Action Monitoring for Effectiveness

The action monitoring for effectiveness (aMe) approach focuses on decentralising responsibility for monitoring to those with a vested interest in change for the better. It aims to improve project effectiveness in the short term.

There are several basic considerations to help ensure that monitoring is efficient and useful. Lack of careful advanced planning may result in collection of meaningless data or the production of reports that are never used. Detailed planning at the outset, with all parties, will help ensure the impact of the monitoring work to the satisfaction of community groups and service providers. The aMe approach:

• promotes monitoring to solve problems, address 'real' concerns or build on strengths
• emphasises the need for consultation with users and service managers
• defines indicators based on a knowledge of problems faced, 'real' concerns or objectives and targets
• stresses the need to keep monitoring simpleand cheap ? use simple indicators, limit their number, target the monitoring
• focuses on the collection, analysis and use of data by individuals or groups at the lowest practical level
• limits information flow to what is 'needed' for referral or use at higher levels
• promotes the extensive use of checks and balances to maintain transparency
• emphasises the need to plan for the use of monitoring information from the beginning and plan for the orientation and training of those involved

aMe follows six steps for establishing a monitoring system:

1. Identify key issues, problems and concerns
2. Define indicators and criteria
3. Who collects or checks? Are extra checks needed? By whom?
4. Collecting data, analysing data, reporting
5. Who acts? What action?
6. Provide training or orientation

More information can be found in the IRC publication on aMe: Action Monitoring for EffectivenessKathleen Shordt. Illustrations by Marjan Bloem (2000)