Introduction to the Logical Framework Approach - Stockholm ...

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Introduction to the LFAclearly related to the project activities), unclear managementresponsibilities (external factors outside the control of managers not statedas such - difficulties in assigning responsibilities for outcomes) andevaluations turned into an adversary process (evaluators used theirown judgement to assess projects, the results would rather become the basisfor arguments about what was desirable and undesirable instead of fosteringconstructive actions for project improvement).That the LFA has been conceptualised as an attempt to meet theseweaknesses can be clearly seen looking at the structure (and especially therationale behind it) of the LFA. The steps involved in an evaluation exerciseclosely follow the hierarchical objective structure of the project design. Byfollowing this systematic approach all aspects of the project’s achievementsare evaluated. Actual financial inputs are compared with the plannedfinancial inputs, the actual schedule and completion of activities is comparedwith the planned schedule and completion, indicators are reviewed to seehow activities were transformed into outputs, whether the immediateobjective has been achieved and whether the project has contributed to theachievement of the wider development objective. 57 As within a logframematrix it is clearly stated what a project wants to achieve and how (projectdesign) the focus of an evaluation lies now rather on the assessment of theseintended objectives and on the lessons learned.Readerthe LFA’s rolein evaluations2.7. SummaryThe LFA is an open set of tools for project design and management. It entailsan evolutionary, iterative analytical process and a format for presenting theresults of this process, which sets out systematically and logically the projector programme’s objectives and the causal relationships between them, toindicate how to check whether these objectives have been achieved and toestablish what external factors outside the scope of the project or programmemay influence its success. 58The LFA can be a frame to help logical work but it can’t be a substitute forthat work 59 . It consists of two phases: an analysis and a planning phase.Although the planning phase is based on the findings of the analysis phase,both phases may be applied not only once, but several times at differentstages of the project cycle with different depths of analysis and degree ofdetail. The same is true for the different set of tools available in each of thephases, e.g, stakeholder analysis, problem tree, objectives, indicators, etc.57 European Commission 1999, p. 64 ff.58 Commission of the European Communities, February 1993, p. 18.59 Gaspers, Des, p.77.42
Introduction to the LFAIt should be stressed that the LFA is not only a matrix, not a single workshop,but an approach applied throughout the GEF project cycle.The LFA starts with the profound analysis of an existing, undesiredsituation as a basis for later planning. What makes a situation undesirablehas to be analysed together with the stakeholder involved: during theanalysis phase representatives of the different stakeholders are broughttogether and consulted in order to be able to define the existing problems(first step of the analysis phase), to be able to later on analyse objectives onthat basis (second step of the analysis phase) and to finally analyse whatalternative project strategies exist (third step of the analysis phase).Stakeholders and projects affect each other – in positive or negative ways. Itis crucial to start identifying and analysing the relevant stakeholders, theirinterests, problems, potentials, etc. at an early stage to then integrate themaccordingly into the project design and management.The procedure for stakeholder analysis is quite undetermined and open.Stakeholder analysis is methodologically not integrated into the LFAsequence. The findings of the stakeholder analysis rather accompany the LFAprocess and can be pictured as a “transparency” that evolves throughout theLFA process and should at the same time be used as an overlay for furtherelaboration and crosschecking during all LFA stages.The main output of the LFA is the logframe matrix – it could also be calledthe final “product” of the LFA process. The matrix is being developed on thebasis of the LFA tools applied earlier during the analysis phase:Out of the strategy analysis (based on problem and stakeholder analysis andthe analysis of objectives) the different levels of objectives are beingtransposed into the first column of the matrix (project strategy).During the planning phase of the LFA it is further elaborated which externalfactors are crucial for the projects success (assumptions), where to find theinformation required to assess its’ success (indicators and sources ofverification) which means are required to achieve the project’s objectives andwhat the project will cost. On this basis resource and activity schedules canbe established.It is true that the logframe matrix is comprised of 16 “boxes”, but it is nottrue that establishing a logframe matrix means to “fill in the boxes”. Behindevery “box” stands careful analysis and logical reasoning that has to bepursued before filling in the boxes – which is only the final activity, a product- the summary of a longer process. LFA is not a matrix it is an approach.The quality of a project summary (presented in form of a matrix) alwaysdepends on the quality of the analysis work done before establishing thesummary.A logframe matrix provides a summary of the key information on a project.“Key information” means, that in general only the most important aspects arebeing included, without elaborating the operational details needed for furtherReader43
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