The Guardian: How to write a logframe: a beginner’s guide

Question 1

Logframe

Answer 1

A logical framework matrix – aid worker’s tool for project planning (many donors demand as part of a funding application)

• The simplest form is a 4x4 table with 16 cells
• In the table you note down goals and means. Writing a logframe should make it easier to plan and manage a project as you can see the sequence in which the actions lead to your overall goal.

Question 2

Logframe: Planning

Answer 2

Criticism: ‘fixed approach’ and a ‘top-down imposition from donors’

write the logframe with everyone who might be involved in the project -It can be a good opportunity to bring different actors around the table – within a single organisation, and with external partners and stakeholders – to communicate and develop shared objectives.

Question 3

Logframe: Before you start

Answer 3

Get a load of stationery together – ideally a big sheet of paper with Post-it notes.

What your project actually is: key people involved and how might they be affected by the problem? a problem tree analysis – write down the problem at focus in the middle the page, then “branch off” possible causes of the problem → overall cause and effect narrative.

Change the wording into positive terms:

“lack of sufficient water” → “improve water supply” → objective tree → transfer those notes into the logframe.

Answers to: What is the project is going to achieve? What activities will be carried out? What resources, people, equipment will you need? What potential problems might you come across? And how will the progress and ultimate success of the project be measured? →Ready to write the logframe

Question 4

The structure of a logframe

Question 5

Standard Logframe

Answer 5

The simplest form is a 4x4 table with 16 cells

Divided into four rows, which are your long- to short-term objectives ranging from top to bottom:

• Goal (overall aim).
• Outcome/Purpose (what will be achieved, who will benefit, and by when).
• Outputs (specific results the project will generate).
• Activities (what tasks need to be done in order for the output to be achieved).

These are achieved and measured by the headings from left to right:

• Project summary (explaining the objectives).
• Objectively verifiable indicators (how you’ll measure the achievements).
• Means of verification (how you’ll collect the information for the indicators).
• Risks and assumptions (external conditions needed to get results).

Question 6

Writing a logframe

Answer 6

Start with overall goal: What do we intend to do? How does this sit with the country development strategy, and are they compatible?

Start filling in the table from the top with your objectives and then work down. But think “upwards”.

Logframe is about setting your goals first and then getting into the grassroots – practice. Boxes are sequence - “if and then”.

As an example (pdf), community of happy children and adults in a village:

If we establish a community committee (activity) and people are enthusiastic (assumption) then we’ll have the capacity to build and manage a playground (output). If we have a playground (output) and it’s easy to maintain (assumption) then children will have fun (purpose). If children are having fun (purpose) and families continue to grow in the village (assumption) thenwe’ll reach the goal of a happy community.

When outlining your activities ask yourself: What can we actually do? What have we already got that we can use to reach the overall goal? Then, what are we missing and what might we need?

Remember to think about what work you’re going to do with each of the target groups.

Question 7

Logframe: Think laterally

Answer 7

Think laterally: How can you measure the progress of the project against the aims you’ve set out? (You write these in the “Objectively verifiable indicators” and “Means of verification” boxes.) Choose indicators that will let you measure whether the different levels in your project have been achieved. Keep these at a reasonable cost and give them a deadline. Set out the information required for the indicators in the “Means of verification” column. These could be sourced from documents, field surveys, training reports, among others.

column “Assumptions” – a risk analysis. Preparedness for external circumstances and how you’ll reduce the severity of those risks, so you must budget for that.

Assumptions in three stages:

1. risk analysis
2. mitigation
3. → assumptions.

example: hurricanes (risk), how reduce severity of the risk (mitigation): Ensure staff are trained in emergency procedures. So in the assumption cell you put: “staff training and disaster management to minimise the impact of hurricanes”.

Logframe can be flexible to the project’s needs, and responsive to everyone involved and has to be adaptable to reflect any changes on the ground.