Monitoring

Indicators, monitoring and reporting progress

Monitoring is a key element of FTA’s adaptive, learning-oriented approach from project to program level. In traditional project management, monitoring has focused primarily on tracking project implementation, to determine if planned inputs and outputs have been achieved on schedule, so that action can be taken to correct deficiencies as quickly as possible. The FTA monitoring approach emphasizes outcomes. As part of the process of developing project and program theories of change, intended outcomes and indicators of those outcomes are identified and monitored.

There is a suite of monitoring tools for use at the project scale that are light, user-friendly and time-efficient. They aim to collect a variety of information about the uptake, use, influence and outcomes of project work. These data collection tools are designed to be applied as appropriate by project teams on an ongoing basis throughout the life of a project and during/after key events (e.g. forums and conferences). Collectively, such data facilitates project reporting, provides real-time feedback on progress and provides a robust evidence base to help demonstrate project achievements.

At program scale, we are interested in larger, collective outcomes over time. These are specified at the sub-Intermediate Development Outcome (IDO) level: uptake and use of FTA research and consequent behavior change in terms of improved policy and practice in international governance, national governance, the work of conservation and development organizations, and corporate and individual private sector actions. FTA has a set of indicators of uptake and use by key intended users as defined in the ToCs. A subset of these overlap with, and are counted as part of, the CGIAR-harmonized (sub-IDO) indicators, and others are unique to FTA.