Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Assessment Toolkit: User Guide
Chapel Hill: Measure Evaluation PIMA;USAID (2017), v, 74 pp.
ISBN 978-1-9433-6474-9
"The Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Assessment Toolkit (MECAT) is a set of tools that guide organizations1 through a process to assess their current monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity, identify gaps, and plan ways to strengthen their M&E systems. MECAT uses four methods and supporting tools in the assessment process: (1) a group assessment, (2) an individual assessment, (3) key informant interviews, and (4) a desk review. With this approach, organizations, national health programs, and subnational health teams can accurately assess program strengths and weaknesses and plan the steps needed to strengthen the M&E functions." (Introduction)
1. INTRODUCTION, 1
2. UNDERSTANDING THE METHODS AND TOOLS, 6
Group assessment, 7
Individual assessment, 9
Key informant interviews, 10
Desk review, 11
3. STRUCTURE OF THE ASSESSMENT, 12
Step 1: Identify the need for an M&E capacity assessment and decide who will lead the MECAT assessment, 13
Step 2: Identify and engage stakeholders in M&E for the targeted program, county, or organization, 13
Step 3: Initiate the desk review, 14
Step 4: Adapt the assessment tools, 14
Step 5: Initiate key informant interviews, 14
Step 6: Identify the MECAT facilitation team for the group assessment, 14
Step 7: Facilitate a group assessment workshop and conduct individual assessments, 15
Step 8: Analyze the findings, 16
4. USING THE FINDINGS, 22
5. RECENT APPLICATIONS, 24
6. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS AND TOOLKIT, 25
7. REFERENCES, 26
8. APPENDIXES, 28
Appendix A. Desk Review Guidance, 29
Appendix B. Key Informant Interview Guide, 30
Appendix C. MECAT Group Assessment Codebook, 34
Appendix D. MECAT Individual Assessment Codebook, 55
Appendix E. MECAT Group Assessment Analysis Plan, 57
Appendix F. MECAT Individual Assessment Analysis Plan, 65
Appendix G. M&E Capacity Assessment Workshop Sample Agenda, 72
2. UNDERSTANDING THE METHODS AND TOOLS, 6
Group assessment, 7
Individual assessment, 9
Key informant interviews, 10
Desk review, 11
3. STRUCTURE OF THE ASSESSMENT, 12
Step 1: Identify the need for an M&E capacity assessment and decide who will lead the MECAT assessment, 13
Step 2: Identify and engage stakeholders in M&E for the targeted program, county, or organization, 13
Step 3: Initiate the desk review, 14
Step 4: Adapt the assessment tools, 14
Step 5: Initiate key informant interviews, 14
Step 6: Identify the MECAT facilitation team for the group assessment, 14
Step 7: Facilitate a group assessment workshop and conduct individual assessments, 15
Step 8: Analyze the findings, 16
4. USING THE FINDINGS, 22
5. RECENT APPLICATIONS, 24
6. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS AND TOOLKIT, 25
7. REFERENCES, 26
8. APPENDIXES, 28
Appendix A. Desk Review Guidance, 29
Appendix B. Key Informant Interview Guide, 30
Appendix C. MECAT Group Assessment Codebook, 34
Appendix D. MECAT Individual Assessment Codebook, 55
Appendix E. MECAT Group Assessment Analysis Plan, 57
Appendix F. MECAT Individual Assessment Analysis Plan, 65
Appendix G. M&E Capacity Assessment Workshop Sample Agenda, 72
