Fiker Think Tank Institute provides monitoring and evaluation services to help institutions examine programme implementation, assess results, and identify opportunities for improvement.
Monitoring tracks activities, outputs, and progress against agreed indicators. Evaluation examines the programme’s design, implementation, and results to explain what has been achieved, for whom, under what conditions, and with what limitations. The scope of each assignment reflects the programme’s stage, available information, and the decisions the evaluation is intended to inform.
Monitoring Frameworks and Indicators
Developing or reviewing results frameworks, indicators, and data collection tools. This may include clarifying indicator definitions, calculation methods, data sources, collection frequency, and responsibilities, while distinguishing activities and outputs from outcomes.
Baseline and Endline Studies
Establishing initial conditions and measuring indicators at subsequent stages. Comparisons consider the consistency of measurement, population coverage, and changes in context. Observed change is interpreted in relation to the study design and cannot, by itself, establish that the programme caused that change.
Midterm and Final Evaluations
Assessing progress, implementation challenges, and emerging results during a programme, or reviewing achievements and lessons at its conclusion. Evaluation questions address the information needed for programme adjustment, future planning, and accountability.
Implementation and Results Assessment
Examining how activities were delivered, which groups were reached, and what supported or constrained progress. Where relevant, the assessment considers differences in participants’ experiences, barriers to access, and unintended results.
Learning and Recommendations
Drawing conclusions from the findings and developing recommendations linked to identified issues. Recommendations consider feasibility, priorities, and the responsibilities of the organisations concerned. Findings may also be discussed through a structured learning session where included in the assignment.
Evaluation Approach
Clarifying purpose and scope — The assignment begins with a review of programme documents, the results framework or theory of change, and the intended use of the evaluation. This establishes the questions, boundaries, and information requirements.
Selecting criteria and methods — Relevant evaluation criteria may include relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. Their selection and depth of examination depend on the evaluation’s purpose and context.
Methods may combine document review, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and field observation. An evaluation matrix links each question to indicators or assessment criteria, information sources, and analytical methods.
Examining the strength of findings — Information from different sources is compared to identify agreement, differences, and gaps. Conclusions explain the limitations associated with data quality, coverage, timing, and the evaluation design.
Where causal impact is the question, the feasibility of an appropriate design is assessed before implementation. Changes in indicators or participant perceptions alone are not presented as conclusive evidence of programme impact.
Independence and Participant Protection
Responsibilities and any previous involvement in the programme are clarified when defining the assignment, with potential conflicts of interest addressed.
Participation arrangements, confidentiality, and the handling of identifiable information are specified for each evaluation. Reporting should allow participants’ experiences to be understood without unnecessarily exposing their identities.
Deliverables
Depending on scope, deliverables may include:
- An inception report and evaluation matrix.
- Monitoring frameworks, indicator definitions, and data collection tools.
- Baseline, midterm, endline, or final evaluation reports.
- Documented datasets, subject to agreed privacy arrangements.
- Findings, conclusions, prioritised recommendations, and an executive summary.
- A presentation or facilitated discussion of the results.
Discuss an Assignment
Please share the programme’s objectives, implementation stage, target groups, geographical scope, and the questions you need answered. Include terms of reference, a results framework, previous reports, or available monitoring data where possible.
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