ProPack III: A guide to creating a SMILER M&E system

This guide is the third in the Project Package (ProPack) series written to raise the quality of our work in relief and development projects. ProPacks I and II provide basic project and M&E information and tools to guide staff from the early design stage through the close of projects. Chapter IV of ProPack II provides guidance on setting up an M&E system. This guide, ProPack III, is an updated version of that chapter based on extensive use of the chapter materials with many CRS country programs.

This guide presents an approach to developing a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for projects supported by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The content is derived from guidance in ProPack (CRS, 2004 and CRS, 2007) and streamlined based on experience in CRS country programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The new approach is called SMILER: Simple Measurement of Indicators for Learning and Evidence-based Reporting. While M&E is rarely thought of as simple, SMILER breaks down the development of an M&E system into easily understood parts. SMILER is a comprehensive and practical approach to develop an M&E system; the objectives and their indicators are linked to a system to collect, analyze, and report on data. SMILER includes mechanisms to turn data into useful knowledge that supports sound project decision making and ensures that all staff have a clear understanding of the project and their role in M&E.