The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Handbook is the guiding quality assurance tool to secure the proper management of supported projects and Diakonia’s programmes.

Guiding instructions regarding Programme and Strategy plan level

The handbook is an operational tool used by Diakonia employees at all organizational levels in all regions. It contains instructions regarding the planning and reporting on Programme level and the Strategy plan, which is the overall document describing Diakonia's operation:

• Checklist for Strategy plan cycle.
• Manual for S-plan process, including its six planning phases and the basic LFA structure with associated concepts such as indicators, outcomes and impacts.
• Format for monitoring and reporting programmes, including indicator matrixes for normal results and partners' capacity, value of outcomes and impacts.
• Criteria to consider regarding programme building, including choice of country or context, selection of partners, added value and Diakonia’s role.

Guiding instructions regarding project level

The handbook also contains guiding instructions with corresponding formats to support project management:

• Checklists for normal project cycle and for new partners as for humanitarian frame projects,
  - checklist for additional projects and contracts,
  - information is cross-checked regarding actions to take in the project management system, PHS, i.e. with registration and authorisation of allocations and payments.
• Guidelines, formats and check lists regarding assessment of financial and narrative reports and auditing,
  - including actions to take when unclear reports.
• Instructions regarding assessment of new and existing partners as monitoring of visits, correspondence and contact with partners.
• Easy guide for making the decision memorandum
• Standard formats of contracts are established for projects as for consultants and amendments to contracts.
• Instructions regarding Audit, Procurement and Archiving.
• Steps to consider when finalizing a project, phasing out a partner and phasing out a programme

The PME handbook also includes an evaluation manual describing Diakonia’s approach to evaluations, as operative and monitoring aspects when performing evaluations.