Navigating Uncharted Waters

Project Monitoring at Cida

Abstract

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has employed external monitors for many years to assist in measuring the performance of its projects. At first, this role was one of surveillance, with monitors expected to keep a distance from the implementing organizations. Today, in keeping with international trends in monitoring and evaluation, the monitoring role is, in theory, more participatory and improvement-oriented, requiring of monitors a different set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The role is nevertheless poorly defined, open to individual interpretation and made even more challenging when the monitoring involves measuring performance in relation to cross-cutting themes such as gender equality. This article presents many of the challenges inherent in monitoring and makes a case for a participatory approach aimed at learning and at program improvement. The authors call upon the evaluation community to undertake research and scholarly discourse in this area to guide successful practice.