THE LOGICAL
FRAMEWORK
APPROACH
Keerti Bhusan Pradhan
keerti@aravind.org
What is LFA?
• LFA is a systematic planning
procedure for complete project
cycle management
• It is a problem solving approach
which takes into account the
views of all stakeholders
• It also agrees on the criteria for
project success and lists the
major assumptions
History of LFA
• Developed in response to poor
planning and monitoring of
Development projects
• The first logical framework developed
for USAID at the end of 1960’s
• GTZ was responsible for the
development of ZOPP or
Zielorientierte Projekt Planung
• NORAD made a significant
contribution in 1990 with their
handbook
LOGICAL FRAMEWORK MATRIX
Narrative
Summary
Verifiable
Indicators
(OVI)
GOAL
PURPOSE
OUTPUTS
ACTIVITIES
Inputs
Means of
Verification
(MOV)
Important
Assumptions
KEY FEATURES OF
LOGFRAME MATRIX
The LOGFRAME MATRIX is a
participatory Planning, Monitoring &
Evaluation tool whose power depends
on the degree to which it incorporates
the full range of views of intended
beneficiaries and others who have a
stake in the programme design. It is
a tool for summarizing the key
features of a programme and is best
used to help programme designers
and stakeholders
Summary of the logical framework
Intervention Logic
• Goal
– The higher level objective towards which the
project is expected to contribute (mention
target groups)
• Purpose
– The effect which is expected to be achieved
as the result of the project.
• Outputs
– The results that the project management
should be able to guarantee (mention target
groups)
• Activities
– The activities that have to be undertaken by
the project in order to produce outputs.
Cause-effect relationship among
objectives at several levels
Goal
Purpose
Outputs
Activities
Inputs
under full control of
project management
beyond control of
project management
Summary of the logical framework
Assumptions and Preconditions
• Assumptions
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside the control of the project which must
prevail the goal.
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the achievement of the
purpose.
– Important events, conditions or decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the production of outputs.
– Important events, conditions, decisions
outside control of the project management
necessary for the start of the project.
Summary of the logical framework
Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVI)
• Goal
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the goal is fulfilled.
• Purpose
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the purpose is fulfilled.
• Outputs
– Measures (direct or indirect) to verify to what
extent the outputs are produced.
• Activities (Inputs)
– Goods, people and services necessary to
undertake the activities
Summary of the logical framework
Means of verification (MOV)
• Goal
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of goal level indicators.
• Purpose
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of purpose level indicators.
• Outputs
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of output level indicators.
• Activities
– The sources of data necessary to verify
status of activity level indicators.
Objectively Verifiable Indicators
• Indicators must be valid, reliable, precise,
cost-effective and stated independently
from other levels.
• Indicators should make clear how the
target group will benefit from the
realisation of outputs.
• Indicators should be specific in terms of:
– Quality (what?) -
Q
– Quantity (how much?)
-
– Time (when, how long?) - T
– Target Group (who?)
– Place (where?)
-
P
- T
Q
Objectively Verifiable Indicators
• The process of defining indicators forces us to
clarify our objectives. A good indicator at this
level is,
a. Plausible measuring what is important in
the project
b. Attributable measuring changes caused by
the project
c. Cost-effective involving data that may be
collected and analyzed inexpensively
d. Independent
not inherent to the project
e. Targeted how much.., what kind of.., by
when
f. Verifiable to reach agreement
Key Features of Logframe
Matrix (cont’d)
• Develop a common understanding of
the expectations of a programme by
delineating a hierarchy of aims;
• Define indicators of success and
establish criteria for monitoring and
evaluation;
• Define critical assumptions on which
the programme is based; and
• Identify means of verifying
programme accomplishments
CORE CONCEPT OF
LOGFRAME MATRIX:
MEANS AND END LOGIC
The main concept underlying the
Logical Framework is means and end.
The better the means and end
linkages between each level of aims,
the better the programme design.
By definition, each programme has a
“if-then” or “means-and-end” logic
embedded in it. If we produce certain
results under certain conditions, then
we can expect to achieve certain
other outcomes.
LogFrame-Horizontal logic
Aims measured by indicators
through information collected
and presented in specified
means of verification
THE LOGIC OF A PROGRAMME:
A SET OF LINKED HYPOTHESES
then
GOAL
PURPOSE
then
if
then
if
OUTPUTS
ACTIVITIES
if
PLAN DOWNWARDS
PLAN DOWNWARDS
Goal
Assumptions
Purpose
Assumptions
Outputs
Assumptions
Activities
Assumptions
Inputs
AND THEN
THINK UPWARDS
THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK
MATRIX
Clear statement of:
What we can accomplish
(outputs) and
The important results we expect
in the short to medium-term
(purpose) and in the long term
(goal)
Means of verification
The specific sources from which
the status of each of the
indicators can be ascertained
ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS
Assumptions and risks are external
conditions that are outside the control
of the programme. The achievement
of aims depends on whether or not
assumptions hold true and the risks do
not materialize.
If cause and effect is the core concept
of good programme design, necessary
and sufficient conditions are the
corollary. The sufficient conditions
between the levels in the hierarchy of
aims are the Assumptions. This is the
external logic of the programme.
Assumptions and Risks
(cont’d)
When working on a programme, we
make assumptions about the degree
of uncertainty between different
levels of aims. The lower the
uncertainty that certain assumptions
will hold true, the stronger the
programme design. Any experienced
manager will agree that the
assumptions - the failing assumptions
- can derail a programme as often as
poorly executed outputs.
Assumptions and Risks
(cont’d)
Logframe demands that all hypotheses,
assumptions and risks relevant to a
programme are made explicit.
By implication, this then further
demands that the appropriate action is
considered (and if necessary taken)
before problems materialise.
–
–
–
–
How important are the assumptions
How big are the risks
Should the programme be redesigned?
Should elements of the proposed
programme be abandoned?
ALGORITHM TO ASSESS EXTERNAL FACTORS
Is the external factor important?
No
Yes
Will it be realised?
Do not include in logical framework
(e.g. as the result of another project by external donor)
Almost certainly
Do not include in logical framework
Likely
Include in logical framework as Assumption
(fourth column)
Unlikely
Is it possible to redesign the country
Programme to influence the external factor?
yes
Redesign the programme :
•add activities and/or results
•change programme purpose
No
The assumption is a “killer” assumption.
From a technical point of view the
programme is not feasible, unless the
political authority finds a solution to get
around the assumption or transform it
into an acceptable assumption.
LOGFRAME MATRIX SERVES THE
FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS
• A tool for planning a logical set of
interventions
• A tool for appraising a Programme
document
• A concise summary of the Programme
• A tool for monitoring progress made
with regard to delivery of outputs and
activities
• A tool for evaluating impact of
Programme outputs, e.e. progress in
achieving purpose and goal.
Thank you.