The Logframe Matrix

The main document of the LFA is the logical framework

matrix or, more brief: the Logframe. The matrix has four
columns and four rows:
 The vertical logic identifies what the project intends to do,
clarifies the causal relationships and specifies the important
assumptions and risks beyond the project manager's control.

 The horizontal logic relates to the measurement of the effects

of, and resources used by the project through the specification
of key indicators, and the sources where they will be verified.

 The LFA starts with an analytical process and gives structure to

present the results of this process through logframe which
makes it easier to:
 set out systematically and logically the level of objectives of
projects / programmes and the relationships between them;
 indicate whether they have been achieved;
 monitor the factors outside the scope of the project/programme
which influence its success.
The logframe is a 4 × 4 matrix, providing a one page, concise
summary of project strategic elements and their causal
relationship and the external factors that may influence success
or failure of the project. logframe explains:
 why a project is carried out (Intervention Logic)
 what the project is expected to achieve (Intervention Logic
and Indicators)
 how the project is going to achieve it (Activities, Means)
 which external factors are crucial for its success
(Assumptions)
 where to find the information required to assess the success
of the project (Sources of Verification)
 which means are required (Means)
 what the project will cost (Cost)
 which pre-conditions have to be fulfilled before the project
can start (Preconditions)
First Column: Intervention Logic
 The first column of the Logical Framework is
called "Intervention Logic". It sets out the basic
strategy underlying the project:
 Means (2 d column 4th row) - both physical and
non-physical - allow to carry out Activities,
 By carrying out these Activities, the
Results/outputs are achieved-,
 Results/outputs collectively achieve the Purpose-,
 The Project Purpose contributes to the Overall
Objectives or goal.
The intervention logic comprises four levels of objectives
which are described below:
1. Goal: Goal describes a higher level objectives towards which the project
or programme is expected to contribute or ultimate impact of the project or
programme.
 The goal explains why it is important to society, in terms of the
longer-term benefits to final beneficiaries and the wider benefits to
other groups.
 The goal helps to show how the project fits into the regional/sectoral
policy objectives of the government/concerned organizations.
 The Overall Objectives (goal) will not be achieved by the project
alone; it will only provide a contribution to the achievement of the
overall objectives.
 The goal may not be immediately attainable. Some goals are only
reached well after the end of the project.
 Example- Decrease the mortality rate among infants 0-12 months of
age in the target population, Contribution to GDP increased, Socio-
economic status of the farmers increased etc.
2. Purpose: Purpose reflects the intended changes in systemic conditions
or behaviors that must be achieved to accomplish the goal.
 The purpose should be defined in terms of sustainable benefits for the
target group(s) as part of the beneficiaries.
 Unlike the project goal, purpose must be achieved and measured by the
end of the project, and should also continue afterwards without additional
external resources. This is what is meant by sustainability. For example,
changes in behavior, (adopting better breastfeeding practices) should
continue indefinitely after a health education project has ended.
 Purposes are set in alignment with the direct causes of the problem we
are trying to address through our interventions. Purpose represents an
elimination or reduction in the factors that have been identified in the
problem analysis as the key underlying causes of the problem.
 There should only be one project purpose per project.
 Example of project purpose- reduced rates of diarrheal disease among
infants 0-12 months, crop production increased, river water quality
improved, sea turtle population increased etc.
2. Purpose: Purpose reflects the intended changes in systemic conditions
or behaviors that must be achieved to accomplish the goal.
 The purpose should be defined in terms of sustainable benefits for the
target group(s) as part of the beneficiaries.
 Unlike the project goal, purpose must be achieved and measured by the
end of the project, and should also continue afterwards without additional
external resources. This is what is meant by sustainability. For example,
changes in behavior, (adopting better breastfeeding practices) should
continue indefinitely after a health education project has ended.
 Purposes are set in alignment with the direct causes of the problem we
are trying to address through our interventions. Purpose represents an
elimination or reduction in the factors that have been identified in the
problem analysis as the key underlying causes of the problem.
 There should only be one project purpose per project.
 Example of project purpose- reduced rates of diarrheal disease among
infants 0-12 months, crop production increased, river water quality
improved, sea turtle population increased etc.
3. Outputs/Results:
Results are “products” of the activities undertaken, the combination of
which achieve the purpose of project.

 Outputs should be numbered.

 The logframe generally summarizes a cluster of two to three

outputs that together are both necessary and sufficient to
achieve each of the proposed purpose.

