Infrastructure projects whether related to roads, drinking water, electricity, or others are essential for driving economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving the quality of life in emerging countries. However, despite massive investments from institutions like the World Bank, many projects fail to deliver sustainable results. These failures are partly due to evaluation methods focused on resources used or physical outputs, without measuring actual impacts on beneficiaries. To address this, monitoring and evaluation experts are increasingly adopting an alternative approach: Results-Based Evaluation (RBA). This article explores best practices for effectively implementing RBA and the specific challenges faced in emerging economies.
Understanding the results-based approach
Monitoring and evaluation (M\&E) is a powerful tool to ensure optimal and efficient project management, especially in key sectors such as energy, health, and transport. It relies on various methodological approaches. The results-based evaluation approach is centered on the objectives to be achieved. Unlike the traditional approach, which focuses on task completion and asset delivery, RBA concentrates on outcomes and impacts, using a clear intervention logic and measurable indicators.
This approach emphasizes the real effects of projects, such as improvements in public health, reduced travel time, or increased access to electricity. It promotes transparency, accountability, and continuous learning. The approach clearly distinguishes between:
- Inputs : Mobilized resources (funding, labor, materials, etc.)
- Outputs : Direct achievements, such as the number of boreholes drilled or kilometers of roads built
- Outcomes : Immediate changes for the beneficiary population (e.g., reduced travel time, improved access to water or electricity)
- Impacts : Long-term effects (e.g., poverty reduction, economic growth).
The results-based approach starts by asking “What do we want to change ? instead of “What can we do?”. It is part of a continuous improvement process and enables :
- clear communication of set objectives and expected results to all stakeholders ;
- identification of KPIs to measure the outcomes of various actions ;
- detection of weaknesses in actions and necessary adjustments to meet objectives ;
- assessment of each project’s impact on beneficiaries.
This approach facilitates better project management and accountability to financial partners.
How to integrate the results-based evaluation approach into the infrastructure project lifecycle ?
Integrating RBA into an infrastructure project is based on a rigorous intervention logic that guides every phase of the project lifecycle. It not only helps to better direct actions but also to demonstrate tangible project effects on beneficiaries, thus strengthening transparency, accountability, and investment efficiency. This integration occurs in several phases:
Planning phase: laying the foundation for RBA
RBA integration starts during the project design phase. Here, the shift is made from an activity-based to a change-based logic. The project should define a theory of change that illustrates the causal chain between project activities, outputs, intermediate outcomes, and intended impacts. It is also necessary to set SMART objectives and indicators for each level of results, along with a coherent results framework that includes assumptions and risks.
For instance, a road construction project should not only aim to build a certain number of kilometers but also reduce average travel time or improve access to essential services. The aim of this phase is to establish a clear, results-oriented intervention logic.
Implementation phase : managing for results
At this stage, the work is not only to monitor activity execution but also to verify whether actions are achieving the expected outcomes. This involves setting up an operational M\&E system with a dynamic database and appropriate tools (questionnaires, GIS, satisfaction surveys, etc.). Performance must be reviewed regularly to adjust interventions in real-time, using adaptive management mechanisms based on collected data. According to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), effective results-based management can improve the overall performance of donor-funded projects in middle-income countries by 25% to 30%.
Monitoring and evaluation phase : demonstrating effectiveness and learning
Evaluation takes place at midterm or end-of-project to assess short-, medium-, and long-term results and impacts. Two main types are preferred :
- formative evaluation : Conducted during project implementation to adjust actions
- summative evaluation : Conducted at the project’s end to assess the achievement of results.
Evaluations should rely on rigorous methods (representative sampling, mixed methods \[quantitative and qualitative], comparison groups, etc.). M\&E experts can also use tools such as cost-effectiveness analysis or counterfactual analysis to assess large infrastructure projects.
It is important to note that successful RBA integration in an infrastructure project requires strong technical capacity within project teams and political will. Furthermore, stakeholder participation including beneficiaries in defining indicators and interpreting results is essential.
Specific challenges in evaluating infrastructure projects in emerging economies
Emerging economies face particular challenges that complicate infrastructure project evaluation :
- weak institutional capacities : Institutions responsible for planning, implementation, and evaluation often lack human and technical resources ;
- Data issues : Reliable data for measuring results is often unavailable, or data quality is questionable
- political risks and instability : Corruption, government changes, and conflict can disrupt projects and distort evaluations ;
- project complexity : Infrastructure projects are often large-scale, involve multiple stakeholders, and span long durations, making evaluations more complex ;
- Financial constraints : These may lead experts to prioritize visible outputs over sustainable results
The development of sustainable and inclusive infrastructure is particularly complex in emerging economies due to these challenges. Success requires overcoming context-specific obstacles by strengthening institutional capacity, improving data collection, and involving all stakeholders.
Kerus Consulting International, a firm specialized in monitoring and evaluation across sectors, has the expertise needed for effective results-based project evaluation. Do not hesitate to contact us for a long-term partnership.
References :
- World Bank – A Practical Guide for Designing a Results Framework
- OECD – Learning from Results-Based Management Evaluations
- Designing and Evaluating Projects Using a Results-Based Approach
- Using Results-Based M\&E to Deliver on Major Infrastructure Projects in China
