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Logical framework
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| A (Top) | |
| Accomplishment | Assumption |
| Accomplishment account | Attribution |
| Activity | |
| B (Top) | |
| Baseline | Bias |
| Benchmark | Budget fascicle |
| Beneficiary | |
| C (Top) | |
| Causal relationship | Cost-benefit analysis |
| Client satisfaction | Cost-effectiveness |
| Contribution | |
| D (Top) | |
| Data | Data collection tool |
| Data collection method | Data source |
| E (Top) | |
| Effect | End-user |
| Effectiveness | Expected accomplishment |
| Efficiency | External factor |
| G (Top) | |
| Goal |
| H (Top) | |
| Highlights of programme results |
| I (Top) | |
| IMDIS | Information management system |
| Implementation rate | Input |
| Indicator | Interim performance measure |
| Indicator of achievement | |
| L (Top) | |
| Learning | Logical framework |
| M (Top) | |
| Methodology | Methodology form |
| O (Top) | |
| Objective | Output |
| Outcome | |
| P (Top) | |
| Performance | Performance monitoring |
| Performance assessment | Programme performance report |
| Performance measure | Projects/Programme cycle management |
| Performance measurement | |
| R (Top) | |
| Rating system | Revised baseline |
| Result | Revised target |
| S (Top) | |
| Self-evaluation | Statement of accomplishment/results achieved |
| Self-monitoring | Survey |
| Stakeholder | |
| T (Top) | |
| Target | Target group |
| W (Top) | |
| Work plan | |
Accomplishment (Back / Top)
Completion, fulfilment, achievement of specific result by the end of the biennium in comparison to the planned Expected Accomplishment. It could be less, more or the same as expected accomplishment.
See also: “Outcome”, “Result”, “Expected Accomplishment”
Accomplishment account (Back / Top)
A summary of a specific subprogramme accomplishment that is based on data collected for the indicators of achievement and other relevant information that serves as the source of reporting on whether the relevant Expected Accomplishment was achieved.
See: “Statement of Accomplishment/Results Achieved”, “Expected Accomplishment”
Activity (Back / Top)
Action taken or work performed to transform inputs into outputs.
See also: “Input,” “Output”, “Result”
Assumption (Back / Top)
Hypothesis about risks, influences, external factors or conditions that could affect the progress or success of a project or a programme. Assumptions highlight external factors, which are important for the success of project or programme, but are largely or completely beyond the control of management.
See also: “External factor”, “Condition”, “Effect”, “Logical framework”
Attribution (Back / Top)
A causal link between observed (or expected to be observed) changes and a specific intervention. Attribution refers to that which is to be credited for the observed changes or results achieved. With regard to attribution for the achievement of accomplishments/results, evaluations aim to ascertain a credible link between outputs and achieved accomplishments. In assessing this link, attribution takes account of the effects of other interventions that are independent of the effort being evaluated.
See also: “Contribution”, “External Factor”, “Causal Relationship”
Baseline (Back / Top)
Data that describe the situation to be addressed by a programme, subprogramme or project and that serve as the starting point for measuring performance. A baseline study would be the analysis describing the situation prior to the commencement of the programme or project or the situation following initial commencement of the programme or project to serve as a basis of comparison and progress for future analyses. It is used to determine the accomplishments/results and serves as an important reference for evaluation.
See also: “Target”
Benchmark (Back / Top)
Reference point or standard against which performance or achievement can be assessed. A benchmark often refers to an intermediate target to measure progress within a given period as well as to the performance of other comparable organizational entities.
See also: “Interim performance measures”
Beneficiary (Back / Top)
The individual, group, or organization, whether targeted or not, that benefit, directly or indirectly, from the implementation of a programme, project or output.
See also: “End-user”, “Target group”
Bias (Back / Top)
Anything that produces systematic error in an evaluation finding. Bias may result in over- or under-estimating the object of evaluation or assessment.
See also: “Attribution”,”Causal relationship”, “Evidence”
Budget fascicle (Back / Top)
Document containing proposed programmatic, financial and resource information of a budget section for the forthcoming biennium and submitted to the General Assembly for approval.