Example of project outputs-

 Increased percentage of mothers who exclusively breastfeed

infants,

 Direct discharge of waste water by household and factories

decreased,
 turtle nesting habitat conserved etc.
4. Activities/Inputs: Activities are the actions necessary to produce the
results or outputs.
 Activities summarize what will be undertaken by the project.
 They should be related to the outputs by adequate numbering
(Activity 1.1, 1.2 ……..,2.1, 2.2….).
 As a general guideline, the project design should summarize
several related activities that are both necessary and sufficient
to achieve each of the intended outputs or results.
 Detailed activities should be outlined or described in a workplan
or Gantt chart. This will also enable you to decide their timing, to
avoid conflicts or overloads, and to ensure that they are in
accord with seasonal and other constraints on implementation.
For example, if training is the intervention, the detailed activities
may comprise 1) development of a training curriculum, 2) field
testing training curriculum and training materials, 3) training of
trainers, 4) identifying training participants, 5) implementation
and completion of the actual trainings, 6) monitoring &
evaluation of training quality. All of these should be outlined or
described in a workplan or Gantt chart.
Second Column: Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVI)

OVIs are the detailed description of the project goal, purpose and
outputs.

OVIs tell us how we will know when an objective has been achieved.

OVIs are statements that define the performance standard to be

reached in order to achieve an objective in terms of QQT(Quantity –
How much? Quality – How well? Time – by when).

An indicator must include three basic dimensions- Quantity, Quality and

Time.

In fact, performance against targets or objectives is measured through

the use of indicators. SMART principles are used to set target or
objectives.

S = Specific, M = Measurable, A = Appropriate, R = Realistic, T = Time

bound.
Example of Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs)

Intervention Logic OVIs

Goal: Reduced poverty. 75% (7500 families) farmers rose

above the poverty line by 2030.

Purpose: i. Farmers’ rice production

Increased farmers’ increased 20% by the year 2028.
income. ii. Rice harvested in 2028 is of
better quality than 2025.

Outputs: i. 10 storage centers having

1. Storage facilities built. capacity of 5000 MT constructed
2. Farmers trained. by 2026.
ii. 10 thousands farmers trained by
2026.
The physical and non-physical means (inputs) necessary to carry out
the planned activities are placed in the “bottom” row of the second
column.

There are no indicators for activities in the logical framework matrix.

A rough estimation of the necessary resources (inputs) should be

presented in this box.

Inputs include field staff, facilities, equipment, or money.

If training is the activities, for each activity you should think of the
critical inputs that will be needed.

These can include the materials, trainers, venue and logistical support.

The activities are related to the different results/outputs.

Indicators for activities are usually defined during the preparation of an

activity schedule specifying the activities in more detail.
Third Column: Means/Sources of Verification

Means of verifications are the sources of information or data which

provide evidence that objectives and related OVIs have been achieved.

Means of verification indicate where and in what form information on

the achievement of the goal, purpose and the results can be found
(described by the objectively verifiable indicators).

MOVs must be available, affordable, timely and useful.

Some usual sources of such information are-report of project manager,

office file, project proposal, progress report, survey and interviewing,
field survey note, personal observation, photographs etc.

The cost and sources of financing (foreign aided, government etc.) are
placed in the bottom row of the third column.
Fourth Column: Assumptions
Assumptions are external factors that influence or even determine the
success of a project, but lie outside its control.

They are the answer to the question: “what external factors are not
influenced by the project, but may affect its implementation and long-
term sustainability?”
Assumptions are used to connect an objective at one level to the
objective at the next higher level.

Assumptions are awarded as positive statements.

Pre-conditions differ from assumptions in that they must be met before

a project can commence; often these concern back-up measures by
the partners. For example, without the implementation of certain policy
measures by the partner, the project rationale may be undetermined.
Compared to the other columns, the assumption column is lowered by
one level and there are no assumptions at the level of the goal.
The vertical logic in the logframe, i.e. the relationship between the
1st and the 4th column, works as follows:
 once the Pre-conditions are met, the Activities can start up-,
 once the Activities have been carried out, and if the Assumptions at
this level hold true, Results will be achieved;
 once these Results and the Assumptions at this level are fulfilled,
the Project Purpose will be achieved,
 once the Purpose has been achieved and the Assumptions at this
level are fulfilled, contribution to the achievement of the Overall
Objectives will have been made by the project.

Example of Assumptions:
Purpose: Rice production increased
Assumptions: a. No natural disaster
b. Seeds and fertilizer don’t increase from the present rate
c. Stable rice price
Output: Farmers trained
Assumptions: Farmers are willing to accept modern cultivation method.
How to Identify the Intervention Logic from Strategy Analysis ?

