MONITORING

Monitoring Glossary

Assumptions and Assumptions are external or internal considerations, events or

Risks factors that should reflect the risks likely to influence the
achievement of intended results for the operation to provide
the desired outcomes, and if relevant the mitigation actions
that WFP adopts to offset these risks. Assumptions should be
stated in positive language.

Baseline Measurement of the situation at the outset of a new

intervention/activity, to allow a before-and-after assessment
of change.
Corporate Results The Corporate Results Framework details outcomes and
Framework (CRF) outputs relating to the Strategic Plan (2017-2021) and lays out
the results and indicators WFP will use to monitor and report
on its programmes and its management performance. It also
gives Country Offices tools for measuring WFP’s contribution
towards national SDG targets.

Country Strategic A CSP defines WFP's entire portfolio of assistance within a

Plan (CSP) country and specifies the strategic outcomes WFP helps to
achieve. It is designed for a period of up to five years and
informed by a country-led Zero Hunger Strategic Review, and
in-country evidence, such as national plans, analyses,
assessments, evaluations and consultations. CSP Strategic
Outcomes, outputs and activities should be aligned with those
of WFP partners.

Evaluation A systematic, impartial, and evidence-based performance

assessment of WFP’s activities, operations, strategies and
policies.

Financial As one of the four pillars of the IRM, the Financial Framework
Framework Review Review maximizes operational effectiveness through realistic
financial planning, enhanced accountability, streamlined
processes and harmonized financial and results frameworks. It
delivers a country portfolio budget structure that
demonstrates the relevance, performance and impact of
WFP’s work.

Impact Long-term positive or negative, intended or unintended results

produced by WFP’s interventions. Impact is measured through
evaluations.
Indicator Quantitative or qualitative factor or variable that provides a
reliable means to measure achievement or to reflect the
changes connected to a WFP operation.

Integrated Road An integrated approach which helps WFP to design better

Map (IRM) programmes aligned with national priorities to serve people
more effectively and efficiently and support governments. The
IRM introduces a new corporate architecture that strengthens
WFP's core business of saving lives in an emergency response
and will allow the organization to design and deliver coherent
portfolios, instead of the current project-based approach. The
IRM is comprised of the WFP Strategic Plan (2017–2021),
Country Strategic Plans, the Financial Framework Review and
the Corporate Results Framework (2017–2021).

Logical Framework A management tool used to improve the design of

(logframe) interventions. For WFP, it involves identifying planning
elements (activities, outputs and outcomes) and defining their
cause-effect relationships, along with the selection of
indicators, and the risks and assumptions that may influence
the success of the project/programme.

Millennium 8 goals that were effective from 2000-2015, calling for a

Development Goals better world with less poverty, hunger and disease.
(MDGs)

Minimum Standard requirements related to monitoring coverage,

Monitoring baselines, data collection and sampling that all country offices
Requirements should take into account when planning their monitoring
activities.
Outcomes Medium-term changes in the population due to WFP
assistance. For instance, tracking how the assisted households’
share of expenditure on food changes over time.

Outcome Measurement of changes in the population due to WFP

monitoring assistance, i.e. the degree of achievement of the Country
Strategy Plan’s medium-term objectives resulting from the
operation’s outputs. For instance, tracking how the assisted
households’ share of expenditure on food changes over time.

Outputs Immediate or short-term goods and services that WFP

interventions directly produce, such as the number of
beneficiaries reached, the quantity of food/value of cash-
based transfers made and the number of assets completed
(e.g., number of kilometres of roads constructed, number of
trees planted, etc.). They are specific, tangible, and therefore
easy to measure.

Output monitoring Measures the targeted assistance delivered, such as the

number of beneficiaries reached, the quantity of food/value
of cash based transfers made and the number of assets
completed (e.g., number of kilometres of roads constructed,
number of trees planted, etc.).

Process monitoring Continuous monitoring of the implementation of the operation

in the field. Things to examine include (1) how well activities
are implemented in the field; (2) how compliant WFP offices
are with WFP guidelines and agreements contracted with
partners; and (3) how accurate is information reported in
partner and service provider reports.
Project Cycle A cycle that includes the phases of project design and
planning, implementation and review and evaluation. The
final phase, review and evaluation, leads back to the first
phase, project design.

Results Describable and measurable changes in state or condition that

are derived from a cause-effect relationship.

Results-Based A commonly known approach for development project

Management management where the use of monitoring data supports
management throughout the project cycle.

Results Chain The standard results chain of an operation outlines the

hierarchy of a logic model: goal (impact), outcome, outputs,
activities and inputs, with a clear logical link between each
step.

Review A periodic or ad hoc assessment of the performance of a

programmatic intervention, or a specific aspect of a program
intervention, intended to inform operational decision-making
and/or learning.

Sustainable 17 interconnected goals that came into effect in 2016, calling

Development Goals for universal action to end poverty, protect the planet and
(SDGs) ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Target Desired level of performance to be accomplished within a
specific period and are what is used to measure a specific
indicator value or a trend.

WFP Standard The SOPs for Monitoring describe common procedures for
Operating monitoring WFP Country Strategic Plans and suggest proposed
Procedures for timing and responsibilities for each of the eight steps included
Monitoring (SOPs) in the WFP CSP monitoring cycle.

WFP Strategic Plan The plan provides a conceptual framework for a new planning
(2017-2021) and operational structure that enhances WFP’s contribution to
country efforts to achieve the SDGs. The ultimate goal of the
Strategic Plan is to support countries to end hunger.

WFP’s Normative WFP’s monitoring policy and guidelines that act as the
Framework for standard or norm for what WFP considers best practice or the
Monitoring correct way of doing monitoring.