logframes

A logframe, short for logical framework, is a planning and management tool used in project design, monitoring, and evaluation, especially in international development. It presents a project’s objectives, outputs, activities, and the causal links among them in a compact matrix. The logframe is used to articulate what a project intends to achieve, how progress will be measured, and what assumptions must hold for success.

The standard logframe matrix has four levels of objective: Goals (impact) at the top, Purpose (outcome) next, Outputs (deliverables) below, and Activities (inputs or actions) at the bottom. Across the top, three elements describe measurement and risk: Objectively Verifiable Indicators, Means of Verification, and Assumptions or external risks. The vertical logic links activities to outputs, outputs to outcomes, and outcomes to the goal, illustrating the causal chain from implementation to intended impact.

Creation usually begins with problem and objective analysis, followed by drafting the hierarchy of objectives, then specifying indicators, data sources, and external factors that could affect success. The logframe is used to guide planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, and is commonly employed in donor reporting and performance reviews. It is adaptable to different project contexts but can become rigid if applied without attention to learning and context.

Criticisms include its potential to oversimplify complex realities and to encourage a checkbox mentality rather than learning. Some practitioners favor theory of change or results-based management approaches that emphasize ongoing adaptation and broader causal pathways. Despite criticisms, the logframe remains a widely used tool for structuring objectives, indicators, and verification in development projects.