THE LOGICAL

FRAMEWORK
APPROACH
Keerti Bhusan Pradhan
keerti@aravind.org

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 LFA
Developed in response to poor
planning and monitoring of
Development projects
The first logical framework developed
for USAID at the end of 1960s
GTZ was responsible for the
development of ZOPP or Zielorientierte
Projekt Planung
NORAD made a significant contribution
in 1990 with their handbook

LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIX

KEY FEATURES OF
LOGFRAME 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 framework

Intervention Logic
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.

Cause-effect relationship among

objectives at several levels
Goal
Purpose
Outputs
Activities
Inputs

under full control of

project management
beyond control of
project management

Summary of the logical framework

Assumptions and Preconditions

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.

Summary of the logical framework

Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVI)
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.
Activities (Inputs)

Goods, people and services necessary to

undertake the activities

Summary of the logical framework

Means of verification (MOV)
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.

Objectively Verifiable Indicators

Indicators must be valid, reliable, precise, costeffective 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?) -

Quantity (how much?)

Time (when, how long?) - T

Target Group (who?)
Place (where?)

- T

Objectively 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

Matrix (contd)
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
LOGFRAME MATRIX:
MEANS 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 ifthen 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 logic

Aims measured by indicators

through information collected
and presented in specified
means of verification

THE LOGIC OF A PROGRAMME:

A SET OF LINKED HYPOTHESES
then

if
then

if

GOAL
PURPOSE
OUTPUTS
ACTIVITIES

then

if

PLAN DOWNWARDS
PLAN DOWNWARDS
Goal

Assumptions

Purpose
Assumptions
Outputs
Assumptions
Activities
Assumptions
Inputs

AND THEN
THINK UPWARDS

THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK

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

ASSUMPTIONS 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 Risks

(contd)

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 Risks

(contd)

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 FACTORS

Is the external factor important?
No

Yes

Will it be realised?
Do not include in logical
framework
(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 Assum

(fourth column)

Unlikely

Is it possible to redesign the country

Programme to influence the external factor?

yes

No

The assumption is a killer

assumption. From a technical point
add activities and/or results of view the programme is not
feasible, unless the political
change programme purpose authority finds a solution to get
around the assumption or transform
Redesign the programme :

LOGFRAME MATRIX SERVES THE

FOLLOWING 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.