See: “Logical framework”, “Project/Programme cycle management”, “Results-based management (RBM)”
Causal relationship (Back / Top)
A logical connection or cause-effect linkage ascribed to the relationship between accomplishments/results and efforts to achieve them or between final results and their impact on the target beneficiaries. Generally the term refers to reliably plausible linkages.
See also: “Assumption”, “Attribution”, "Bias”, “Evidence”, “Logical framework”, “Indirect effect”
The satisfaction of a programme’s clients, defined as the organizations or individuals who are affected by that programme, often measured in terms of meeting their needs or expectations.
See also: “Beneficiary”, “End-user”, “Stakeholder ”
The link between the activities carried out by various organizational units to arrive at final products or services delivered to end-users to accomplish a desired result.
See also: “Attribution”, "Causal relationship”
A specialized analysis which converts all costs and benefits to common monetary terms and then assesses the ratio of results to inputs against other alternatives or against some established criteria of cost-benefit performance. It often involves the comparison of investment and operating costs with the direct and indirect benefits generated by the investment in a project or programme.
See also: “Cost-effectiveness”, “Efficiency”
Comparison of the relative costs of achieving a given result or output by different means. It focuses on the relation between the costs (inputs) and results produced by a project or programme. A project/programme is more cost effective when it achieves its results at the lowest possible cost compared with alternative projects with the same intended results.
See also: “Cost-benefit analysis”
Specific quantitative and qualitative information or facts that are collected.
See: “Data collection tool”, ”Data collection method”, “Data source”
The mode of collection to be used when gathering information and data on a given indicator of achievement or evaluation. Collection methods include the review of records, surveys, interviews, or content analysis. The term is one of the elements of the indicator methodology form for reporting through IMDIS.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Methodology form”
Instrument used to collect information for use in performance assessment, self-evaluation and external evaluation. Examples are mail, telephone, in-person and web-based surveys, direct or participatory observation, interviews, focus groups, expert opinion, case studies, literature search, and content analysis of internal and external records. The data collection tools must be strong enough to support the findings of the evaluation.
The origin of the data or information collected. Data sources may include informal and official records, individuals, documents, etc. This term is one of the elements of the indicator methodology form for reporting through IMDIS.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Methodology form”
Intended or unintended change caused directly or indirectly by the delivery of an output, project or programme.
See also: “Assumption”, “Attribution”
The extent to which a project or programme attains its objectives, expected accomplishments and delivers planned outputs.
A measure of how well inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) are converted into outputs.
See also: “Effectiveness”, “Impact”
Recipient of an output or accomplishment.
See also: “Stakeholder”, “Beneficiary”
A desired outcome or result involving benefits to end-users, expressed as a quantitative or qualitative standard, value or rate. Accomplishments are the direct consequence or effect of the delivery of outputs and lead to the fulfilment of the envisaged objective.
See also: “Accomplishment”, “Result”, “Statement of accomplishment/results achieved”, “Indicator”, “Logical framework”
Event and/or condition that is beyond the control of those responsible for an activity but that has an effect on the success or failure of the activity. It may be anticipated in the form of assumptions or they may be unanticipated.
See also: “Assumption”, “Attribution”, “Causal relationship”, “Logical framework”The higher-order aim to which a programme is intended to contribute: a statement of longer-term intent.
See also: “Objective”, “Accomplishment“, "Result ”
The most salient results achieved by a department/office during the biennium based on the results/accomplishments of the various subprogrammes under it. These highlights of programme results are included in the Programme Performance Report for each Budget Section and reflect the most significant achievements towards realizing the programme's objectives.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Results-based management (RBM)”, "Programme performance report (PPR)”, “Logical framework”
The Integrated Monitoring and Documentation Information System is the online tool for planning, monitoring and reporting of results-based programme performance in use at the United Nations Secretariat since 1998. IMDIS enables programme managers as well as the Office of Internal Oversight Services to verify Organization-wide progress throughout the biennium and to extract all necessary information for final performance analysis and reporting.
