LESSONS LEARNED

Lessons learned from ongoing or completed projects can provide useful feedback for the formulation and implementation of similar projects. Evaluation in particular, a standard feature of technical cooperation projects executed by FAO, provides a good basis for drawing lessons relevant to future planning, design and implementation of similar projects.

Good design has a role to play not only in guiding and sustaining the project through implementation, but also in setting it adequately within its national context and natural environment. Evaluation missions therefore rate individual projects not only against quality and quantity criteria, but also with regard to the relevance of design and the potential for impact and sustainability. Typical questions to be answered include, for example:

• "How relevant were the project's objectives and purpose to the problems and needs identified?"
  
• "Is the project likely to lead to its intended objectives and produce the desired results?"
  
• "Are results likely to be maintained/sustained at the end of the project?"

All evaluation missions are requested to examine the: (i) relevance and validity of project rationale, objectives and design; (ii) project implementation efficiency and the adequacy of its management arrangements, and (iii) results (including the sustainability and cost effectiveness of the project).

For example, in evaluating project design, the focus is on:

• Adequacy in identifying the immediate and ultimate beneficiaries of the project, the assessment of their specific needs and specification of the strategy and mechanisms by which the beneficiaries are expected to be reached.
  
• Assessment of the overall project logic, adequacy of linkages between inputs, activities, outputs and objectives, cost effectiveness of the strategy selected in connection with the problems being addressed.
  
• Clarity and precision of description of project outputs; adequacy of outputs to fulfil the immediate objectives.
  
• Clarity and precision in the description of activities; realism in the project's work plan (scheduling and duration of major project activities); adequacy in the specification of inputs to be supplied by donor and host government; adequacy and realism of project duration.
  
• Clarity and appropriateness of the project's internal management structure.

For specific guidance on critical aspects of project design, see:

• Design Elements
  
• Implementation
  
• Monitoring
  
• Cost Effectiveness
  
• Sustainability

USEFUL FAO LINKS:

• Office of Programme, Budget and Evaluation
  
• Evaluation in FAO - How it is done
  
• The Evaluator's Corner