Mothers unwillingto go to clinics

Low staff skillsInadequate

number of clinicsShortage of

drugs

High infant mortality rates

Commercial pressure for milk

supplement

Seasonality of high protein foods

Cause

Effect

Low attendance atrural clinics

Poor nutritional state of babies

Fewer babies vaccinated

Birth problems diagnosed late

Low standards of patient care

High rate of birth problems

High rates of infection in babies

High rates of infection in infants

There are two difficulties in problem identification and analysis.

Inadequate problem specification and “absent solutions”.

Inadequate problem specification – insufficient detail does notcommunicate the true nature of the problem. Example “PoorManagement”.

Absent solutions – a statement that does not describe the negativeproblem but describes the absence of a desired situation. Example“Lack of Trained Staff”.

Always be careful of using statements that start with – “Lack of……”

Analysis of Objectives

Transforming problems into Priorities

Problem Objective

Infant mortality rates reduced.

Reduced incidence of birth complications

Earlier diagnosis of birth complications

Birth complications diagnosed late

High incidence of birth complications

High infant mortality rates

Mothers willingto go to clinics

Improvedstaff skills

Increased number of clinics

Sufficient drugsavailable

Infant mortality rates reduced

Increased numbers of babies breast feed

high protein foodsavailable all year

Means

Ends

Increased attendanceat rural clinics

Nutritional stateof babies improved

More babies vaccinated

Early diagnosis ofbirth problems

Standards of patient care

increased

Reduced rate of birth problems

Rates of infection in babies reduced

Rates of infection in infants reduced

Strategy Analysis

The final stage of analysis is to decide on the strategy (ies)which will be used to achieve the desired goals.

Strategy analysis involves deciding what priorities will be INthe strategy or project and which will be OUT and what thepurpose and overall objective will be.

In addition to examining the logic, strategy analysis alsolooks at the feasibility of different interventions.

Mothers willingto go to clinics

Improvedstaff skills

Increased number of clinics

Sufficient drugsavailable

Infant mortality rates reduced

Increased numbers of babies breast feed

high protein foodsavailable all year

Means

Ends

Increased attendanceat rural clinics

Nutritional stateof babies improved

More babies vaccinated

Early diagnosis ofbirth problems

Standards of patient care

increased

Reduced rate of birth problems

Rates of infection in babies reduced

Rates of infection in infants reduced

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The Planning Phase

The main output of LFA is the logframe matrix.

This provides the basis for checking the feasibility of the project.

For management and supervision of projects, it defines the tasksto be undertaken, resources required and managementresponsibility.

In the next two columns, (objectively verifiable indicators andsources of verification) the logframe provides the frameworkagainst which the project can be monitored and evaluated.

The Logframe Matrix

The logframe for all its advantages when understood and

professionally used provides no magic solution to

identifying and designing good projects.

The principal of “Garbage in - Garbage out” still applies if it

is simply used mechanistically.

An aid to thinking

The logframe should not be seen as a mechanical tool butan aid to thinking. It should be used as a dynamic toolwhich should be reassessed and revised as the projectdevelops.

It should be used to provide structure and purpose toproject planning and budgeting without being perceived asinflexible.

An aid to thinking

The logframe itself consists of a table or matrix, which has fourcolumns and four rows. The vertical logic identifies what theproject aims to do, clarifies cause and effect and specifies theimportant assumptions and uncertainties beyond themanagements control.

The horizontal logic relates to the measure of the effects,resources used by the project through the specification of keyindicators and measurement and the means of whichmeasurement will be verified.

The Logframe Matrix

IF results are delivered AND assumptions true, THEN the project purpose will be achieved.

Intervention Logic Verifiable indicators Sources of verification Assumptions

Overall objective

Project purpose

Results

Activities

Levels of objectives

The objectives selected for inclusion in the project are

transposed into the first column of the logframe and set out

the intervention logic of the project.

During this stage it is essential to ensure that the levels of

objectives are correct.

The Overall Objective

This should explain why the programme is important tosociety, in terms of the long-term benefits to the beneficiariesand the wider benefits to other groups.

It should show how the programme fits into the regional/sectoral policies of the EU and the regional governments /organisations concerned.

The Overall Objectives will not be achieved by the project alonebut will require the impact of other programmes and projects aswell.

Project purpose

Should address the core problem and be defined in terms

of the benefits to be received by the project

beneficiaries or target group as a result of utilising the

services provided by the programme.

ONLY EVER ONE PROJECT PURPOSE !!!!!!!

Results

Describe the services to be delivered to the intendedbeneficiaries or target group and it should be possible forproject management to be held accountable for their delivery.

The results should address the main cause of the problem thetarget group faces.

To ensure relevance of results the problem analysis should haveidentified a beneficiary demand for project services.

Activities

How the projects goods and services will be delivered.

One of the keys of using the logframe successfully isunderstanding what the definitions mean in operationalterms and in particular the relationship between Resultsand Project Purpose.

Activities

Managers are accountable for delivering Results. They cannotControl the behaviour of the target group.

Achievement of the Project Purpose requires a “beneficiaryresponse” where the target group gets benefit for themselvesfrom the project services.

This does not mean that project managers are not responsiblefor achieving the Project Purpose.

Responsible for ensuring services meet beneficiary needs andpreferences.

Beneficiary responseIntervention Logic Verifiable indicators Sources of verification Assumptions

Overall objective

Project purpose

Results

Activities

Response by beneficiaries to project results

Project Purpose

Where many fall down is that they fail to set a single ProjectPurpose.

When there are more than one Project Purpose it implies anoverly complex project with possible management problems.

Multiple Project Purpose indicates unclear or conflictingobjectives.

Clarifying and agreeing what will define the projects success istherefore a critical step in project design.

Transposing Objectives into the Logframe

Overall Objective level

Project Purpose level

Results level

Activities level

Infant mortality Rates reduced

Rates of infection In infants reduced

Reduced rate of birthproblems

More babies vaccinated

Increasedattendance at ruralclinics

Increased number ofAssisted births

Standards of patient Care increased

Earlier diagnosis of Birth problems

Rates of infectionIn babies reduced

Clinics vehicles operational

Management of funds improved

Village birth attendants trained

IN OUT

Assumptions

During the Analysis Phase it will become apparent that theproject cannot achieve all the objectives identified.

Once a strategy has been selected, objectives not included inthe Intervention logic and other external factors remain.

These will affect the projects implementation and long termsustainability but lie outside its control.

These conditions must be met if the project is to succeed andare included in the assumptions column of the logframe.

Transposing assumptions into the Logframe

Overall Objective level

Project Purpose level

Results level

Activities level

Infant mortality Rates reduced

Rates of infection In infants reduced

Reduced rate of birthproblems

More babies vaccinated

Increasedattendance at ruralclinics

Increased number ofAssisted births

Standards of patient Care increased

Earlier diagnosis of Birth problems

Rates of infectionIn babies reduced

Clinics vehicles operational

Management of funds improved

Village birth attendants trained

IN OUT

Nutritional status of babies improved

Increased availability Of high protein food

Pre-conditions

Pre-conditions differ from assumptions in that they must be metbefore a project can commence. For example, without certainpolicy measures being implemented by a partner the projectrational is undermined.

The probability and significance of these conditions being metshould be estimated as part of assessing the riskiness of theproject. Some will be critical to the projects success others justmarginal.