenin area XX

Too many children in the classrooms Bad schools and old books

Difficulties with making thier homework

School drop-outNo education

Problem tree

What are the conditions that you have observed in the present situation?

Cau

ses – becau

se…

Eff

ects

– l

eed

to

…

Objective tree

What are you able to change?

Cau

ses – becau

se…

Eff

ects

– l

eed

to

… Illiteracy among children inarea XX reduced

Better conditions at the schoolsNew materials

The children make their homework

Children are excitedabout going to school

Children complete their education

Our project:Homework supportfor children in area XX

The aim is to:•Shared understanding and overview of the vision for the future situation we are going to create•Shared understanding of the project objective•Overview of possible strategies to reach the immediate objective (project objective)

Objective analysis

Aim:•To identify the optimal project strategy

Criteria for Strategy Selection:•Cost/benefit•Efficiency/Effectiveness•Sustainability•Likelihood of achieving objectives•Benefits to priority groups•Compatibility with mandate•Technical criteria•Institutional/organisational capacity criteria

Choice of strategy

Option 1Do their

homework

Option 2Better materials

Option 3Option 1 + 2

Cost Low High High

Chance of succes

High Low High

Cost/benefit High Low High

Time horizon Long Long Long

Social risk High Small High

What strategy to choose?

DescriptionDescription Verifiable Verifiable IndicatorsIndicators

Means of Means of VerificationVerification

CriticalCriticalAssumptionsAssumptions

Development Development ObjectiveObjective

Immediate Immediate ObjectiveObjective

OutputsOutputs

ActivitiesActivities

InputsInputs

Objective level

Projectlevel

Projectenvironment

The project planning matrix

Project elements

Identify main project elements

•Once the project strategy has been chosen, the main project elements are derived from the objectives tree and transferred into the first vertical coloumn of the project matrix.

•Start from the top and work downwards

•All outputs should be numbered. Each activity should then be numbered relating it to the corresponding output.

•Conditions outside the control of the project – conditions that we cannot or choose not to control•Conditions essential to project success•Formulated as a positive statement, the presence of which is crucial for project•Conditions related to the work on the problem/objectives analysis and the stakeholder analysis•Assumptions are included in the matrix on the basis of their importance for project success•Make sure that the assumptions are described in such operational detal (with indicators if possible) that they can be monitored•Start from the bottom and work upwards

Assumptions and external factors

DevelopmentObjective

ImmediateObjective

Outputs

Activities

InputsAssumptions

Assumptions

Assumptions

Assumptions

If

Then

If

Then

If

Then

If

Then

The different means (and costs) of collecting information must also be considered when choosing appropriate indicators. Some indicators may give the information you would ideally like to have, but when the means of getting this is carefully considered it might become impractical, eg too complex or expensive.

The following questions should be asked and answered •how should the information be collected, eg sample surveys, administrative records, national statistics (as in the census), workshops or focus groups, observation, PRA or rapid rural appraisal techniques? •what source is most appropriate? eg Who should be interviewed? Does the Bureau of Statistics already collect the required information? Is the source reliable? •who should do it? eg extension staff, supervisors, an independent team? •when and how often should the information be collected, analysed and reported? eg monthly, annually, according to seasonal cropping cycles? •what formats are required to record the data being collected?

Means of verification

Evaluation:

Systematic reflection of past actions, outputs and objectives – The purpose of evaluations are to ensure learning and on-going improvements of project design and management

Evaluation tools•Desk reviews•Questionnaires•Observation•Interviews (groups or individuals)•Participatory approaches (drawing; measuring etc)•Groupprocesses (most significant change or appreciative inquiry)•Audio and visual tools• etc

Evaluation

Intro to Logical Framework Approach

The Danish Youth Council, Egypt 2010