Public Sector Monitoring & Evaluation

Introduction

This course provides an overview and analysis of monitoring and evaluation theory and practice, with a particular focus on the role monitoring and evaluation play in public management and public policy and how monitoring and evaluation can lead to better decision-making in the public sector. The course uses international, as well as local, examples and case studies and will involve discussions with policy managers, policy advisors and evaluators with experience of monitoring and evaluation in Various Governments.

Course Objectives

• Understand the role that monitoring and evaluation plays in public management and public policy.
• Understand the different purposes and types of monitoring and evaluation, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they answer key public management and policy questions.
• Increase their understanding and use of monitoring and evaluation information, in particular around monitoring and evaluation design and the key methodologies and methods used in monitoring and evaluation.
• Improve project management and commissioning of monitoring and evaluation.

Course Outlines

Day 1

An introduction to monitoring and evaluation in the public sector

• The contribution of monitoring and evaluation to public management and public policy and their roles in evidence-based policy.
• The context for monitoring and evaluation in the public sector in your area.
• Accountability, managing for outcomes.
• Monitoring, evaluation, research, and audit.
• The purposes and types of monitoring and evaluation approaches.

Day 2 - 3

Evaluation design, methodologies & methods

• Determining the goals, objectives, and questions for monitoring and evaluation.
• Programme logic.
• Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods.
• An overview of key data sources and the analysis and interpretation of data.
• Assessing value-for-money.
• Synthesising findings and reaching conclusions about the findings.
• Reporting and dissemination.

Day 4 - 5

Planning and managing monitoring & evaluation

• Planning and managing monitoring and evaluation.
• Working with evaluators in-house and contracting external evaluators.
• The role of the evaluator.
• Ethical and cultural issues in evaluation – Ethical practice and processes.
• Cultural and community perspectives.