Managing for Development Results (MfDR)

CIDT is a leading centre in capacity strengthening for international development, with a strong track record in Managing for Development Results (MfDR) across a wide variety of sectors.

Our approach

CIDT’s MfDR approach is concerned with improving organisational performance and meeting internal objectives while, at the same time, ensuring that the work the organisations do is effective, efficient and has a meaningful impact on the external beneficiaries.

Article: What do development agencies mean by MfDR and Results Based Management (RBM)?

CIDT’s signature approach to MfDR features a ‘Seven Simple Steps’ for results-based programme/project design or institutional planning. We use a set of well-structured, practical tools to facilitate analysis and decision-making for strategic and operational planning, risk management, progress monitoring, and outcome/impact evaluation. One of these tools is the LogFrame; and the seven steps are based on the Logical Framework Approach (LFA).

These basic steps and results-oriented tools are helpful for facilitating the process of developing ‘real-life’ products such as: results frameworks for projects, programmes or institutions; funding proposals; and strategic plans. They can also be used to train on: MfDR/RBM, the LFA, Project/Programme Cycle Management (PPCM), Strategic Planning, Project/Programme Design, and Proposal Development.

CIDT has substantial experience in capacity strengthening and advisory services within these areas – for individuals, organisations and projects/programmes.

Our services

  • Results-Based and Strategic Management: Visioning and goal-setting, strategic planning, and development of Theories of Change and results frameworks including LogFrames.
  • Monitoring, Review and Evaluation: Designing robust yet practical systems for assessing performance; developing user-friendly data collection and analysis tools; conducting routine monitoring and reporting, periodic reviews/assessments, and outcome/impact evaluations to measure results.
  • Experience-Sharing and Lesson Learning: Generating, documenting and transferring knowledge within an organisation or among project/programme partners, as part of an on-going cyclical process that links learning to decision-making, follow-up and programming.
  • Organisational Development: Organisational appraisal or capacity assessment; formal training in ‘soft skills’ such as business development, resource mobilisation, leadership, communications, project/programme management; facilitated workshops for team building and stakeholder analysis; follow-up coaching and targeted technical assistance.

Training, Facilitation and Technical Assistance – professional development of development practitioners

  • Training Needs Assessments (TNA) and post-training assessment
  • Design and delivery of face-to-face trainings in MFDR-related topics
  • Development of online training programmes in RBM/LFA (and soon M&E)
  • Design and facilitation of practical workshops, meetings, working sessions, and participatory processes (i.e., LogFrame, results frameworks, proposals, strategic planning, stakeholder analysis, problem analysis, lesson learning documentation or dissemination, etc.)
  • Coaching, mentoring and technical assistance – standalone or as follow-up to training (i.e., review of LogFrames, results frameworks, project/programme design, funding proposals, strategic plans, M&E plan development, etc.)

Organisational Development – support to institutional processes and systems

  • Design and delivery of face-to-face trainings in “soft skills”, i.e. leadership, communications, networking/representation, TOT, program/project management, etc.
  • Design and facilitation of practical workshops, meetings, working sessions, and participatory processes (i.e., SWOT analysis, organizational appraisal/assessment, team-building, stakeholder analysis, strategic planning, change management, etc.)
  • Coaching, mentoring and management consulting services – standalone or as follow-up to training (i.e., to review and/or writing of strategic plans, business plans, set-up and manage a development fund, etc.)

Monitoring, Evaluation and Lesson Learning – of projects, programmes and other development interventions

  • Design and delivery of face-to-face trainings (in M&E)
  • Development of online training programmes (in M&E)
  • Design and facilitation of practical workshops, meetings, working sessions, and participatory processes (i.e., to develop indicators/M&E plans; to analyse, validate and/or disseminate evaluation results; to discuss or document lessons learnt; etc.)
  • Coaching, mentoring and technical assistance – standalone or as follow-up to training (i.e., to develop results frameworks, establish M&E systems, design data collection/reporting tools, etc.)
  • Design and execution of research studies, programme/project evaluations, reviews or assessments

Related news

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Key projects

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MfDR resources

CIDT’s approach to the results-oriented design of projects, programmes and organisational strategies features a ‘Seven Step’ model that is based on the Logical Framework Approach. Using participatory methods, we take diverse groups of participants through a reflective process. At each step, we use a set of practical, tested Results-Based Management (RBM) tools to facilitate analysis and decision-making for strategic and operational planning, risk management, and development of results frameworks.

Training Manuals

CIDT has produced a set of participant handbooks and trainer guides. We continually adapt these on the basis of recent learnings and adapt them to the specific sector client context.

Training Needs AssessmentEffective Training Design Effective Training DeliveryTeams and Team Working Quality Assure a Logical Framework Coaching for Development 7 Steps to Project and Programme Thinking Tools7 Steps to Strategic Planning

Our MfDR cycle

RBM lifecycle

Workshops and training courses

We offer a variety of courses and workshops in this area which can be seen on our teaching and training page.

Logical Framework Approach
Monitoring & Evaluation
Leadership & Management
Strategic Planning