See also: “Information management system”, “Logical framework”, “Results-based management (RBM)”, “Programme performance report (PPR)”
The degree to which planned outputs are completed during the biennium. In the biennial Programme Performance Reports, the output implementation rate is usually calculated in three different ways. The first calculation (I1) shows the percentage of mandated outputs (those initially programmed plus those carried forward plus those added by legislation) that were completed. The second calculation (I2) shows the rate of implementation of all outputs, which is the sum of mandated outputs plus those added by the Secretariat. It indicates how much of the overall workload of the biennium was accomplished. Finally, the third figure (I3) is the ratio of all outputs implemented by a particular programme (those programmed, carried over, reformulated and added by legislation and by the Secretariat) to the outputs programmed in the biennial budget. To understand the purpose of I3, it should be recalled that while budgetary resources were provided to deliver the outputs programmed in the biennial budget, developments during the biennium may have resulted in additions to the workload that had to be implemented within the available resources. The I3 implementation rate shows how much was delivered by a particular programme compared with what had been programmed at the outset of the biennium.
See also: “Output ”
A measure, preferably numerical, of a variable that provides a reasonably simple and reliable basis for assessing achievement, change or performance. A unit of information measured over time that can help show changes in a specific condition.
See: “Logical framework”, “Results-based management (RBM)”', "Methodology form"
Used to measure the extent to which expected accomplishments have been achieved. Indicators correspond to the expected accomplishment for which they are used to measure performance. One expected accomplishment can have multiple indicators.
See also: “Expected accomplishment”, “Performance management”, " Performance measure”
A system of inputting, collating and organizing data that should provide selective analyses and reports to the management, to assist in monitoring and controlling the project organization, resources, activities and results.
See also: “IMDIS”
Personnel, finance, equipment, knowledge, information and other resources necessary for producing the planned outputs and achieving expected accomplishments.
See also: “Output ”
Data collected for the indicators of achievement during the biennium. They are used as benchmarks to determine whether progress is being made towards the intended results.
See also: “Performance measure”, “Baseline”, “Target”.
Reflection on experience and results of monitoring and evaluation to identify how a situation or future actions could be improved and then using this knowledge to make actual improvements. This can be individual or group-based – the latter would be considered “organizational” learning when it transcends the group and becomes part of the corporate knowledge base. Learning involves documenting experiences, the process of synthesis and the application of lessons learned to future actions.
See also: “Feedback”, “Best practice”
Management tool (also known as a logframe) used to identify strategic elements of a programme or project (objective, expected accomplishments, indicators of achievement, outputs and inputs) and their causal relationships, as well as the assumptions and external factors that may influence success and failure. It facilitates planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a programme or project.
See also: “Budget fascicle”, “Results-based management (RBM)”
A set of analytical methods and techniques appropriate for evaluation of the particular activity. It could also be aimed at collecting the best possible evidence needed to answer the evaluation issues and analytic questions.
See also: “Baseline”, “Benchmark”, “Data”, “Data collection tool”, “Indicator”, "Terms of reference"
A set of fields developed and incorporated into IMDIS for each indicator of achievement that allow subprogrammes and programmes to identify and document the elements of the indicator that will be measured during the biennium, identify data sources, determine data collection and verification methods, fix the periodicity of measurements, create or identify a presentation format and identify external factors that could distort or influence measurements. This should be done early in the biennium to ensure proper data collection and reporting of results.
See also: “IMDIS”
Description of an overall desired achievement involving a process of change and aimed at meeting certain needs of identified end-users within a given period of time. A good objective meets the criteria of being impact oriented, measurable, time limited, specific and practical. The objective is set at the next higher level than the expected accomplishments.
See also: “Goal“, “Expected accomplishment”, “Logical framework”
In the United Nations Secretariat, “outcome” is used as a synonym of an accomplishment or a result.
See also: “Accomplishment”, “Expected accomplishment”, “Logical framework”, “Result”, “Results-based management (RBM)”
A final product or service delivered by a programme or project to end-users, such as reports, publications, servicing of meetings, training, advisory, editorial, translation or security services, which a programme is expected to produce in order to achieve its expected accomplishments and objectives. Outputs may be grouped into broader categories.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Logical framework”, “Additional output”, “Discretionary action”
The degree to which a programme or project delivers results in accordance with stated objectives, timely and effectively as assessed by specific criteria and standards.
