Why and How should we focus on Results?

1. Why and How should we focus on Results? Susan Stout, Manager Results Secretariat OPCS November , 2006

2. Topics for Today • Why is it important to focus on results? • What do we mean by results ? • Characteristics of an effective monitoring system • Some Risks about Results

3. Why is it important to focus on Results? • Knowledge and Information is Power • For implementing agencies, for consumers/recipients • Countries are in the driver’s seat, results provide the steering wheel • Goal is to improve quality of management and decision making –When accountability to client/consumer is strong, results are strong • Learning is fundamental to ‘scaling up’ and easing absorptive capacity constraints • Money not useful, or used, without ideas and data on results • Donors more concerned with accountability and results than ever • Results Agenda • IDA 13 and IDA 14 Commitments

4. Encourages Managing for Development Results at all levels The Results Agenda • Country Pillar • Encourage countries to focus on results • Encourage use of donor resources to strengthen results management at country level • Strengthened statistical capacity • Work with other donors and country partners to help country better link resources to results • (Results / resource meetings replace traditional CG) Clients / Consumers ‘on the ground’ Local Government Civil Society & Private Sector • Bank Pillar • Strengthen Bank capacity to report and learn from Results • Strengthen focus on Results in country programming and portfolio management (lending and AAA) • Use Bank capacities and instruments to strengthen country capacity to collect and use information on Results State/Provincial Government • GlobalPillar • Collaborate with efforts to improve aid effectiveness across donor agencies • MDB Working Group on MfrDR • Joint Venture /OECD/ DAC • Biannual international meetings hosted by Bank Central Government Bank Management Regions / Networks Shareholders / Donors

5. Some general lessons on ‘Results’ • “M and E” recognized as strategic, but … • donors better at saying it is important than ‘how to do it’ • “Indicatory” – indicators only part of the problem – put in decision making context • Incentives matter ! Distinguish and balance “M and E” for reporting and for managing • – use to guide budgeting and planning • Need to focus on “Who is doing the learning” • Not just for reporting to donors, or to national level • Goal is to improve quality, relevance, effectiveness of project implementation - create added value

6. What do we mean by ‘Results’ ? • Results -- sustainable improvements in country outcomes • If the intervention is successful, what will be ‘the difference’ for the primary target group ? Examples -- • Children are learning more • Municipalities are more efficient • Firms are earning more • HIV transmission from IDU to general population reduced • Managing for results -- using information to improve decision-making and steer country-led development processes toward clearly defined goals • The ‘art’ of Results Management is defining outcomes that are meaningful to BOTH provider and client/consumer, are measurable in a credible way and are used in decision making

7. What are the characteristics of an effective monitoring system? • More than a list of ‘indicators’ ! • Clarity on who is going to use the information for what kinds of decision making • System is ‘usable’ for the level of decision making • Not every level needs every indicator ! • The system is ‘operational’ – clear on who is to collect and report what data by when and to whom • Where capacities for monitoring and evaluation are limited, how will they be established? • Improved capacities to collect and use information itself a ‘result’

8. Characteristics (2) • Use simplicity and common sense as guides • Better to do a few things well than all things perfectly • Strong link between what is measured and desired outcome • Some project outcomes are ‘inputs’ to others • Don’t try to solve all problems in one project • Qualitative data (e.g. of organizational/institutional change) as important as quantitative

9. RC  focuses on country program as a whole, a portfolio of activities; feeds into global learning Results Cycle and Project Cycle Projects are embedded in the RC Recurrent stages; many simultaneous processes Clear cut stages and processes

10. Risks and Results Management • Defining results without participation and ownership • Over promising on results – trying to deliver more than is feasible • Creating a ‘measurement bureaucracy’ • If what gets measured gets done, be sure about the validity of the measures • Volume does not equal effectiveness • Use independence and verification to reduce upward bias

11. How can Bank staff help? • Drive the design according to results • M and E not an ‘end of appraisal add on’ • Focus on defining PDO that • Is clear on who/what is the target group for the intervention • Is clear on what problem/behavior of this groups will be changed • Recognize the role of incentives to use in designing systems -- • Distinguish and balance “M and E” for reporting and for managing/learning • Who needs to learn about what is working • Who wins what if the indicator changes ? • Make sure there is capacity and time to get and communicate the data

12. Some closing thoughts • Most often cited reasons for weak ‘M and E’ • “nobody cares” • Remember that the ultimate consumer/target group does • Don’t approach as a problem for Bank accountability, rather for motivating greater responsiveness • No time, no resources to design and oversee • Remember that fiduciary responsibilities are means to an end – Results management is about making sure the end is in sight • Encourage comparisons of results achieved across implementing agencies – peer pressure works • Focus on defining and reporting on achievements, not just failure

13. www.managingfordevelopmentresults.org