THE LOGICALTHE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK FRAMEWORK

APPROACHAPPROACH

Keerti Bhusan PradhanKeerti Bhusan Pradhan

keerti@aravind.orgkeerti@aravind.org

What is LFA?What is LFA?

• LFA is a systematic planning procedure for complete project cycle management

• It is a problem solving approach which takes into account the views of all stakeholders

• It also agrees on the criteria for project success and lists the major assumptions

History of LFAHistory of LFA• Developed in response to poor planning

and monitoring of Development projects• The first logical framework developed for

USAID at the end of 1960’s• GTZ was responsible for the

development of ZOPP or Zielorientierte Projekt Planung

• NORAD made a significant contribution in 1990 with their handbook

LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIXLOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIXNarrative Summary

Verifiable Indicators (OVI)

Means of Verification (MOV)

Important Assumptions

GOAL

PURPOSE

OUTPUTS

ACTIVITIES Inputs

KEY FEATURES OF KEY FEATURES OF LOGFRAME MATRIXLOGFRAME MATRIX

The LOGFRAME MATRIX is a participatory Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation tool whose power depends on the degree to which it incorporates the full range of views of intended beneficiaries and others who have a stake in the programme design. It is a tool for summarizing the key features of a programme and is best used to help programme designers and stakeholders

Summary of the logical frameworkSummary of the logical framework

• Goal– The higher level objective towards which the

project is expected to contribute (mention target groups)

• Purpose– The effect which is expected to be achieved as

the result of the project.• Outputs

– The results that the project management should be able to guarantee (mention target groups)

• Activities– The activities that have to be undertaken by the

project in order to produce outputs.

Intervention Logic

Cause-effect relationship among Cause-effect relationship among objectives at several levelsobjectives at several levels

Inputs

Activities

Outputs

Purpose

Goal

under full control of project management

beyond control of project management

Summary of the logical frameworkSummary of the logical framework

• Assumptions– Important events, conditions or decisions

outside the control of the project which must prevail the goal.

– Important events, conditions or decisions outside control of the project management necessary for the achievement of the purpose.

– Important events, conditions or decisions outside control of the project management necessary for the production of outputs.

– Important events, conditions, decisions outside control of the project management necessary for the start of the project.

Assumptions and Preconditions

Summary of the logical frameworkSummary of the logical framework

• Goal– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what

extent the goal is fulfilled.• Purpose

– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what extent the purpose is fulfilled.

• Outputs– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what

extent the outputs are produced.

Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVI)

• Activities (Inputs)– Goods, people and services necessary to

undertake the activities

Summary of the logical frameworkSummary of the logical framework

• Goal

– The sources of data necessary to verify status of goal level indicators.

• Purpose

– The sources of data necessary to verify status of purpose level indicators.

• Outputs

– The sources of data necessary to verify status of output level indicators.

• Activities

– The sources of data necessary to verify status of activity level indicators.

Means of verification (MOV)

Objectively Verifiable IndicatorsObjectively Verifiable Indicators• Indicators must be valid, reliable, precise, cost-

effective and stated independently from other levels.

• Indicators should make clear how the target group will benefit from the realisation of outputs.

• Indicators should be specific in terms of:

– Quality (what?) - Q

– Quantity (how much?) - Q

– Time (when, how long?) - T

– Target Group (who?) - T

– Place (where?) - P

Objectively Verifiable IndicatorsObjectively Verifiable Indicators• The process of defining indicators forces us to clarify

our objectives. A good indicator at this level is,

a. Plausible measuring what is important in the project

b. Attributable measuring changes caused by the project

c. Cost-effective involving data that may be collected and analyzed inexpensively

d. Independent not inherent to the project

e. Targeted how much.., what kind of.., by when

f. Verifiable to reach agreement

Key Features of Logframe Key Features of Logframe Matrix Matrix (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Develop a common understanding of the expectations of a programme by delineating a hierarchy of aims;

• Define indicators of success and establish criteria for monitoring and evaluation;

• Define critical assumptions on which the programme is based; and

• Identify means of verifying programme accomplishments

CORE CONCEPT OF CORE CONCEPT OF LOGFRAME MATRIX: LOGFRAME MATRIX:

MEANS AND END LOGICMEANS AND END LOGIC

The main concept underlying the Logical Framework is means and end. The better the means and end linkages between each level of aims, the better the programme design.

By definition, each programme has a “if-then” or “means-and-end” logic embedded in it. If we produce certain results under certain conditions, then we can expect to achieve certain other outcomes.

LogFrame-Horizontal logicLogFrame-Horizontal logic

Aims measured by indicators through information collected and presented in specified means of verification

THE LOGIC OF A PROGRAMME: THE LOGIC OF A PROGRAMME: A SET OF LINKED HYPOTHESESA SET OF LINKED HYPOTHESES

GOAL

PURPOSE

ACTIVITIES

OUTPUTS

if

then

if

then

then

if

PLAN DOWNWARDSPLAN DOWNWARDSPLAN DOWNWARDS

GoalAssumptions

Purpose

Assumptions

Outputs

Assumptions

Activities

Assumptions

InputsAND THEN

THINK UPWARDS

THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIXMATRIX

Clear statement of:

What we can accomplish (outputs) and

The important results we expect in the short to medium-term (purpose) and in the long term (goal)

Means of verificationMeans of verification

The specific sources from which the status of each of the indicators can be ascertained

ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKSASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS

Assumptions and risks are external conditions that are outside the control of the programme. The achievement of aims depends on whether or not assumptions hold true and the risks do not materialize.

If cause and effect is the core concept of good programme design, necessary and sufficient conditions are the corollary. The sufficient conditions between the levels in the hierarchy of aims are the Assumptions. This is the external logic of the programme.

Assumptions and RisksAssumptions and Risks (cont’d)(cont’d)

When working on a programme, we make assumptions about the degree of uncertainty between different levels of aims. The lower the uncertainty that certain assumptions will hold true, the stronger the programme design. Any experienced manager will agree that the assumptions - the failing assumptions - can derail a programme as often as poorly executed outputs.

Assumptions and RisksAssumptions and Risks (cont’d)(cont’d)

Logframe demands that all hypotheses, assumptions and risks relevant to a programme are made explicit.

By implication, this then further demands that the appropriate action is considered (and if necessary taken) before problems materialise.– How important are the assumptions– How big are the risks– Should the programme be redesigned?– Should elements of the proposed programme

be abandoned?

ALGORITHM TO ASSESS EXTERNAL FACTORSALGORITHM TO ASSESS EXTERNAL FACTORS

Is the external factor important?

Yes No

Will it be realised?

(e.g. as the result of another project by external donor) Almost certainly Do not include in logical framework

Likely Include in logical framework as Assumption

(fourth column)

Unlikely Is it possible to redesign the country

Programme to influence the external factor?

Do not include in logical framework

yes NoRedesign the programme :

•add activities and/or results

•change programme purpose

The assumption is a “killer” assumption. From a technical point of view the programme is not feasible, unless the political authority finds a solution to get around the assumption or transform it into an acceptable assumption.

LOGFRAME MATRIX SERVES THE LOGFRAME MATRIX SERVES THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONSFOLLOWING FUNCTIONS

• A tool for planning a logical set of interventions

• A tool for appraising a Programme document

• A concise summary of the Programme • A tool for monitoring progress made

with regard to delivery of outputs and activities

• A tool for evaluating impact of Programme outputs, e.e. progress in achieving purpose and goal.

Thank you.