LOG FRAME
What is a Logframe Matrix?
A logframe matrix is a short name for a logical framework matrix - a comprehensive project cycle management tool. This tool requires a detailed planning procedure to address problems, identify success criteria and enlist assumptions for the project. At the time of making, a logframe matrix taking the viewpoints of all stakeholders into consideration is a must - to ensure a high level of objectivity.
Talking about its structure, as can be seen in the example of the logframe matrix, the matrix requires information to be fed into the 16 cross reference cells of the 4x4 matrix. The next section talks more about what goes into each of these cells.
Preparing a Logframe Matrix
Here is more on the information required for making the logical framework matrix:
Narrative Summary: This column is meant for a short descriptive summary of the project.
* Goal/Objective: A statement or two about the main goal or objective that the project intends to achieve.
* Purpose of Project: A list of the main purposes that the project will achieve. This list tries to break down the main goal into smaller achievable goals. For instance as in the example logframe matrix that we have used, the main goal of increasing the popularity of the XYZ health drink has been split into more achievable goals like promoting the product amongst health conscious people, youth and teenagers. Since the same promotion strategy cannot work equally well for all these different An Example of a Logframe Matrix.bmpsegments, it is advisable to split the main goal into sub-goals which seem more achievable.
* Outputs: This is where the outcome or the end result of the project should be mentioned.
* Activities: A list of all the strategies and activities that will be used to accomplish the goals and make the above mentioned outputs a reality. In the provided example there are three different strategies that have been identified to help with achieving the goals.
Objectively Verifiable Indicators: These are measures that will help in assessing the extent to which the objectives have been achieved. The most important requirement here is that these measures should be objective and completely unbiased. Here’s what goes into this column of the logical framework matrix.
* Goals: A method to find out the extent to which a goal has been fulfilled. As in the example the increases in the demand for the XYZ health drink will help in ascertaining how successful the promotion campaign has been.
* Purpose: This requires verifiable indicators for each of the purposes on the list.
* Outputs: Indicators which can be used to determine to what extent the outputs have been achieved.
* Activities: Indicators to determine whether the input activities have been successful and to what extent.
Screenshot Taken by: Sidharth Thakur
Means of Verification: The means of verification column in the logframe matrix defines the exact source of the data that will be used to evaluate and measure performance.
* Goals: The exact data source that will be used to determine the successful accomplishment of the goal. In the example of a logframe matrix that has been provided with this article the data source for determining the popularity of the product will be the frequency and volumes of the restocking orders received from the sales channels.
* Purpose: The data source that can be used to determine the achievement for each of the purposes on the list.
* Outputs: The data sources for measuring the achieved outputs, for instance in our example the outputs can be measured using sales data and data collected through market research.
* Activities: The source of data that can be used to verify how well each of the activities or inputs have contributed towards the project.
Assumptions: Conditions or events outside the control of the project team or those that cannot be manipulated should be enlisted in this column. The ability to achieve the goals depends a great deal on these assumptions, since these assumptions have a direct impact on the project.
* Goal: Conditions or events that can will determine the long-term feasibility of the rime goal of the project. For instance in the example logframe matrix the assumption that the health drink market will continue to be substantial has a major influence on the main goal of increasing the market share of XYZ health drink.
* Purpose: List of events and conditions that are a prerequisite for achieving the purposes.
* Output: Factors which are essential to achieving the outputs.
* Activity: The conditions or factors which the project is assuming will be available for and at the time of executing the activities.
Often during project execution the main goal or the big picture takes a back seat and the team members are confused about what they’re trying to achieve. Also the team looses sight of what are the risks, assumptions, the desired outputs and the strategic inputs. For all this, the logical framework matrix comes across as an effective technique. And what’s best about this technique is that it delivers excellent result irrespective of the size or type of the project.
The logical framework (LFA) is an approach to management, presentation, and analysis used in conjunction with other project management tools.
Overview of the Logical Framework
The logical framework approach seeks to evaluate the situation that is at hand and create a prioritized list of the ways that desired logframeoutcomes will be achieved. This logical approach will then identify possible risks to the outcomes that are sought and establish ways to monitor processes to see if they are producing desirable results. LFA usually works best if it is implemented during the early planning stages of a project because LFA is hard to adapt to projects that were designed without LFA in mind.
