DFAT design and monitoring and evaluation standards

These updated design, monitoring and evaluation standards from the Australian Government aim to "improve the quality and use of Design and M&E products, and to integrate evaluative thinking into everyday work".

Originally developed by the Indonesia Program as part of their Evaluation Capacity Building Program - an institutional change program to improve the quality and use of M&E and to integrate evaluative thinking into everyday work. They were integrated into agency-wide evaluation guidance in 2012 and provide a strong tool for the articulation of expectations of the quality expected from a range of M&E products in the aid program.

The standards have been updated in 2022 to incorporate the full program cycle; revising and refreshing existing guidance and adding new standards.

• Standard 1: Investment Concept Note (ICN)
• Standard 2: Investment Design – Terms of Reference
• Standard 3: Program Logic/Theory of Change
• Standard 4: Investment Design
• Standard 5: Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Plan and System
• Standard 6: Program Progress Reports
• Standard 7: DFAT Program Manager Monitoring
• Standard 8: Independent Evaluation - Reference for Independent Evaluations
• Standard 9: Independent Evaluation Plans
• Standard 10: Independent Evaluation Reports