Project Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Skills Training

Project Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Skills
Tools and Techniques for Program & Project Monitoring & Evaluation

Overview: Successful programs and projects are not something that simply happens, but rather are a pre-planned series of activities and events. However, things rarely work out exactly as planned. Managers must therefore periodically monitor selected indicators and measure performance during implementation so they can make timely adjustments where necessary, as well as subsequently determine the extent to which the program or project achieved its objectives. To do monitoring, inspection, evaluation and quality control effectively requires some understanding and application of probability theory to sampling and statistical analysis.

This is a three day workshop to introduce participants to the overall philosophy, concepts and best practice approaches in Project Performance Measurement and Evaluation; provide some “quick & easy” statistical tools and techniques to collect data through sample surveys and assess the results, and “hands-on” practice to acquire skill in using them.

Benefits: At various stages in their life cycle, all programs and projects are required to be monitored and their performance assessed, but relatively few individuals possess the technical capability to do so. Thus individuals with statistically-based know-how and competence are in great demand as staff specialists, and/or consultants to conduct surveys and performance evaluations.

Audience:

Students in program and Project Management
Program and Project Management Office (PMO) support staff
Quality control inspectors
Management analysts
Management auditors
Program and project evaluators
Professional surveyors / pollsters
Experienced program and project managers who lack formal training in monitoring and evaluation tools and techniques
Individuals already certified as CAPMs and/or PMPs who desire additional knowledge about - and skill in applying - these tools and techniques.

Project Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Skills Training Program

Description: The basic methodology employed is a series of mini-lectures and demonstrations by the instructor – using power-point slides, class notes, and a series of specially-designed Excel templates for “Quick & Easy” (Q&E) statistical analysis – to present a concept and demonstrate application of a specific technique.

Each topic presentation is immediately followed on with hands-on practice by the participants - sometimes individually, but for the most part as a member of a team, with several small groups working concurrently. The case examples are stand-alone anecdotal media for illustration, exercise and practice, utilized to emphasize the concept and acquire skill in using the Excel Q&E tool/technique.

During this workshop the students will appreciate and understand basic terminology and concepts of Project Evaluation, like:

Differences between monitoring and evaluation
Logical Framework as basis for project design and evaluation
Evaluation design models (Experimental, Quasi-Experimental, Case Studies)
Statistical concepts (Mean, Median, Mode, Percentage, Ratios, Indices, Standard Deviation, Tolerable Error, Confidence Level, Margin of Error, Significant Difference, Correlation, Regression, Necessity & Sufficiency)
Experimental Treatment and Control Groups
Census and Sampling approaches to data collection
Random and non-random Sampling - Population, Sample Size, Stratification and different Sample Selection Methods

Also, the students will learn when and how to use project planning, monitoring and evaluation approaches and techniques like:

Evaluation Team Composition
Judge & Jury approaches for Qualitative Evaluation
Experimental Treatment and Control Design/Grouping
Establishing Sample Frames and Stratification
Random Sampling - Optimum Sample Size selection for Percentage, and Mean
Sample Selection Methods - Deck of Cards, Lottery, Random Number Tables, Skip Interval
Questionnaire Design
Data Collection Methods - Regular Reporting, and Field Surveys; Mail, Phone, Interview, Observation, Rapid Appraisal (Individual and Focus Groups)
Data Classification & Recording - Quantitative and Qualitative Rating Scales, Recording, Weighting/Scoring Systems and Criteria; Likert Scale, 10 point scale, Thai Scale, 4 point scale, rank-ordering, percentage scale, quartile, etc.
Data Evaluation - Correlation & Regression, Yule’s Q Test, Misfortune 500
Presenting Results - Various Charts and Graphs

A set with various user-friendly Excel worksheets for statistical analysis, developed by the Instructor, will also be provided to participants.

Prerequisites: None. No prior knowledge of statistics is required.

View the complete Course Outline.