Image Credits: Screen shot taken by Bruce Tyson
The Logical Framework Matrix
LFA is possibly most recognizable by the famous LFA matrix that is used in project planning and can be helpful when working with project planning software. It consists of a chart having four data rows and three data columns. The summary rows are as follows:
* Goal - The objectives of the project are defined by themselves and by the logical column identifiers.
* Purpose - Here you specify why the project is needed and what benefits it will create. The columns will define how the outcomes of the project are measured and what means will be used to measure them.
* Outputs - What tangible products and other deliverables will result from the project, as well as how they will be measured.
* Activities - components and intermediate results of the project that will be linked to components of a larger endeavor.
The logic is in the columns and are listed as follows:
* Indicators of achievement -This column will summarize how stakeholders will know if goals, purposes, intermediate achievements, or outputs are realized.
* Means of verification - This column will explain the procedures used to recognize the achievements.
* Important risks and assumptions. What risk factors threaten the project at each stage and what aspects of the project are based on potentially insufficient data.
Through the use of the LFA matrix, team members and other stakeholders can get a good overview of the project from a visual representation that might occupy just a single page.
More about the Framework
Although the LFA matrix makes LFA planning seem simple, it really is complex. The framework is intended to force a logical approach to any project so that no stone is left unturned. In other words, LFA is intended to be a thorough process that results in high quality outcomes.
LFA planning is used in a broad range of environments including development and donor projects, but can be adapted to almost any situation. Processes are viewed as causal events, so if you have a logically thought out process with minimal risk and assumptions that prove to be valid, you will always reach the intended outcome.
Here are just a few ways LFA can contribute to a well-managed organization:
* It aids in the establishment of objective.
* It forces logical thinking and to evaluate the logic of assumptions.
* It encourages the articulation of project expectations.
* It summarizes key project factors for stakeholders.
* It categorizes project data into 7 key areas.
Now that you know a little bit about the logical framework approach learn more about it if you think it could be an asset to your team.
References
"Logical Framework Approach /ZOPP /OOPP", http://www.lgausa.com/logframe_approach.htm
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/90594.aspx#ixzz1N6EbJMB3
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/99404.aspx#ixzz1N6EENC21
A logframe matrix is a short name for a logical framework matrix - a comprehensive project cycle management tool. This tool requires a detailed planning procedure to address problems, identify success criteria and enlist assumptions for the project. At the time of making, a logframe matrix taking the viewpoints of all stakeholders into consideration is a must - to ensure a high level of objectivity.
Talking about its structure, as can be seen in the example of the logframe matrix, the matrix requires information to be fed into the 16 cross reference cells of the 4x4 matrix. The next section talks more about what goes into each of these cells.
Preparing a Logframe Matrix
Here is more on the information required for making the logical framework matrix:
Narrative Summary: This column is meant for a short descriptive summary of the project.
* Goal/Objective: A statement or two about the main goal or objective that the project intends to achieve.
* Purpose of Project: A list of the main purposes that the project will achieve. This list tries to break down the main goal into smaller achievable goals. For instance as in the example logframe matrix that we have used, the main goal of increasing the popularity of the XYZ health drink has been split into more achievable goals like promoting the product amongst health conscious people, youth and teenagers. Since the same promotion strategy cannot work equally well for all these different An Example of a Logframe Matrix.bmpsegments, it is advisable to split the main goal into sub-goals which seem more achievable.
* Outputs: This is where the outcome or the end result of the project should be mentioned.
* Activities: A list of all the strategies and activities that will be used to accomplish the goals and make the above mentioned outputs a reality. In the provided example there are three different strategies that have been identified to help with achieving the goals.
Objectively Verifiable Indicators: These are measures that will help in assessing the extent to which the objectives have been achieved. The most important requirement here is that these measures should be objective and completely unbiased. Here’s what goes into this column of the logical framework matrix.
* Goals: A method to find out the extent to which a goal has been fulfilled. As in the example the increases in the demand for the XYZ health drink will help in ascertaining how successful the promotion campaign has been.
* Purpose: This requires verifiable indicators for each of the purposes on the list.
* Outputs: Indicators which can be used to determine to what extent the outputs have been achieved.
* Activities: Indicators to determine whether the input activities have been successful and to what extent.
