Discuss the techniques of policy monitoring.

Techniques of Policy Monitoring: There are several aspects of monitoring in the public policy delivery which involves the physical progress or productivity or profitability in the performance and the maintenance of resources so that the expenditure is utilized in a purposeful manner. The three areas in which the monitoring of policies play its role includes:

(i) Technical performance, including the use of human resources

(ii) Time performance and

(iii) Cost (budget) performance 

Techniques for monitoring technical performance: Several techniques and methods are used for monitoring technical performance. They are as follows:

(i) Technical Team: The technical team consists of the Planning Department or the Policy Monitoring Division in the Secretariat which is assigned the work of observing the technical performance of the policy delivery. The policy delivery performance is handled by the technical Directors or the Heads of the directorates. The field staff takes care of the techniques of monitoring and the responsibility for reporting the results of policy delivery performance. The progress of the public policies are monitored by a Steering Committee.

(ii) Activity Bar Chart: The schedule of the policy delivery can be graphically represented through the activity bar chart. The information related to the list of the objectives to be achieved and the calendar for the policy delivery and the list of programmes or activities to be performed depicting its starting and ending dates and the list of people with their functions and responsibilities can be depicted through these charts. The chart also depicts the deadlines or period by which each technical activity is to be completed. In this case the deliverable acts as an important instrument for policy management. 

(iii) Peer Review: The technical performance of policy delivery is dependent upon the ability of the group or peer review to estimate the completion date. The review helps in evaluating the quality of work done. The roles and responsibilities of the group include: 

■ Reviewing the purpose and relevance of the policy programme 

■ Work done up to specific date 

■ Technical problems faced 

■ Path to the policy programme completion

The knowledge, capability and the attitude of the peers decides the effectiveness of the peer review.

(iv) Third Party Technical Review: The third party programme sponsors or funding agencies or steering committee who works like peer review and are involved intimately in the programme. In the crisis period, the third party technical review is taken. The main advantage of review by a third party is the objective and expertise which it can bring to the programme.

All the four approaches and the techniques mentioned above has its own merits and demerits in monitoring the technical performance of policy delivery but when used in combination, they are the strongest.

Techniques for Monitoring Time Performance: To monitor time performance in the context of policy delivery, schedules are used. Also time monitoring is done in relation to the technical performance of the given policy on the Activity Bar Chart. These techniques help in comparing the resource schedule and also other resources on the lines of the Activity Bar Chart.

(i) Resource Bar Chart: This chart helps in assessing the impact of schedule delays on all the aspects of the programme. The chart requires the data as arrayed so as to enable one to compare actual performance against expected performance. The chart records the matters relating to the delay in the arrival of the specialists. The charts are developed by the monitoring teams for their own use.

(ii) Schedule of Expenditure: The schedule of expenditure for the programme can also be planned. To aggregate the output, the division heads can calculate the monthly expenditure expected throughout the programme. With the help of the graph or the chart, the purpose of knowing the rate of expenditure across all the objectives can be developed. Also the chart depicts the amount of expenditure spent on a specific programme.

Techniques for Monitoring Cost Performance: The monitoring of cost performance plays a vital role in policy delivery. The cost performance is an important strategy for monitoring the policy delivery programme. To realize the technical results on schedule, it is necessary to analyse if the significant cost overruns where needed. The time and the cost are the two factors that are analysed in the completion of the programme. Following are the some of the important techniques in monitoring the cost performance:

(i) Budget as a technique for policy monitoring: One important tool for monitoring the policy delivery programme is budget. The policy delivery budget consists of the aggregated cost category tools. In the monitoring technique, one would have to wait until the end of the policy programme to see how well one predicted the programme costs.

The financial deviations can be detected, if one has the cost category budget at the activity level. In this regard, a simple monthly statement is prepared to compare the actual to planned expenditures per cost category.

The performance to budget statement adds the Component of time to the monitoring of cost performance which computes a sub-total of actual expenditure to date.

(ii) Cash Flow Projection: This technique is also used for monitoring the finances of policy delivery which is done by a single activity, an output or the programme as a whole. This technique combines both cash (budget) and time and is useful in situations in which the authorities wish to monitor the expenditures in comparison to income from donors. Some programme are funded on a schedule of payments and therefore the cash flow projection is most often used programme. The cost assessment and incomes and also the anticipation of cash shortages can be calculated through this technique.

Combining Performance Criteria: All the three elements i.e. time, technical and cost performance requires proper monitoring to avoid any kind of deviation. Therefore, monitoring the time or the cost performance alone is not sufficient and the monitoring of the three elements simultaneously is important.

The chart act as useful tool in monitoring of the programme and presents the three elements in three dimensions. The only difficulty in maintaining the chart is careful sequencing of combination of work, time, cost and their proportion for specified periods.

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