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Laurence Ogoromisi Obi
OJECT MONITO ING
(Position of Monitoring)
V Monitoring is the systematic, regular
collection and occasional analysis of
information to identify and possibly measure
changes over a period of time.
V Evaluation is the analysis of the effectiveness
and direction of an activity and involves
making a judgment about progress and
impact.
x
V Monitoring means keeping a track of
implementation process.
V Monitoring involves watching the progress of a
project against time, resources and performance
schedules during the execution of the project and
identifying lagging areas requiring timely attention
and action.
V Monitoring is defined as a management function to
guide in the intended direction and to check
performance against pre ± determined plans.
V Monitoring means periodic checking of progress of
works against the targets laid down in order to
ensure timely completion of the project.
V rhe main differences between monitoring and
evaluation are the timing and frequency of
observations and the types of questions
asked.
V However, when monitoring and evaluation
are integrated as a project management tool,
the line between the two becomes rather
blurred
V Monitoring compares the present situation
with the plan.
V For monitoring to be effective a baseline must
be in put place (delivery date of each activity
and cost)
V Baseline established at the beginning of the
project provides a point of reference for
comparison and for understanding change
during the execution phase
G
V ro assess project results: to find out if and how
objectives are being met and are resulting in desired
changes.
V ro improve project management and process
planning: to better adapt to contextual and risk
factors such as social and power dynamics that affect
the research process.
V ro promote learning: to identify lessons of general
applicability, to learn how different approaches to
participation affect outcomes, impact, and reach, to
learn what works and what does not, and to identify
what contextual factors enable or constrain the
participatory research.
G
(Cont¶d)
V ro understand different stakeholders' perspectives: to
allow, through direct participation in the monitoring
and evaluation process, the various people involved
in a research project to better understand each
others views and values and to design ways to
resolve competing or conflicting views and interests.
V ro ensure accountability: to assess whether the
project is effectively, appropriately, and efficiently
executed to be accountable to the key agencies
supporting the project.
G
(Cont¶d)
V lans are developed so that you can achieve
your end result successfully.
V Unless you monitor your progress, you
cannot be sure you will succeed. It would be
like having a road map to a destination but
not monitoring the highway signs.
V Of course, if a deviation from the plan is
discovered, you must ask what must be done
to get back on track, or²if that seems
impossible²how the plan should be modified
to reflect the new realities
V rojects even with a good planning, adequate
organizational machinery and sufficient flow
of resources cannot automatically achieve the
desired result
V rhere must be some warning mechanism,
which can alert the organization about its
possible success and failures, off and on
V Constant watching not only saves wastage of
scarce resources but also ensure speedy
execution of the project
V escheduling the project (if the project run
behind the schedule)
V e budgeting the project (appropriating funds
from one head to another; avoiding expenses
under unnecessary heading).
V e ± assigning the staff (shifting the staff from
one area to other; recruiting temporary staff
to meet the time schedule)
ÿ
V Identifying the different units involved in planning &
implementation
V Identifying items on which feedback is required.
V Developing remplates for collecting information and
reporting.
V Determining the periodicity of reporting.
V Fixing the responsibility of reporting at different
levels.
V rocessing and analyzing the reports.
V Identifying the critical / unreliable areas in
implementation.
V roviding feedback to corrective measures
=
rojects are usually monitored against the
status of the project in the following areas
at a specific time:
V Is the project running on schedule
V Is it running within the planned costs
V Is it receiving adequate costs.
V | measurement system should allow the
team to gauge its progress.
V rhe team should design its own
measurement system.
V |dopt only a handful of measures.
V Measures should track results and progress
ÿ
x
V checkpoint meetings
V time sheets
V Field updates
Components of the project plan to be
Monitored
V ÿchedule updates
V Labour usage
V Budget updates
V erformance measurements
V isk reporting
V rocurement status
V Contractor deliverables
V Contract status
V Change reports
V ream member status
ÿ
!
V ÿchedule and cost performance measures
are good indicators of project health and
should be monitored regularly throughout the
remainder of the project
V Begin taking performance measures as soon
as the work of the project begins
ÿ"
#
ÿ
!
V |re the tasks on the schedule getting completed by
their projected end date?
V |re any critical path tasks behind schedule?
V |re the resources originally scheduled for upcoming
tasks still available and planning on performing their
work on the project?
V |re the task duration estimates proving to be
accurate?
V Have any unforeseen expenses occurred on the
project?
V Have any changes from outside the project team
impacted the project
ÿ"
#
ÿ
!
(Cont¶d)
V budget so far?
V Is there enough budget remaining to
purchase materials not yet acquired?
V Is there enough budget remaining to perform
the uncompleted work?
V |re budget estimates proving to be accurate?
V |re any hired equipment lying idle?
V |re downtime of hired equipment properly
documented?
V One of the hardest things to do in managing projects
is to actually j progress
V |ll project measurements are GUEÿÿEÿ
V rhe fact that measures of progress are not very
accurate does not justify the conclusion that they
shouldn¶t be used
V if you have no plan, you have no control
V and if you don¶t try to monitor and follow the plan, you
definitely don¶t have control
V |nd if you have no control, there is no semblance of
managing
VThe difficulty of measuring
progress does not justify the
conclusion that it shouldn¶t
be done. You cannot have
control unless you measure
progress and compare with
your plan
$" %
V Duality is the hardest variable to track, and
one that often suffers as a consequence
V |lso, so much attention tends to be focused
on cost and schedule performance that
quality of the work is often sacrificed
V roject managers must pay special attention
to the quality variable, in spite of the difficulty
of tracking it
VGork quality is most likely to
be sacrificed when deadlines
are tight. Constant attention
is required to avoid this
tendency
G
!
&
V |void making use of those directly involved in
the execution
V One involved in the monitoring should be very
familiar with the activities and deliverables
V It is best to use members of the project team