See also: “Results-based management (RBM)”
External assessment or self-assessment by programme units, comprising monitoring, reviews, end-of-year reporting, end-of-project reporting, institutional assessments, and/or special studies.
See also: "Self-evaluation”, "Self-monitoring"
Specific statistics chosen because they provide valid, practical and comparable measures of progress or level of change towards achieving expected results for the period.
A system for the collection, interpretation of, and reporting for the purpose of objectively measuring how well programmes or projects contribute to the achievement of expected accomplishments and objectives and deliver outputs.
See also: “Indicator”, “IMDIS”, “Logical framework”, “Results-based management (RBM)” , “Data”, “Expected accomplishment”, “Objective”, “Activity”, "Methodology form"
A continuous process of collecting and analyzing data to compare how well a programme, project, or policy is being implemented against expected results.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Programme performance report (PPR)”, "Self-monitoring"
The mandated report of the Secretary-General submitted to the General Assembly biennially reflecting implementation and results for programmes in the Secretariat. The PPR for 2002-2003 was produced both in print A/59/69 and electronic format.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Results-based management (RBM)” , “Monitoring”, “Self-monitoring”
A tool for understanding the tasks and management functions to be performed in the course of a project or programme’s lifetime. This commonly includes the stages of identification, preparation, appraisal, implementation/supervision, monitoring, evaluation, completion and lesson learning.
See also: “Results-based management (RBM)” , “Work plan”
Forming and validating a judgment on the relevance, performance and success of a programme or project through the use of a scale with numeric, alphabetic and/or descriptive codes.
See also: “Data”
The measurable accomplishment/outcome (intended or unintended, positive or negative) of a programme or project. In the Secretariat practice, “result” is synonymous with accomplishment and outcome.
See also: “Accomplishment”, “Expected accomplishment”, “Outcome”, “Effect”, “Impact”, “Results-based management (RBM)”
An adjusted baseline recorded in IMDIS in cases where the actual figures recorded in the previous biennium differ from the estimated baselines in the proposed programme of work.
See also: “Baseline”, “Target,”, “IMDIS”
An adjusted target recorded in IMDIS in cases where the estimated baselines and targets in the proposed programme of work have to be adjusted to capture actual achieved results from the previous biennium and realistic achievements for the current biennium.
See also: “Baseline”, “Target,”, “IMDIS”
Self-evaluation is a systematic assessment carried out by those entrusted with the design and delivery of a programme, the findings of which are used to improve planning, performance and programme results.
See also: “Evaluation”
See also:“IMDIS”, “Results-based management (RBM)”, “Monitoring”
Agencies, organizations, groups or individuals who have a direct or indirect role and interest in the objectives and implementation of a programme or project and its evaluation. In participatory evaluation, stakeholders assume an increased role in the evaluation process as question-makers, evaluation planners, data gatherers and problem solvers.
See also: “End-user”, “Beneficiary”
A succinct synopsis of accomplishments achieved relative to the Expected Accomplishment which is based on and distilled from the Accomplishment Account. It captures the key facts of what was achieved in this regard during the biennium.
See also: “Accomplishment account”, “IMDIS”, “Results-based management (RBM)”, “Programme performance report (PPR)”
Systematic collection of information from defined respondents through the administration of a structured questionnaire in person, by telephone, by mail, or by web. A survey can be administered to the universe of all respondents or to a sample of that universe.
A specified objective that indicates the number, timing and location of what is to be achieved.
The main beneficiaries of a programme or project that are expected to gain from the results of that programme or project. They are closely related to its impact and relevance.
See also: “End-user”, “Beneficiary”, “Stakeholder”
The process of cross-checking to ensure that the data obtained from one monitoring and evaluation method are confirmed by the data obtained from a different method.
See also: "Data”, “Reliability”
A detailed document stating outputs to be delivered and activities to be carried out in a given time period, how the activities will be carried out, and what progress towards expected accomplishments will be achieved. It contains timeframes and responsibilities and is used as a monitoring and accountability tool to ensure the effective implementation of the programme. The work plan is designed according to the logical framework.
See also: “Terms of reference”, “Project/Programme cycle management”