Monitoring Pathway 1: Selecting Performance Indicators

Speeches Shim

USAID’s ability to make unequivocal statements about whether and to what degree its programs and projects have progressed towards their stated objectives relies heavily on the Agency’s ability to identify valid and reliable performance indicators and to systematically collect empirical evidence concerning their status.

This pathway will improve your ability to identify the most appropriate indicators for the results on which your program or project is focused—including choosing from among new indicators that are emerging for measuring trade facilitation results. At stops along this itinerary you will find templates and examples that will help you produce tables and other products normally found in a program level PMP, or M&E plan for a project or one of its activities.

Pathway Steps of Interest Monitoring Pathway #1
Selecting Performance Indicators		 Resources on this Pathway
Program Perspective Project Perspective
  1 Logical Framework - Objectively Verifiable Indicators Logical Framework Indicator Column Example
2 2 Standard Indicators Link to U.S. Foreign Assistance Standard Indicators 
3 3 Custom Indicators USAID and other Trade Program/Project Indicator Inventories
4 4 CDCS Performance Indicator and Baseline Template (Optional) Template for displaying information on indicators required in a CDCS
5 5 PMP Performance Indicator Elements Examples of performance indicator information tables needed for a PMP 
6 6 Indicator Definition & Unit of Analysis Short description of the advantages and disadvantages of various units of analysis
7 7 Data Disaggregation USAID's policy on gender and examples of gender indicators for economic growth and trade
8 8 Data Sources and Collection Methods Collection of USAID TIPS on data collection and other data collection resources
9 9 Data Analysis Brief guides on quantitative and qualitative data analysis
10 10 Frequency, Schedule and Responsibilities Practical example on how monitoring data can make a difference
11 11 Data Quality and Limitations USAID TIPS on Data Quality Standards; table of types of data quality
12   PMP Performance Indicator Worksheet (Optional) Template for the indicator data worksheet illustrated at step 5 at the program level
  12 Project Indicator Description Template Template (project version of the indicator data worksheet illustrated at step 5)
13   PMP Performance Indicator Reference Sheet Template for a PMP as prescribed in ADS 203.3.3.1; builds on worksheet at step 12 for the program level
  13 Project Indicator Reference Sheet Template for a Project M&E plan; builds on worksheet at step 12 for the project level
  14 M&E and Learning at the Activity Level Diagram of the linkage between a PMP and Project and Activity M&E plan
 << Monitoring Pathways Up Monitoring Pathway 2: Performance Baselines and Targets >>

ProjectStarter

BETTER PROJECTS THROUGH IMPROVED
MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING

A toolkit developed and implemented by:
Office of Trade and Regulatory Reform
Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment
US Agency for International Development (USAID)

For more information, please contact Paul Fekete.