Toward a Complete Progress Tracking System

This paper discusses the progress tracking systems to monitor progress made by the institution towards achieving program objectives. It describes the efforts by Freedom from Hunger to develop this tracking system including:

• Conducting cause and effect impact research;
• Creating progress tracking system;
• Developing tools and methods to fill the gaps in the existing system.

The paper elucidates the experiences to date with regards to the development of the missing progress tracking components. The process includes:

• Participatory workshop of staff to define their unmet informational needs;
• Creation of specific methods for the staff to fill this gap.

The paper reviews the following three tools to fill gaps in existing systems:

• Observational checklists:
  • Uses simple yes/no format;
  • Is used on an ongoing basis;
  • Is used to motivate via feedback, and not simply on the basis of monitoring field agent's performance.
• Pre and post mini surveys:
  • Is used to assess client knowledge;
  • Utilizes lot assurance quality sampling approach;
  • Minimizes the burden it places on staff time;
  • Maximizes the use of the information it generates;
  • Allows for rapid data analysis.
• Participatory learning for action:
  • Explores in greater depth the progress of program from the client's perspective;
  • Its discussions with clients include visual elements such as ranking.

The paper concludes with a focus on the process adopted to develop food security scale to measure client welfare.