Indicators: definitions and distinctions

Objective

·  Participants can define and identify the relationships between and use of the key types of indicators.

Timing Á

40 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes

Activities

1 / Introduction

Explain session objectives.

2 / Optional: Buzz group exercise
Defining indicators
Á
15” / Objective: Participants can distinguish indicators, targets and benchmarks as well as indicators for performance and situation monitoring.

Go around the room asking participants to count off in threes. Ask all participants to take out a half sheet of paper. Ask all “1’s” to write down a definition for the term “indicators”, “2’s” to write down a definition for the term “targets” and “3’s” to write down a definition for the term “benchmarks”.

After a few minutes, invite participants to get into small “buzz groups” (three participants sitting beside each other) to discuss their individual definitions and develop a set of shared definitions.

In plenary, ask for one group to volunteer their definition for the term “indicators” and write it on a flipchart. Ask other groups if they defined the term differently (focusing on significant conceptual differences). Add or revise as necessary. Do the same for “targets” and “indicators”. Use the core content sheet "Indicators" as a reference.

It is important to note where different definitions of indicators by participants imply a focus on programme monitoring or situation monitoring (e.g. monitoring the situation of children and women or early warning systems). Similarly, it is important to note where participants may be merging concepts of indicators, targets and benchmarks. Note that many sources do merge these concepts and use them interchangeably.

Alternatively, you can assign a reading, directing people to these distinctions if participants express some uncertainty or lack of understanding in this area.

3 / Optional: Lecturette
Introduce/recap definitions of different types of indicators
Á
20” / Objective: Participants can distinguish and define in their own words different types of indicators.

Explain that there are different types of indicators. . Use the core content sheet “Indicators” and PowerPoint presentation to distinguish the key types shown below:

·  Direct and indirect indicators;

·  Qualitative/quantitative indicators;

·  Universal/locally developed indicators;

·  Hierarchy of performance indicators;

·  Indicators, targets and benchmarks.

As you go through the presentation, invite participants to add examples based on their experience and be ready with examples from the core content sheet.

Alternatively, you can assign this as a reading as well.

4 / Case study
Monitoring by process indicators
Á
40” / Objective: Participants can situate different types of indicators in a concrete example and can identify a few important considerations in defining workable monitoring indicators.

Distribute the reading “Egypt Maternal Health Project”. After participants have read the case, encourage them to consider the questions at the bottom of the case study sheet and discuss in plenary.

This reading and discussion is intended to highlight the following key points:

·  Process indicators are often critical in monitoring a programme, but also in monitoring the situation of a population, particularly where impact-level indicators are too costly to measure or can only measure change over longer periods of time. This is true, for example, in measuring maternal mortality where measurement is difficult and costly. (For more explanation on measuring maternal mortality, see explanation of sampling in the Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey Manual. See: UNICEF EPP (2000). End decade Multiple Indicator Survey Manual. Available on line at: http://www.childinfo.org/)

·  Where programme response options are very well researched, as is the case with maternal mortality, process indicators are often standardised globally.

·  Key process monitoring indicators of this type are selected to help pinpoint problem areas (or successes). They correspond to an analysis of the key inputs and sequence of results necessary to achieve the desired outcome and impact.

·  The use of indicators for monitoring can be made more powerful when compared to widely recognised benchmarks or targets, as this will help mobilise decision-makers to action.

·  The selection of indicators must be simple so that data can be collected and analysed periodically and fed into decision-making. Monitoring indicators revealing very good or very troublesome situations will then trigger further data collection, often including qualitative data, in order to explore further the causes of the situation. Quantitative and qualitative data are important complements.

The following additional points more specific to monitoring maternal mortality may be useful to the discussion:

·  These indicators were designed as a series and each needs to be interpreted in the context of all information gathered.

·  The indicators presented in this case should not be viewed as the only process indicators relevant to monitoring maternal mortality. However, they will enable health officials to monitor one of the most effective ways of reducing maternal deaths — improving access and use of obstetric care services — in a relatively simple way.

·  Data on complications may be difficult to collect as a result of poor recordkeeping, and, in most places, more effort will have to be put into improving recordkeeping of obstetric complications.

Materials

·  Overhead projector

·  Flipchart and pens

Overhead

·  Indicators

Handout

·  Indicators

Exercise sheet

·  Case study: Egypt Maternal Health Project

UNICEF M&E Training Resource Module 2.3.1 Indicators 1/3