ABSTRACT
UNDP’s results depend on its institutional effectiveness. Given that oversight is performed in UNDP by independent evaluation and audit functions, the Independent Evaluation Office and Office of Audit and Investigations agreed to jointly assess institutional effectiveness of the UNDP to produce a coherent and comprehensive picture of UNDP’s Results Based Management and what performance issues need to be addressed.
This chapter provides insights into similarities and differences in approach between oversight offices that were revealed in the course of the collaboration, stemming from different professional standards, orientations, and ideologies. The work was the first such study in UNDP, and brought to the fore issues that need to be addressed if similar collaborative efforts take place.
The study concludes with a set of lessons for further consideration in such approaches. The collaboration indicated that strong leadership and commitment of both offices was needed, including establishing clarity on naming the “beast,” decision rights, communication channels, and protocols. There is also a need to develop a common understanding at the level of evaluability, wherein issues of data collection methods, evidential basis, analysis, reporting writing, and language are addressed.
