Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation: Passing Fad or the Logical Next Step in Development Methodology?

This paper discusses some of the conceptual and methodological issues that must be addressed in the process of creating and institutionalising a truly participatory approach for the monitoring and evaluation of development efforts. The author suggests that it is important to distinguish between monitoring as a process of regularised observation and data collection and evaluation as a way of systematically organising and interpreting data for management and planning. Biosource flow modeling is offered as one attempt to use participatory methods both in the design and monitoring and evaluation stages of technology development.