Results-Based Management (RBM) * Concept * Principle * Result Chain

Outline of presentation Definition of RBM Principle of RBM Main analytical tool of RBM Result Result Chain and its elements 5 Links of Result Chain Indicator

Definition of RBM Results A participatory and team based approach for management designed to improve progromme and management effectiveness, efficiency accountability that focuses on achieving defined result. i.e. a management strategy focused on performance & achievement of: outputs, outcomes and impacts Results

Principle of RBM Decisions guided by evidence or the results of our work on those who are supposed to benefit * Simplicity: keeping it easy to understand and apply * Learning by doing: implementing projects iteratively with flexibility and refining as we go. * Broad Application: using RBM in all projects and programmes where feasible. * Partnership: collaborating and arriving at a common understanding with stakeholders. * Accountability: providing a work environment where accountability for delivering results is clear and shared. * Transparency: better sharing of information and reporting of results

Main analytical tool of RBM is Results chain. What is Result? A result is a describable or measureable change in state that is derived from a cause and effect relationship. This means that a result is a change that can be observed, described and measured in some way. The terms goals, purposes, outputs and outcomes are different levels of results. The results can be identified by the word “SMARTS” S= Specific M= Measurable A= Achievable R= Relevant T= Time bound S= Sustainable

What is the Result Chain? »The causal sequence in the planning of a development intervention that stipulates the possible pathways for achieving desired results beginning with the activities through which inputs are mobilized to produce specific outputs and culminating in outcome, impacts and feedback. Results Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact Short-term Medium-term Long-term TIMELINE

5 Links of Result Chain » Inputs: The financial, human and material resources used to implement activities » Activities: Work performed through which inputs such as funds, human,TA, material and other types of resources are mobilized to produce specific outputs (process indicator) » Output: short-term consequence of activities (almost entirely under the control of manager) » Outcome: medium-term consequence of an intervention’s outputs: it shows the effects outputs have at the level of the beneficiaries ( only partly under the control of the manager) » Impact: long-term higher-order result to which a programme is intended to contribute

Indicators and Targets »Indicator: what we decide to measure to get information about performance Indicators are available at all levels of the results chain ●Input and activity level: resources used and measures taken ( input/activities; e.g. what was the budget spent on teacher training) ●Output (►PSQL) level:… in order to produce short to medium-term results (e.g. how many teacher were trained) ●Outcome and impact (►KPI) level: measure the qualitative results of output on beneficiary level; e.g. attendance rate, repetition rate, survival to grade 5 »Target: The expected value of the performance indicator after a specified time period

Example of Indicators and Targets Activity Output Outcome Impact Short- to Medium term Medium to long term DESCRIPTION Training of SMCs to increase community involvement Trained SMC members using skills leamed in training Trained SMC members motivate parents to increase attendance Increasing attendance will mean pupils leam more and dropout and repeat less Higher attendance and lower repetition will improve completion More children completing school education society means a better INDICATOR Number of SMC members trained % Or numbers of SMC members using skills Attendance rate Repetition rate/ Dropout rate Completion rate % Of children who master specified competencies TARGET 3 members of each SMC trained by 2011 50% of SMC members using skills by 2011 Attendance rate rises by 2% year 2012 Repetition and dropout rates fall by 1% by 2013 Completion rate rises by 2% by 2015 Pupils who master specified competencies rises by 5% by 2018

Preconditions of RBM There is a process to monitor, plan and budget that enables inputs to be converted into desired results ►In Bangladesh: »At central level, this means that the AOP/ADP may shift resources according to performance- not always the case »AT local level, this means that UEOs can shift resources to priorities – not the case so far but Upazila Primary Education Plan is an opportunity

Clear results have been defined and are measurable ●Result chains spelled out ●indicators and targets to assess performance ●Data collection processes ●Clear and timely reports available ►In Bangladesh, there has been major progress in terms of setting result expectations but there is scope for improvement in terms of (timely) reporting, for example through the Upazila profile The organisation / management culture is result-oriented = before taking decisions, stakeholders actively demand and use performance information

►In Bangladesh, this would mean that managers are provided with incentives to achieve results – in practice, managers are assessed on their ability to disburse their budget and carry out activities

Summary – What is RBM? Management strategy, which is results oriented: Establish expectation at the outcome level For example: we aim to increase attendance from 70% to 75% in two years 2. Spell out the results-chain: answer why one thing leads to another For example: if we train SMC members (and if…), We expect attendance to increase from…. 3. Report against results (and if possible other factors which influence results chain expectations) 4. Plan for the next period based on the report

Summary – How can we apply RBM? Field level officers can apply RBM if: There is a process to plan based on results e.g. SLIP/UPEP: UEOs are expected to “initiate and guide the strategic planning process in the upazila using information generated by the EMIS” A process is now available ►(UPEP, SLIP) 2. Results can be measured and reports are available e.g. UEPP: A tool is now available ►UEPP 3. There are incentives to achieve results-based performance targets ►Not addressed in this course