Screenshot Taken by: Sidharth Thakur
Means of Verification: The means of verification column in the logframe matrix defines the exact source of the data that will be used to evaluate and measure performance.
* Goals: The exact data source that will be used to determine the successful accomplishment of the goal. In the example of a logframe matrix that has been provided with this article the data source for determining the popularity of the product will be the frequency and volumes of the restocking orders received from the sales channels.
* Purpose: The data source that can be used to determine the achievement for each of the purposes on the list.
* Outputs: The data sources for measuring the achieved outputs, for instance in our example the outputs can be measured using sales data and data collected through market research.
* Activities: The source of data that can be used to verify how well each of the activities or inputs have contributed towards the project.
Assumptions: Conditions or events outside the control of the project team or those that cannot be manipulated should be enlisted in this column. The ability to achieve the goals depends a great deal on these assumptions, since these assumptions have a direct impact on the project.
* Goal: Conditions or events that can will determine the long-term feasibility of the rime goal of the project. For instance in the example logframe matrix the assumption that the health drink market will continue to be substantial has a major influence on the main goal of increasing the market share of XYZ health drink.
* Purpose: List of events and conditions that are a prerequisite for achieving the purposes.
* Output: Factors which are essential to achieving the outputs.
* Activity: The conditions or factors which the project is assuming will be available for and at the time of executing the activities.
Often during project execution the main goal or the big picture takes a back seat and the team members are confused about what they’re trying to achieve. Also the team looses sight of what are the risks, assumptions, the desired outputs and the strategic inputs. For all this, the logical framework matrix comes across as an effective technique. And what’s best about this technique is that it delivers excellent result irrespective of the size or type of the project.
The logical framework (LFA) is an approach to management, presentation, and analysis used in conjunction with other project management tools.
Overview of the Logical Framework
The logical framework approach seeks to evaluate the situation that is at hand and create a prioritized list of the ways that desired logframeoutcomes will be achieved. This logical approach will then identify possible risks to the outcomes that are sought and establish ways to monitor processes to see if they are producing desirable results. LFA usually works best if it is implemented during the early planning stages of a project because LFA is hard to adapt to projects that were designed without LFA in mind.
Image Credits: Screen shot taken by Bruce Tyson
The Logical Framework Matrix
LFA is possibly most recognizable by the famous LFA matrix that is used in project planning and can be helpful when working with project planning software. It consists of a chart having four data rows and three data columns. The summary rows are as follows:
* Goal - The objectives of the project are defined by themselves and by the logical column identifiers.
* Purpose - Here you specify why the project is needed and what benefits it will create. The columns will define how the outcomes of the project are measured and what means will be used to measure them.
* Outputs - What tangible products and other deliverables will result from the project, as well as how they will be measured.
* Activities - components and intermediate results of the project that will be linked to components of a larger endeavor.
The logic is in the columns and are listed as follows:
* Indicators of achievement -This column will summarize how stakeholders will know if goals, purposes, intermediate achievements, or outputs are realized.
* Means of verification - This column will explain the procedures used to recognize the achievements.
* Important risks and assumptions. What risk factors threaten the project at each stage and what aspects of the project are based on potentially insufficient data.
Through the use of the LFA matrix, team members and other stakeholders can get a good overview of the project from a visual representation that might occupy just a single page.
More about the Framework
Although the LFA matrix makes LFA planning seem simple, it really is complex. The framework is intended to force a logical approach to any project so that no stone is left unturned. In other words, LFA is intended to be a thorough process that results in high quality outcomes.
LFA planning is used in a broad range of environments including development and donor projects, but can be adapted to almost any situation. Processes are viewed as causal events, so if you have a logically thought out process with minimal risk and assumptions that prove to be valid, you will always reach the intended outcome.
Here are just a few ways LFA can contribute to a well-managed organization:
* It aids in the establishment of objective.
* It forces logical thinking and to evaluate the logic of assumptions.
* It encourages the articulation of project expectations.
* It summarizes key project factors for stakeholders.
* It categorizes project data into 7 key areas.
Now that you know a little bit about the logical framework approach learn more about it if you think it could be an asset to your team.
References
"Logical Framework Approach /ZOPP /OOPP", http://www.lgausa.com/logframe_approach.htm
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/90594.aspx#ixzz1N6EbJMB3
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/99404.aspx#ixzz1N6EENC21
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