Why a logical framework approach?
• It is a clear and concise visual presentation of all the key components of a plan and a basis for monitoring:
- How the project will work
- What it is going to achieve
- What factors relate to its success
- How progress will be measured
- Ensures the relevance, feasibility and sustainability of a project
• Ensures that fundamental questions are asked and weaknesses are analysed
• Identifies measurements/indicators of the project’s achievements
Why have the different steps in the LFA analysis?
Relevance, Feasibility and Sustainability
– Relevance: With the assistance of steps 1–4 (context, problem analysis,
stakeholder analysis, objective analysis), we can make sure that we are
doing the right thing, by involving the relevant stake-holders, dealing with the right problems and establishing the correct objectives, which enables us to select the right activities at a later stage. These steps ensure that the project idea is relevant in a problem-solving perspective.
– Feasibility: With the assistance of steps 5–7 (activity plan, resource
planning, indicators of objective fulfilment), we can see that we are doing
things in the right way, that the programme is feasible, with the right activities and with sufficient resources (personnel, equipment, budget, time) to solve the problem.
– Sustainability: With the aid of steps 8–9 (analysis of risks and assumptions),
we can assess whether the project can continue by itself, without external
support, and that the project purpose is sustainable in the long-term.
Roles and responsibilities when making an LFA analysis
It is very important to observe that the right stakeholders perform the right steps in the planning process/analysis of the project. For example, it is the
project owner, the beneficiaries, the implementers and the decisionmakers
etc, the local stakeholders in the partner country that primarily shall
make:
– the stakeholder analysis,
– the problem analysis,
– the objectives analysis
– the risk analysis.
– the analysis of the assumptions
It is neither the consultant nor the financier who “owns the problem”
which shall be solved. These parties are not sufficiently well informed,
and hence cannot and should not perform these steps. However, financing
agencies and/or consultants may assist in the project planning process by,
for instance, providing expertise in the LFA method and suggesting
solutions to the problem (plan of activities and plan of resources).
Involving the wrong parties, or not involving different stakeholders in the
different steps in the project planning process, is a common mistake
made in project planning. This has the consequence that cause-and-effect
relationships are incorrectly analysed, which leads to a situation in which
incorrect activities are implemented to solve the “wrong” problems.
The effect will be that the results/objectives are never achieved. Sincere cooperation and a correct division of roles in the planning process prior to implementation increase the likelihood of smooth implementation and the degree of local ownership and readiness to work towards sustainable results.
The division of roles and responsibilities can vary due to the character of
the project and the availability of skilled officers, but the main principle is
that the local cooperation partner shall bear the main responsibility for both planning and implementation to as great an extent as possible.