Measuring Conservation Impact Initiative
World Parks Congress
Durban, South Africa
September 8-18, 2003
Foundations of Success (FOS)
with
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Conservation International (CI)
funded by
The Moore Foundation
Topics
1. Provide a brief introduction to the work of Foundations of Success in general.
2. Describe the Measuring Conservation Impact (MCI) study.
3. Present some of the major lessons from that study.
4. Discuss current and future products.
Foundations of Success (FOS)Our Mission
To improve the practice of conservation by working with practitioners to develop and communicate tested knowledge about the conditions under which different conservation strategies and tools are effective.
FOS Objectives The “Foundations of Success”
Work with practitioners to:
1. Define clear and practical measures of conservation success.
2. Determine sound guiding principles for using conservation strategies and tools.
3. Develop and strengthen practitioner knowledge and skills in adaptive management.
Foundations of SuccessWhat do we do?
Learning Portfolios Adaptive management systems Neutral facilitation Training Applied research
Foundations of Success (FOS)
with
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Conservation International (CI)
funded by
The Moore Foundation
Measuring Conservation Impact (MCI) Initiative
Our Collective Inability to Define & Measure Conservation Impact Causes Many Problems
Difficulties in establishing priorities “Blind” management Obstacles to learning Problems in convincing donors and society
to support our work Many “competing” M&E approaches among
conservation organizations
Measuring Conservation Impact Review Objectives
Investigate history of M&E in various fields and synthesize lessons learned– Business & management
– Education & social services
– International development
– Public health
– Conservation
Develop framework for M&E in conservation Develop a database and computer-based decision tree for
conservation project indicators
M&E Publications Reviewed by Field (n > 350)
