Monitoring

Monitoring means surveillance and control. Like evaluation it is a component of the planning and management cycle. However, in comparison to the above definition of evaluation monitoring can be defined more precisely and has a much more limited meaning. Monitoring implies:the comparison between data as planned and real data; the collection and documentation of relevant data over a period of time; the collection of data and their analysis at the time of collection or shortly thereafter which permits input of the results into the steering and control of current processes and activities, e.g. projects. focussing on data and their comparison with planned data and goals.This does not imply a normative assessment in a wider sense. Monitoring can be defined as the collection and processing of current data for the purpose of an ongoing steering and control of a current process or activities on the basis of a comparison of real data and expected data. (Hornung )