Monitoring and Evaluation of
Health Programs
Chapter III:
M&E Culture – A culture of
information use
HU,CHMS,EH
November, 2015
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M&E Culture – A culture of information
use
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Session Objectives

After completing this session, participants will be
able to:

Describe characteristics of a good information use/M&E
culture in an organizational setting

Identify constraints to information use
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Outline of presentation

A culture of M&E: What it is

Informed decision making


Determinants

Conceptual framework
Constraints of informed decision making
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What it is

M&E culture can be defined as organizational
commitment towards the use of processes
and outputs of M&E activities in the decisionmaking process.

Related concept

Culture of informed decision making

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Monitoring and evaluation systems are the primary sources
of locally relevant information for decision making.
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What it is cont…

Evaluation culture also includes how evaluation
activities are considered by key stakeholders in
a particular context

How do stakeholders perceive the importance of using
program data for decision making?

What is the primary purpose of collecting data through
different mechanisms

Who gets involved in M&E activities

How are M&E results shared among stakeholders

How are processes and results utilized
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What it is cont…

Organizations with good culture of
evaluation/information use

establish formal procedures to link planning and
implementation decisions with information
generated by the program

make appropriate investment to access available
information and/or generate additional good
quality program related information

build the capacity of staff on utilization of
information for decision making
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Importance

A good culture of evaluation/information use
in an organization ensures appropriate
decision making.
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Determinants of appropriate
decision making

Two important factors determine the quality
of decisions happening in healthcare
organizations:

Demand for/use of information


request for and use of information for decision making
by program managers and implementers
Supply of Data

availability of good quality (accurate, timely and
complete) information for action
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Source:
Measure Evaluation
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Data Demand

When do we say that data is demanded?

Evidences of data demand are very related to those
for information use but demand alone can not
guarantee use for decision making

Two important points define data demand
 Decision
makers explicitly define what type of data
they want to inform their decisions
 Decision
makers proactively seek those data
elements.
Source: Measure Evaluation
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Information use

When do we say that there is information
use?

Decision makers/stakeholders explicitly consider
most appropriate information in one or more
steps in the process of



Policymaking
Program planning and management
Service provision
Source: Measure Evaluation
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Supply of Data

Refers to

The availability of data based on which
meaningful information can be generated

The quality of data available

Accessibility of data when needed
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Conceptual Framework – informed decision
making
Source: Measure Evaluation
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Supply of quality information
Information use culture: Possible
situations in different organizations
Good quality
information
available but
rarely used
Poor quality
information, that
rarely gets used
Appropriate
decisions
informed by the
right information
Better
decisions
Poor quality
information
leading to
wrong decisions
Demand for/use of information for decision
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Supply of quality information
Information use culture: Relationship
with appropriateness of strategies
Deviations from the right
strategy with lack of timely
correction
Timely corrective actions resulting
in maximum implementation of
correct strategies leading to
success
Target
Ideal
course of
action
Actual
practice
Deviations from the right
strategy with lack of accurate
information to take corrective
actions
Decisions informed with wrong
or inadequate information
leading to persistent
deviation from the
right strategy
Demand for/use of information for decision
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What determines the demand and
supply of information for decision?

Three categories of determinants affect both
the demand/use and supply of information for
decision making
Technical
 Organizational
 Individual Behavioral

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Technical Determinants

The availability of

a sound technical design for collection, analysis
and use of data at all levels of a health system

well-trained people to accomplish designed
activities to supply and use data

clear norms and standards guiding the
implementation of designed activities/strategies
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Organizational Determinants

Refer to situations in an organization that
potentially affect the production of good
quality data and their utilization

Include




Clarity of organizational objectives
The responsibility of individuals in relation to
information processing and utilization
Intra and inter organization communication
The presence of political barriers to information
sharing
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Behavioral determinants

Healthcare is a complex system in which the
human element plays a vital role.

The fulfillment of technical and organizational
factors alone can ensure neither the supply nor
the use of data for decision making

Individual behavioral factors include:
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
Motivation

Attitudes

Values
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Further readings and references
(1)
MEASURE Evaluation, 2006. Data Demand
and Information Use in the Health Sector:
Conceptual Framework
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