[/tab] [tab title=”What are activities?”] ‘Activities’ in the Logical Framework matrix are actions scheduled to be carried out by the project organisation and intended to deliver the ‘results’ – i.e. the services required by the beneficiaries. ‘Activities’ are usually expressed as an action.
[/tab] [tab title=”What are assumptions?”] ‘Assumptions’ are significant external factors which could affect the progress or success of the project, but over which the project management has no direct control. ‘Assumptions’ need to be identified at the levels of ‘activities’, ‘results’ and ‘project purpose’. ‘Assumptions’ should be formulated as positive inputs and must be monitored closely, as they are critical to the success of the project/programme. The difficulty lies in making the expertise linked to the assumption available during the project’s life cycle.
[/tab] [tab title=”What are objectively verifiable indicators (IOV’s)?”] During the execution of the project, one must be able to verify whether objectives have been reached and to what extent. One has thus to define, right from the identification phase, indicators to measure results and the project purpose. Quality indicators refer to the reduction of the existing perceived problem. Indicators are qualified as objectively verifiable because they should not rely on vague and subjective appreciations.
A complete OVI contains the following four aspects:
- Quality: a variable that describe exactly what will change or be delivered.
- Quantity: How much of the quality will be changed or delivered.
- Target group: by whom or for whom will the change or service be realised?
- Time: When will the change or service be realised?.
[/tab] [tab title=”What does Means of verification (MoV) signify?”] The means of verification, or source of verification (3rd column in the Logframe) tell us where the objectively verifiable information can be obtained. Typically, these are surveys, questionnaires, hospital registers, statistical findings etc.
[/tab] [tab title=”What is a Gantt Chart?”] A Gantt chart or chronogramme is a chart which makes visual all the activities and assigns responsibilities to those involved in activities, shows the beginning and end of each activity (usually according to calendar months). Gantt charts are a project planning tool that can be used to represent the timing of tasks required to complete a project. Because Gantt charts are simple to understand and easy to construct, they are used by most project managers for all but the most complex projects.
In a Gantt chart, each task takes up one row. Dates run along the top in increments of days, weeks or months. The expected time for each task is represented by a horizontal bar whose left end marks the expected beginning of the task and whose right end marks the expected completion date. Tasks may run sequentially, in parallel or overlapping. As the project progresses, the chart is updated by filling in the bars to a length proportional to the fraction of work that has been accomplished on the task. This way, one can get a quick reading of project progress by drawing a vertical line through the chart at the current date. Completed tasks lie to the left of the line and are completely filled in. Current tasks cross the line and are behind schedule if their filled-in section is to the left of the line and ahead of schedule if the filled-in section stops to the right of the line. Future tasks lie completely to the right of the line. In constructing a Gantt chart, keep the tasks to a manageable number (no more than 15 or 20) so that the chart fits on a single page. Based on the chart, a detailed budget can be made: horizontally per activity and vertically per month.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What is a Logical Framework Matrix?”]
The Logical Framework matrix is a visually oriented planning tool that uses four rows and four columns. The project purpose, results activities and corresponding assumptions and ‘pre-conditions’ of an intervention are presented in the 1st and 4th columns. The 2nd and 3rd columns are used to specify the objectives mentioned in the 1st column with objectively verifiable indicators and means of verification. The presentation within the matrix can be modified by placing the results next to each other in the 1st column, and the corresponding ‘indicators’ and list of ‘activities’ underneath each ‘result’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What is a management matrix?”]
A management matrix is a Logical Framework that provides information on HOW to strengthen an implementing agency for the execution of a plan (WHAT). The beneficiaries in a management matrix are e.g. the staff in the organisation and the management purpose should reflect the satisfaction of the staff in terms of an enhanced professional organisation, for example. The ‘overall objectives’ focus on effective and efficient implementation.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What is the difference between project purpose and immediate objectives?”]
LogFrame jargon uses many different terms with slightly different meanings. ‘Immediate objectives’ imply the involvement of a time-factor and are distinct from ‘long-term objectives’. The LogFrame, however, is constructed on the basis of cause-effect and not on a time sequence.
Another difference is that the ‘project purpose’ is formulated from the point of view of the beneficiaries themselves, while (immediate) ‘objectives’ can be formulated by someone else (the suppliers). This may explain why ‘project purpose’ is kept in the singular and ‘immediate objectives’ is formulated in the plural.
Although ‘immediate objectives’ are supposed to provide information on the ‘project purpose’, in proposals they often describe several objectives that are in fact ‘results’ or ‘activities’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What kind of objectives are overall objectives?”]
The ‘project purpose’ contributes to the ‘overall objectives’, which can be numerous. ‘Overall objectives’ are objectives that describe why the project is IMPORTANT to the beneficiaries, the village, the society, the region, the country, the government, the donor, etc. These objectives often reflect the policy of the government and/or the donor, and as such justify their commitment to the project.
‘Overall objectives’ are often synonymous with political statements.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What kind of objectives are results?”]
‘Results’ describe objectives in terms of the services, products, or deliverables that the beneficiaries will receive from the implementing agency under the terms of the project. Examples of results are ‘reduced health risks; ‘guaranteed access to drinking water’; competitive pricing guaranteed’; ‘land rights secured’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”What kind of objectives fall under the heading project purpose (definition)?”]
The ‘project purpose’ must be an objective that is of clear benefit to the beneficiaries. The ‘project purpose’ covers not only the supply of ‘services’ but also the utilisation of ‘services’. In other words the ‘project purpose’ must express clearly WHY the beneficiaries NEED the project/programme. The beneficiaries are solely responsible for achieving the ‘project purpose’ and must be able to use the ‘results’ delivered by the project to do so. In other words, the project is deemed to have fulfilled its responsibilities as soon as the ‘results’ have been delivered. Examples of well-formulated purposes include for example ‘Improved performance of the beneficiaries’; ‘increased income of the beneficiaries’; ’empowed beneficiaries’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Why are results ranked in importance?”]
In terms of budget, time or human resources, it may not be feasible to deal with every single ‘result’. This means that ‘results’ need to be prioritised on the basis of their contribution to achieving the ‘project purpose’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Why do you sometimes see the results placed underneath each other in a LogFrame?”]
The structure of the LogFrame is four rows by four columns. In the first column, the intervention logic is formulated by means of placing the ‘overall objectives’ in the top cell, the ‘project purpose’ in the cell below, and the ‘results’ in the cell below that. The bottom cell contains the ‘activities’. The 2nd and 3rd columns are used to specify the objectives with ‘indicators’ and means of verification. The presentation of the objectives in the matrix can be modified by placing the ‘results’ next to each other in the 1st column, and the corresponding ‘indicators’ and list of ‘activities’ underneath each of the ‘results’.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Why does the LogFrame only have one project purpose?”]
The principle of the Logical Framework matrix is that results plus corresponding assumptions lead to the project purpose. The key value of the LogFrame, in development terms, is the fact that the plan as visualised by the LogFrame focuses on one ‘project purpose’ only, and preferably one specific beneficiary group. Such a focused approach enhances the effectiveness and success of the plan and creates the synergy required to help people help themselves to resolve difficult situations. The designing of a plan therefore starts with the identification of the beneficiaries and determination of the services vital to their survival.
[/tab]
[/accordion]