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282 5. Identify key components of the systems - there are no agreed upon core areas/components that a system should constitute. To be able to meet the standards in the definition of what the M&E system is and does, the system should include details discussed in Focus Box 1: 6. Work out the M&E proposal – this involves working out a detailed proposal on how monitoring and evaluation will be done. Detailed work required will vary, depending on how the M&E system has Focus Box 1: Parts of the M&E System 1. Theory of change and hierarchy of objectives - this spells-out how desired change for an intervention to be monitored and evaluated is conceptualised and is hoped to be realised. The hierarchy of objectives (then the log-frame matrix) is the starting point of developing the M&E matrix, the heart of the M&E system. The M&E matrix is a table describing the performance questions, information gathering requirements, including indicators, reflection and review events with stakeholders and resources and activities required to implement functional M&E systems. It lists how data will be collected, when, by whom and where (IFAD, 2002). 2. Implementation and monitoring plan (M&E) – this is a plan describing how and when activities to be monitored will be implemented and the expected outputs and immediate outcomes expected as a result of the activities. 3. M&E matrix – is the heart of M&E. it is important to add more information to the table to make it more robust, such as baseline data, milestone for monitoring and evaluation, targets set for each activity, assumptions associated with each activity, designs to be used, data source (sample), and the person responsible. 4. Indicator tracking table – is a table that tracks progress of the indicators included in the M&E matrix. It is often used for quantitative indicators, yet it can also be used to track qualitative indicators. To successfully use qualitative indicators, practitioners need to scale the adjective upon which more information is obtained from participants/stakeholders. For example, a qualitative indicator would be “assessment of stakeholders on the quality of implementation”. It would be better to scale this from 0 = not happy to 5 = very happy. This scale should be accompanied with detailed qualitative narratives to justify the choice of the adjective. This method is based on the semi-quantitative interpretive framework. 5. Core M&E and cross-cutting issues matrix – this is a table that describes the core questions of evaluation e.g., impact, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, utility and governance. In addition, it describes cross-cutting issues such as gender, poverty and participation. It includes associated performance questions, information needs, data collection tools and persons responsible, mostly external consultants. 6. Data collection plan – this shows tools/methods to be used and linked to either objectives, performance questions or indicators. It shows when data will be collected using a particular tool and the person responsible. The matrices discussed above already contain this information but it helps contextualise data collection. 7. Communication strategy – this identifies the audiences that require information in the project, what information they need, why they need it, when they need it, what communication format they prefer to be communicated with and the person responsible. 8. Critical reflection and learning plan – this details specific events that the project will deliberately use to reflect and learn. It describes who is to be involved, any training or capacity building required to make the reflection event successful and the person responsible. 9. M&E Conditions and capacities plan – it details the conditions and capacities needed to make M&E effective. This may include staff, equipment, financial and others supporting structures.