Transcript Objectives and Indicators for MCH Programs • Why discuss MCH program objectives?

Objectives and Indicators for
MCH Programs
• Why discuss MCH program objectives?
– How will you know if you are successful if
you don’t identify what you want to do?
– There are always limited resources
– Clear objectives are often a donor requirement
– Developing appropriate and useful objectives
is not always simple or intuitive...
– Note -- they are NOT a substitute for “doing
the right thing” ( based on needs assessment)
Objectives and Indicators
• Session purposes
– Promote an understanding of the importance of
good objectives and indicators, and their
contribution to effective program management
– Provide or refine skills needed to develop MCH
program objectives
Objectives and Indicators
• Session objectives -- by the end of the
session, participants should be able to:
– explain the terms “goal,’ “objective,”
“indicator” and “target”
– describe the characteristics of objectives and
indicators that are useful for program
management
– write a “smart” objective for the country
project and state its corresponding indicator
Program effects flow chart how program efforts contribute to the program’s goals
Processes
Inputs
Causality
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
Processes
Inputs
Objectives
Activities
Outputs
Outcomes
Results
• Any action, funded or unfunded,
undertaken to achieve a
program result
• Assignments, tasks, stuff we do
to achieve our objectives!
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
• Objectives can include anything that is clearly intended to
be achieved through the program or project
• Output level objectives are those resulting from first order
activities
• Impact level objectives refer to the desired long-term or
ultimate result
• Intermediate objectives that fall somewhere between these
two are usually referred to as outcomes - also known as
“effects”
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Results
• Output level objectives are those that result from activities
-- things your program does
– In most instances don’t represent population change
– Important area for program/project monitoring
• Frequently “bean counting”
– Useful for program management purposes
– And -- donors may hold you accountable for the beans
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
• Impact and outcomes are…
– Changes in the condition of a program participant or
changes in conditions that affect a participant: results
• Whether an objective is a impact or outcome depends on its causality
– Impact describes the long-term results
– Outcomes describe the immediate effects on participants
• The ability of a program to produce results (i.e., outcomes, impact, or
both) depends on your resources, program duration, and many, many
social, economic and cultural conditions that affect participants in the
program
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
• Objectives should be the highest order objectives for which
you can be held accountable
• They should be S M A R T :
–
–
–
–
–
S - simple
M - measurable (in the program setting)
A - attainable and appropriate (technically correct, important)
R - realistic
T - time-limited
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
• Let’s consider this objective...
The project willl improve the understanding of
mothers about the importance of oral
rehydration therapy and the need to obtain
immunizations for their children.
Impact
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
Let’s try again….
By the end of the project, 80% of children aged
12-24 months in the project area will have
completed their basic immunizations
Program effects flow chart
Processes
Inputs
Activities
What else is needed?
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
Identify the indicators for
each objective
Program effects flow chart
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
• Indicators…
– Answer the question, “How will we measure
what we have achieved?”
– Target a specific level of achievement
What is the indicator for this objective?
By the end of the project, 80% of children aged
12-24 months in the project area will have
completed their basic immunizations
Indicator::
The % of children aged 12-24 months in the
project area who have completed their basic
immunizations
• Who to involve in setting objectives and
indicators?
– The community, partners
– Project staff
– Others familiar with relevant
data
– Published literature, project
reports
Selecting
Indicators
• When?
– Iterative - As work on program development proceeds
– Check feasibility before finalizing
• It’s OK to revise objectives if rationale is provided
Practicality
• Are the data associated with the indicator
practical? Ask whether...
– Quality data are currently available
– The data can be procured on a regular and
timely basis
– Primary data collection, when necessary, is
feasible and cost-effective
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All of these contribute to the program goals -broad, long-term intended results
Processes
Inputs
Activities
Objectives
Outputs
Outcomes
Indicators
Impact
Final thoughts on the selection of objectives
and indicators
• Indicator quality presumes data
Use objectives for management
quality: be aware of the
—it’s the main reason we measure
limitations (regarding validity,
performance
reliability, and timeliness) of
your data
Take a practical approach—get
adequate information that is
available at a reasonable cost to
the program
• More indicators aren’t
necessarily better; you need
enough information to get an
honest reckoning
Indicators should make sense to a • Meaningful qualitative
development professional, but be
indicators are often okay and
understandable to interested
sometimes preferable
persons