The Avoidable Conflict at the Intersection of Project Management & Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Practical Strategies for Alignment and Decision Making.
Clarify Decision-Making Up Front: Map all partners (funders, implementing partners, government, communities) and explicitly define: Who decides on budget, timelines, and scope changes; Which decisions require consensus vs. advisory input; How disagreements will be resolved.
Done By Whom: Project Management and MELA team.
Why it matters: Misunderstandings about decision-making are often at the root of conflicts between PM and M&E. Experienced PMs call this the “RACI for conflict avoidance.”
Example: In a multi-country education program, agreeing on decision rights upfront prevented three months of delays when a mid-project funding shortfall occurred.
Negotiate the SOW and KPIs Before Execution: Treat the Statement of Work (SOW) as negotiable until the first payment is made. Identify non-negotiable vs. flexible KPIs; Build contingency plans for missing or delayed data; Agree on what constitutes success for all parties.
Done by Whom: Project & MELA Director
Why it matters: Conflicts often arise when monitoring and evaluation expectations are misaligned with the project plan or among partners. Locking key performance indicators (KPIs) in too early can lead to chasing unachievable metrics.
Example: A health program revised KPIs after an initial field assessment, aligning expectations with on-the-ground realities.
Pro tip: This isn’t always easy! Factors influencing implementation often change during the procurement process. But spending time upfront to align the PM team, MEL team, and partners on expectations and deliverables significantly reduces confusion and sets the project up for success.
Segment M&E Into “Must-Have” vs. “Nice-to-Have”: Focus on metrics that matter most for accountability and learning: Essential: Required by funders or key decisions Optional: Useful for internal learning, but not critical
Why it matters: Trying to monitor everything creates friction with project management — teams spend more time reporting than implementing.
Example: A youth empowerment project cut optional survey questions by 60%, resulting in faster reporting and more meaningful learning.
Bottom Line: The tension between project management and M&E doesn’t have to derail your program. By clarifying decision-making, negotiating KPIs, and focusing on what truly matters in monitoring, you can navigate the intersection successfully and set your project up for real impact.