The ReportARs Notebook is one of the innovation team of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) that came up with the Electronic Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, and Coordination System (ePMEC System). They were inspired to improve the project and monitoring within DICT. Using relevant data, the team identified important areas of concern which are manpower capability, the work attitude of personnel and their roles and responsibilities, facilities and equipment needs, lack of effective systems and tools, and the quality of data. The team brainstormed solutions to resolve the issues and they came up with human resource innovation, Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) system upgrade, the ePMEC system, and M & E Rewards. They eventually decided to put everything together in one big project enhancing the ePMEC system. ePMEC system features a planning and coordination modules along with human resource evaluation M & E system upgrade (better known as M & E Evaluation Module), and the M & E Rewards. The ePMEC system aims to produce complete, substantial and timely submission of accomplishment reports, improve planning monitoring and evaluation, establish effective policy guidelines, and utilize the online system of reporting accomplishment reports.

Insights

The ReportARs Notebook shared relevant data within their team with regards to the accomplishment report submission system during the data exploration phase of the three-day workshop. The team also added some insights as summarized below:

  1. Some of the personnel, including those who underperform, uncooperative, and aging, lack adequate knowledge, skills, and adaptability needed for M and E.
  2. There is no proper turnover of tasks and documents when people resign or separate from the company.
  3. The unequal distribution of workload and unclear definition of roles of personnel lead to confusion and lack of motivation to do M and E properly.
  4. The available manpower is not enough to process data especially when the people in charge and signatories are absent.
  5. The submitted reports often have incomplete information or discrepancies on the data.
  6. Outcome and output indicators are not properly defined.
  7. GAD targets not integrated with PMF.
  8. Manual submission of reports is difficult to consolidate and process the reports while the automated project tool makes the process more efficient and timely.
  9. Employees do not comply with the prescribed template as M and E process is not formally adopted.
  10. If appropriate facilities, equipment, and mobilization vehicles are provided, accomplishment reports can be submitted on time.
  11. Well-planned projects result in better monitoring and evaluation.

Innovation Project

The ReportARs Notebook team found the ePMEC System most impactful, innovative and the project to pursue but to ensure that they could provide readily available information to the management and submit a substantial report to their oversight agencies, they also pursued the others as secondary projects. Along with the ePMEC system, the team will pursue Human Resource Innovation, M & E System Upgrade, and, M & E Rewards. Description and features are as follows:

  1. Planning Module
    1. Performance Measurement Framework
    2. Annual Work and Financial Plan
    3. Detailed Cost Table
  2. Monitoring and Evaluation Module institutionalizes the planning, monitoring, and evaluation focal
    1. Monthly Online AR Form
    2. Supporting Documents Submission Form
    3. Approval by the Management
    4. Report Printing
    5. CPMS-PED Validation/Verification
    6. Quarterly Report Generation
  3. Coordination Module
    1. Calendar
    2. Forum
  4. Human Resource Innovation are a pool of trainings and workshops which aims to improve employees’ know-how in M and E reporting system
    1. Learning Modules
    2. Announcements
    3. Webinar
    4. Chatbox
  5. Monitoring and Evaluation Rewards gives rewards and recognition to employees who comply with the policy in the M and E reporting system
    1. Notification System
    2. Incentives for Focals
    3. Feedback

Project Success Measures

Through the Electronic Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, and Coordination system (ePMEC), the agency will be able to improve the project and monitoring within DICT, improve the awareness of the roles and responsibilities of each member and improve quality of data. Thus, the success measures of the project are as follows:

  1. Capacitate human resources on planning, monitoring, and evaluation principles, and concepts
  2. Provide motivated planning, monitoring, and evaluation personnel
  3. Set the priority, tasks, roles and responsibilities of planning, monitoring, and evaluation staff and focal
  4. Provide effective planning, monitoring, and evaluation system tools
  5. Consistency of data submissions
  6. Better quality of data gathered