3559
76
52
99
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Business &Mngmt
Education &Soc Serv
InternationalDvlpmt
Public Health& Pop
Envt &Conservation
Pu
blic
atio
ns
Re
view
ed
70
80
90
100
Conservation Family Tree
ClassificationSystems
BiologicalSurveys
ComplianceMonitoring
Eco-Certification
Organic-Certification
State of Env’tMonitoring
NationalReport Cards
Strategic EnvAssessment
Biodiv ImpactAssessment
Scorecards
LogicalFramework
AdaptiveManagement
Project CycleMngmt
Results-Based Mngmt
LearningNetworks
RapidAssessments
Env ImpactAssessments
PrioritySetting
PopulationMonitoring
Social ImpactAssessments
Prototyping
LogicalFramework
EconomicProduction
Econ WelfareIndicators
1700
1900
1970
1980
1990
2000
MEASURING EFFECTI VENESSACCOUNTING &CERTIFI CATI ON
STATUS ASSESSMENTBASIC
RESEARCH
Business & Management Family Tree
1500
1900
1970
1980
1990
2000
PROCESS IMPROVEMENTACCOUNTING &CERTI FI CATION
BalancedScorecard
CostAccounting
Activity BasedCosting
Double-EntryBookkeeping
EngineeringStandards
Auditing byAccountants
ProcessCertification
ScientificMngmt
Total QualityMngmt
Managing forResults
Six Sigma
ProcessReengineering
PerformanceBenchmarking
LearningOrganization
Communityof Practice
OutcomeEvaluation
OperationsResearch
ReflectivePractice
SocialLearning
STATUSASSESSMENT
Stock MarketIndex
EconomicProduction
Econ WelfareIndicators
OutcomeEvaluation
AccountingStandards
PerformanceManagement Chaordic
Systems
SocialCertification
Soc. WelfareIndicators
Education & Social Services Family Tree
AptitudeTests
ExperimentalStudies
CurriculumEvaluation
Outcome &Process Eval
Written SchoolExams
StandardizedObjective Tests
IntelligenceTests
Quasi-Experimental
Criterion-Referenced Tests
Utilization-Focused Eval
Benchmarkingfor Schools
PerformanceMeasurement
EmpowermentEvaluation
Project CycleMngmt
ScientificMngmt
PerformanceBenchmarking
ReflectivePractice
SocialLearning
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESSSTATUS ASSESSMENT
1800
1900
1970
1980
1990
2000
Theory-basedEvaluationGoal-free
Evaluation
International Development Family Tree
LogicalFramework
Project CycleMngmt
ExploratoryApproach
ExplanatoryApproach
CulturalAppraisal
ParticipatoryM&E Participatory
Logframe
CapitalApproach Results-
Based Mngmt
ProjectCycle
Outcome &Impact Eval
1800
1900
1970
1980
1990
2000
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESSSTATUS ASSESSMENT
EconomicProduction
National DevlIndicators
SocialBenefit-Cost
EfficiencyEvaluationEnv Impact
AssessmentsSocial ImpactAssessments
Public Health Family Tree
DescriptiveStudies
OperationsResearch
PerformanceMonitoring
Project CycleMngmt
1600
1900
1970
1980
1990
2000
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESSSTATUS ASSESSMENT
InterventionStudies Watchdog
Monitoring
Logic Model
LogicalFramework
BASICRESEARCH
ObservationalStudies
ACCOUNTI NG &CERTIFICATION
Large-ScaleStdzd Survey
RapidAssessments
Health RiskAssessment
Health ImpactAssessment
EfficiencyEvaluation
SituationAnalysis
Results BasedManagement
Certification /Accreditation
LESSON #1: Different M&E Needs Require Different M&E Approaches
1. Status assessment
2. Measuring effectiveness
a) Impact assessmentb) Adaptive management
3. Accounting and certification (compliance)
4. Basic research
Examples of These Types ofM&E Needs in Conservation
1. Status Assessment – Present State“How are things doing overall?”
2a. Measuring Effectiveness (Impact assessment)“What is the likely or actual impact of an activity?”
2b. Measuring Effectiveness (Adaptive mgmt) “How can we get better at our work?”
3. Accounting and Certification“Are we meeting pre-determined standards?”
4. Basic Research“How do we advance the frontiers of knowledge?”
LESSON #2: Trend towards integrating M&E into the broader project cycle
LESSON #2: Trend towards integrating M&E into the broader project cycle
LESSON #2: Trend towards integrating M&E into the broader project cycle
LESSON #2: Trend towards integrating M&E into the broader project cycle
LESSON #2: Trend towards integrating M&E into the broader project cycle
ImplementManagement &
MonitoringPlans
D
Develop aMonitoring
Plan
C
Develop aManagement Plan:Goals, Objectives,
& Activities
B
Start
Clarify Group'sMission
Iterate
Use Results toAdapt & Learn
EDevelop
ConceptualModel Basedon Local SiteConditions
A
AnalyzeData and
CommunicateResults
E
The AMProjectCycle
Lesson #3: Good M&E considers the context
Site A Site B
Which Site is Better Conserved?
Site A Site B
Lesson #3: Good M&E considers the context
Which Site is Better Conserved?
Site A Site B
Lesson #3: Good M&E considers the context
Which Site is Better Conserved?
LESSON #4: Good M&E tests assumptions
Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact
Humanorganization,financial, and
materialresources
Coordination,training, and
programmatictasks
Theimmediateproduct of
projectactions
Intermediateresult brought
about byprojectoutputs
Ultimateresult
attributed tocombinationof outcomes
achieved
Process Results
Generic impact chain
LESSON #4: Good M&E tests assumptions
Sustainableagriculturetechniques
Increaseyield/unit
labor
Reducedarea-planted
Reduceddeforest-
ation
Activity Output Outcome Impact
# of farmerswho adopttechniques
Outcome
Sample impact chain – sustainable agriculture
LESSON #5: Good M&E is diagnostic
Precisechain
Well-executedproject
Desiredresults
Used todesign
Leads to
Precisechain
Poorly-executedproject
Desiredresults
Does notlead to
Imprecisechain
Well-executedproject
Desiredresults
Does notlead to
ImpreciseChain
Poorly-executedproject
Desiredresults
Does notlead to
SUCCESS!
THEORY FAILURE
IMPLEMENTATION FAILURE
TOTAL FAILURE!
Used todesign
Used todesign
Used todesign
1. Different M&E needs require different M&E approachesa. Status assessmentb. Effectiveness measurementc. Accounting and certificationd. Basic research
2. For project management, evaluation should be integrally situated within the project cycle
Where do we go from here? Review of some lessons from the MCI project
Where do we go from here? Review of some lessons from the MCI project
3. Good M&E considers the context
4. Good M&E is predictive- Considers causal links
5. Good M&E is diagnostic – Tells why something did or did not work
Products From MCI Work
“Evolutionary” trees and synthesis of approaches in different fields
Archival database of M&E resources from all fields, including conservation
Synthesized framework (problem statement, lessons, and principles) for conservation
Interactive indicator decision tree and database
Available at…
www.FOSonline.org