Building a performance-based monitoring and evaluation system: The challenges facing developing countries

Abstract

There are growing pressures in countries throughout the world to improve the performance of their public sectors. One strategy now being employed in both developed and developing countries is to design and construct performance-based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems so as to be able to track the results produced (or not) by governments. This paper describes a 10-step approach to the design and construction of such M&E systems that is currently being deployed in a number of developing countries. The overall strategy builds on the experiences of developed countries – especially those in the OECD – but also reflects the particular challenges and difficulties faced by developing countries that can range from a lack of skill capacity to poor governance structures to systems that are far from transparent. The last section of the paper addresses in detail the first of the 10 steps – that of assessing whether a country is, in fact, ready to begin the process of M&E system design and construction.