An introduction to Results Based Management Todays session

An introduction to Results Based Management

Today´s session 1. Presentation § § What is a Project ? Main principles of RBM ? Project design ? Monitoring and reporting 2. Discussion Lunch 3. Workshop

Joakim Anger - M. Sc. Social Science focus on Public administration - More than 15 years as consultant/advisor on RBM, evaluations/studies training programmes. - Since 2007 lecturer/facilitator at Lund university Master in Development and Management (LUMID) , project management, change management, RBM

A project is often tool for change “A project is a problem scheduled for solution” (Dr Juran) Traits of projects ? • Start –end (temporary long/short term) • Clear purpose/goals that are measureable • Tasks/activities carried out by people • Budget resources allocated

The iron triangle of all projects

Monitoring and learning in the Project Cycle Respond adapt Planning Analysis and reflection Implementati on Monitoring

Change management defined Change at different levels 1. Individuals 2. Organizations/teams and systems and 3. Institutions/Systems Using systematic methods intended to make a change Ind. Org. Inst. and systems

The levels are connected On which level are you operating?

RBM and Change 1. Strategic Planning • What goal/results do we want to achieve? • How do we achieve the results? 2. Performance Measurement and reporting • How do we know that we reached our goal? • How can we assess/measure success/failure? 3. Participation • Involve relevant stakeholders in planning and follow up 4. General management/leadership • Promote a culture in the organization/institution around achieving outcomes • Change directions based on the incoming information

Desired change Systems procedures Methods, tools and activities actual / current situation Leadership Change culture

Baseline Monitoring Indicators SWOT Activities, Risk Mgmt The Objective/s The Problem

A goal without a plan is just a wish! Antoine de Saint-Exupéry RBM is about what you achieve and not what you have done!

The missing middle

Results chain Development Results Implementation WHAT is DONE and HOW it is DONE T U P IN Financial, human and material resources Y T I TIV AC Actions taken, work performed Direct control Development Effects WHAT should be WHAT results produced/delivered we expect UT P T U O Results from the development intervention like products, capital goods and services E OM TC OU Likely or achieved short and medium term effects WHY it’s done T C A P IM Long-term effects External factors and actors

Example Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact Women’s leadership training programmes and workshops are undertaken Women have aquired leadership skills Women practice leadership in their daily lives and take up leadership positions in society Society benefits from women’s participation in decisionmaking Behaviour change Resources Results

Control, Influence and Interest Sphere of control Operational environment Direct control Programme input activity Sphere of influence Relationships & interactions Direct influence output outcome Sphere of interest Political, economic, social, environmental factors impact

1) Ambition 4) Need for partners High 2) Durable Change 3) Control of things Low Time Output Outcome Impact

But first thing first! § Before we start discussing solutions we need to analyse the problem and its causes and effects. § The problem is something that YOUR org can do something about…(sphere of influence) How many of you have done a problem analysis and how?

But how well can you plan within your sphere of influnce ?

Or … ”There is always something to upset the most careful of human calculations. ” Ihara Saikaku, Japanese poet, 17 th century ”No plan survives the first contact with the enemy” Von Clausewitz, early 19 th century ”Shit happens” Unknown, 20 th century

… clashes with relationships of cause and effect that are unknown IMPACT OUTCOMES OUTPUTS ACTIVITIES INPUTS Time

OU TC OUTPUT OM E E OM OUTCOME OUTPUT ACTIVITY INPUTS COM OUTPUT ACTIVITY INPUTS OUTCOME OU TC E OM E INPUTS Time Source: Ricardo Wilson-Grau

Before and after…

Ongoing changes Change is the only constant! So you could not step twice into the same river HERACLITUS (about 500 B. C. )

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent but the one most responsive to CHANGE” Thus: agility is a survival mechanism !

Degree of planning depends high level of predictibility Complicated engineering projects Vaccination projects high level of complexity low level of complexity Social changes (Human Rights, power advocacy, work) Simple humanitarian work (sending blankets, food) low level of predictibility

In sum: ”Plans are nothing, but planning is everything” Dwight D. Eisenhower But goals without plans are just wishes- how do they go together? Reflections?

