TNC Follow-up
Monitoring and Evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluation is a tool which aims to assess the achievement of the past, and draw lessons for the future. It involves a comprehensive methodological approach which should always be implemented at the end of the project.
Evaluation grid for cooperation
In addition to this ‘ex-post’ evaluation, more and more projects are recognising the benefits from ‘ongoing evaluation’ during a project’s implementation. Ongoing evaluation helps to ensure that the monitoring data is used in the best possible and timely way.
Evaluations often include a qualitative analysis of the project’s: outputs in social, economical, and environmental terms (relevance and impact); method of implementation and partnership performance (effectiveness, efficiency); and future prospects or mainstreamed outcomes (sustainability).
Evaluation information can be collected through analysing monitoring reports and/or by consulting different stakeholders involved in the TNC project.
Evaluation is normally carried out externally by independent evaluators and evaluation should always seek to explore the added-value and synergies gained from TNC processes. These may be both hard and/or soft outcomes.
Evaluation findings can be used as a communication tool. The results of a TNC project evaluation can be used to demonstrate to the local population, the financial partners and to the press, the actual benefits of a European project. Such a presentation may also take the form of organising an event, together with your transnational partner(s) visiting your area.
The ‘final event’ of a TNC project should present information from the evaluation about your TNC project outcomes and underscore the current and anticipated impacts. This should include highlighting the added-value gained in each participating area.
The following table helps to summarise differences between monitoring and evaluation.
| Monitoring (management tool) | Evaluation (assessment tool) | Evaluation (communications tool) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Function | Operational project management. | Strategic aspects, project implementation method. | Concrete results and added value of TNC. |
| Objectives | To identify and resolve implementation problems. To assess progress towards objectives |
To assess outcomes, impact, added value. To promote successes and lessons learned. |
To promote TNC. To make people aware of the benefits of joint European action, specifically of TNC projects |
| Target Group | Project management. | Project stakeholders. | Project stakeholders, local population. |
| Responsibilities; | Lead partner: coordination. Other partners: participation, gathering of indicators. | Lead partner: coordination. Other partners: gathering of information and dissemination. | Lead partner and other partners. |
It is extremely important to establish and implement these monitoring and evaluation process from the moment you start writing the project road-map/application form. Only if you follow purposeful pre-defined indicators can your monitoring and evaluation provide meaningful support to the objectives of your TNC project.
