Design, monitoring and evaluation are all part of results-based project management. The key idea underlying project cycle management, and specifically monitoring and evaluation, is to help those responsible for managing the resources and activities of a project to enhance development results along a continuum, from short-term to long-term.

Evaluation assesses how well planning and managing for future impact is being done during the project cycle.

A clear division of roles and responsibilities for project evaluations is an important element in ensuring the integrity of the evaluation process to ensure the highest level of independence and credibility of evaluations.

Although they will be consulted during the process, neither the project manager nor any of the administrative or technical backstoppers should carry out internal and independent project evaluations.

The main output of an evaluation is usually an evaluation report aimed at decision-makers inside and outside the ILO. Outputs can also include a workshop with project partners or a summary of mission findings arising from a field visit to a remote project location.

The evaluation team should also give the project management a de-briefing that focuses on methodological and process issues, including suggestions on how the evaluation support can be improved.