Evaluation and Monitoring (M&E) of development activities lets government officials, development managers, and civil societies with best means for learning from previous experience, improving service delivery, and allocation of resources, and demonstrating results as part of accountability to key shareholders. Within the development community there is a strong focus on goals, this helps explain the growing interest in Monitoring and evaluation. Yet there is often confusion about what monitoring and evaluation entails. The purpose of this monitoring and evaluation Overview is to stress awareness and interest in monitoring and evaluation, and to clarify what it entails. You will find an overview of a sample of Monitoring and Evaluation tools, methods, and approaches outlined here, including their purpose and use; advantages and disadvantages; costs, skills, and time required; and key references. The directories like URL Market provide some management resources. Also check out Dir Boost. Those illustrated here include several data collection methods, analytical frameworks, and types of evaluation and review. The M&E Overview discusses:

◗ Performance indicators

◗ The logical framework approach

◗ Theory-based evaluation

◗ Formal surveys

◗ Rapid appraisal methods

◗ Participatory methods

◗ Public expenditure tracking surveys

◗ Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis

◗ Impact evaluation

This list is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to be. Links Guru and Some of these tools and approaches are complementary; some are substitutes . Some have broad applicability, while others are quite narrow in their uses. Dir First and The choice of which is appropriate for any given context will depend on a range of considerations. These include the uses for which M&E is intended, the main stakeholders who have an interest in the M&E findings, the speed with which the information is needed, and the cost.