So, why are you making plans anyways ?

- Could you please tell me which way I should go from here? Alice asks the cat. - It depends on which way you like to go, the cat replies. - It does not matter, says Alice. - Well, then it doesn't matter which way you take, the cat replies.

Keep your eyes on the ball and the goal ! But be prepared to take other ways to your goal/objective/change than you anticipated !

So, embrace changes in the context… • Reality is in a state of change, and a key challenge is to deal with that uncertainty. Sometimes slow incremental and sometimes rapid and sudden • The results is not an exact science- but should be able to deal with uncertainty • Managers must be allowed to change operations (e. g. activities and indicators) based on experiences and analysis

Still… with this in mind try to make your objectives/outcomes…SMART Specific Measurable (PME&R) Accepted/Achievable Relevant/Realistic Timly/Time bound

Monitoring and reporting

The man who lost his keys in the dark A man has lost his keys in the dark and is looking for it under a streetlight. A women approach him and ask if she could help him, she asks: -”What are you looking for? “ - I am looking for my keys, the man replies. -Do you know exactly where you lost them, the women asks? -No, not really but out there is so dark, and no point looking for them there. Reflections…?

Fundamental methodological problems of measuring effects • The “effect problem”, i. e what would have happened without the intervention (the contra factual reality) • The attribution problem (how to make sure that the intervention is causing the result) • Lack of baseline data nothing to compare effects with (and thus impossible to assess goal achievements and outcome) • The aggregation problem. Results and often not like brics which could be piled on each other- more like different fruits

Why Indicators? • To ensure that objectives becomes specific, realistic and tangible. • To verify success and/or failure. • Facilitates monitoring and evaluation in theory (if there are baseline data)

Good indicators are: ü Relevant (clear on what they measure- validity) ü Useful information for YOU ü Accessible to a reasonable cost (cost effectiveness) ü Often more than one is needed to say anything about effects/changes

• • Quantitative indicators Measures of quantity Number Percentage Ratio Qualitative indicators • perception • opinion • judgments about something Examples • # of women in decision-making positions; • employment levels % for women and men, with disabilities, from minority groups • literacy rates % for women and men, with disabilities, from minority groups • Women’s perception of empowerment; • Satisfaction with employment or school • Quality of legal aid; • Degree of confidence in basic literacy Sometimes necessary to separate for women and men, persons with disabilities, minority groups

Do not stop to think… ”Not everything that counts can be counted” So start counting what actually counts, not only what could be easily counted!

The detective approach- identify indications of change (rather than indicators) Takes departure from uses forensic and anthropology – identifying outcomes and backward establishing links to the intervention. Remember often the unplanned and unexpected changes/results are the most transformative !

The questions to ask Focus on change in behaviors/attitudes /actions policies of key stakeholders etc. (where the project has direct interaction with e. g. beneficiaries/stakeholders) 1. Did the intervention make a difference? 2. How has the intervention made a difference? 3. To what extent can the specific result be attributed to the intervention?

Combined monitoring plan Indicator/ progress marker Data Who will Cost of source collect analys data collection and data and collection analysis strategy Who is responisble for reporting on indicator Frequency of collection, analysis and reporting

Lesson learned Remember that indicators are just “signs” of change towards a goal… The connection between goal and indicator need to be explained! Give your self with as much wiggle room/flexibility as possible. Avoid lock-frames! Always ask yourself are indicators useful/cost effective?

Lesson learned no 1 Do not let the perfect become the enemy of the possible! Swedish proverb

In beehives Key questions and thought based on the presention

Workshop exercise

Workshop • What is the problem/s that your project is trying to solve or mitigate? Is the logframe relevant , given the current context and that problem/s you are trying to solve? • In what way is your logframe used in the yearly planning (activity plan) including in the preparation for the budget? If the log frames currently are not used, should/could this be improved? • Reflect on challenges of monitoring and reporting on outcome outside your sphere of control BUT inside your sphere of influence? Ca 30 min/project Key lessons of the group discussion?