Learning (back to top)

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”

Legislative mandate (back to top)

A request for action addressed to the Secretary-General or an executive head acting on his behalf in a resolution or decision adopted by a competent United Nations intergovernmental organ.

Lesson learned (back to top)

Generalization derived from evaluation experiences with programmes, projects or policies that is applicable to a generic situation rather than to a specific circumstance and has the potential to improve future actions. A lesson learned summarises knowledge at a point in time, while learning is an ongoing process.

See also: “Best practice”, “Learning”

Logical framework (back to top)

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)”