How Oxfam monitors and evaluates its work
Oxfam GB monitors and evaluates its work in order to:
• Check progress against objectives and unexpected results;
• Learn from experience and adapt projects to optimise their impact
• Provide information and learning to stakeholders and be accountable for our actions and the resources we manage
This is done through six inter-linked processes. By using these in combination, checks can be made about the similarities and differences in the conclusions and learning coming from the different processes, and this makes Oxfam’s approach to assessing performance and impact more robust.
Annual Impact Reporting is the main process for bringing together a comprehensive overview of performance and impact of Oxfam’s programme in order to learn and contribute towards improved accountability.
It draws from ongoing monitoring of Oxfam’s programme work by both Oxfam partner organisations and Oxfam programme staff.
Oxfam field staff are responsible for producing annual impact reports on a sample of projects selected according to criteria set each year. Programme managers are responsible for the bigger picture, and they bring together the individual project reports and put them in the context of the wider programme incorporating lessons and analyses from the other M&E processes.
Facilitated reviews involve bringing in a trusted outsider to help an Oxfam team reflect on their experience, involving stakeholders as appropriate. The emphasis is on specific learning for the individual team, but it can also be useful to share this learning with other staff. So far Oxfam has undertaken only a few of these facilitated reviews.
Programme audits using a peer review process. This is a new way for Oxfam to give its programme staff a means of reflecting on the quality of a programme and its management. This process is still under development and has not yet been introduced across the organisation.
Strategic evaluations are more in-depth evaluations that are carried out by an experienced evaluation team, made up of both Oxfam staff and people from outside the organisation who bring an independent viewpoint to the evaluation.
Programmes and topics for strategic evaluations are selected on the basis of Oxfam’s organisational priorities, and in discussion with Oxfam stakeholders such as donors. These evaluations are intended to enable Oxfam to hold itself to account to these stakeholders. For example, in 2001/02 Oxfam undertook a review of its gender policy.
Long-term research has the wider purpose of helping us to understand our programme interventions in relation to the surrounding social and political environment.
These research projects monitor changes in people’s lives over time, and look for influencing factors, including the impact of Oxfam’s programme work.
Oxfam’s stakeholder survey is carried out annually (this is currently under review) across the organisation to listen to, reflect on and respond to our stakeholders’ views and concerns. Stakeholders include donors, partners and beneficiaries.
Seven questions about performance and impact
Each of the six processes should contribute to answering seven questions, which lie at the heart of Oxfam’s monitoring and evaluation framework:
1. What significant changes have occurred in the lives of poor women, men and children?
2. How far has greater equity been achieved between women and men and between other groups?
3. What changes in policies, practices, ideas, and beliefs have happened?
4. Have those we hope will benefit and those who support us been appropriately involved at all stages and empowered through the process?
5. Are the changes which have been achieved likely to be sustained?
6. How cost-effective has the intervention been?
7. To what degree have we learned from this experience and shared the learning?