The objectives selected for inclusion in the project are called

Intervention Logic. There are four levels of objectives. It is important
to ensure that the levels of objectives are correct.

Methods of Identifying Intervention Logic from Strategy Analysis

1. Identification of the purpose
Select from the hierarchy of objectives the objective that describes a
sustainable benefit to the target groups, including both women and
men.

To do so, it is helpful to start at the bottom of the tree. By moving

higher, objectives that reflect sustainable benefits can be identified.

2. Identification of the goal/overall objectives

Select from the objective tree one or more objectives at the top which
describe long term benefits for society or the sector, to which the
project will contribute.
3. Identification of outputs/results
Select from the objective tree the objectives that –by the “means-to-
ends” logic achieve the purpose and are thus outputs/results.

Add other outputs that also further the achievement of the purpose.
These can be identified following a supplementary analysis of the
opportunities and risks of the situation in question.

For example, through additional studies (operations research from

other projects, lessons learned from previous projects, review of
external organization experiences, other sources),

through discussions with stakeholders (e.g. in a planning workshop),

paying attention to the specific interests of under-represented groups.

4. Transfer of objectives to the column intervention logic in the

logframe.
5. Identification of activities

Select from the objectives tree the objectives that –by the “means-to-
end”- produce the outputs/results and translate them into activities.

Activities are formulated with the verb in front: “Organise training

session”, “Co-ordinate with major stakeholders”, etc.

Add other activities identified after supplementary analysis of the

opportunities and risks of the situation in question,

6. The means-ends relationships are again analysed and additional

outputs and activities may be incorporated.

Note: Add only main activities, relate them to the outputs by attributing
numbers to each activity (activity 1.1 is related to output 1, activity 4.3
to output 4). This helps maintaining means to ends relationships.
Using the Logical Framework to Plan Complex Interventions: In-
terlocking Logframes

Complex interventions comprising a number of components or projects

are usually called "Programmes".

These may be sector-wide programmes, nation-wide programmes or

regional programmes with a number of concerned sectors.

The LFA principles equally apply to this type of intervention, i.e. that to
properly plan them it will be necessary to run through the Analysis and
Planning Stage.

In principle, each Logical Framework can be worked out in sub-

logframes. Each of these describes components of the "master" Logical
Framework on a more detailed level.
How to Identify Assumptions?
It will have become apparent during the analysis stage that the
project alone cannot achieve all the objectives identified in the
objective tree.
Once a strategy has been selected, objectives not included in
the intervention logic and other external factors remain.
These are crucial for the achievement of results, project
purpose and goal, but lie outside the project’s control. These
conditions must be met if the project is to succeed, and are
included as assumptions in the fourth column of the logframe.
The probability and significance of external conditions being
met should be estimated as part of assessing the degree of risk
of the project.
Some will be critical to project success, and others of marginal
importance.
Steps to Identify Assumptions?
1. Identify in the hierarchy of objectives such objectives that are not
covered by the selected strategy but important for the success of the
project.
2. Place them as external factors at the appropriate level of the logframe
3. Identify other external factors not included in the hierarchy which must
be fulfilled to achieve the goal, purpose and outputs
4. Identify necessary Pre-conditions which have to be met in order to start
with project Activities
5. Assess the importance of the external factors by using the assessment
chart. Depending on the conclusions:
 Take out the external factor (almost certainly)
 Include the external factor as an Assumption (likely)
 Redesign the project (unlikely)

6. Check the Intervention Logic and Assumptions on completeness

beginning with the Pre-conditions, to see whether the Intervention Logic is
indeed logical and overlooks nothing
Advantages of Logical framework:
1. The Logical Framework is simple to understand. It provides a structure
for concepts, ensuring that the decision maker thinks through the
fundamental aspects of a project design.
2. The Framework aids in evaluating a project since both initial goals and
final results are clearly delineated.
3. It ensures that fundamental questions are asked and weaknesses are
analyzed, in order to provide decision makers with better and more
relevant information.
4. It guides systematic and logical analysis of the inter–related key
elements, which constitute a well – designed project.
5. It improves planning by highlighting linkages between project elements
and external factors.
6. The use of Logical Framework and systematic monitoring ensures
continuity of approach when original project staff is replaced.
7. Widespread use of the Logical Framework format makes it easier to
undertake both sectoral studies and comparative studies in general.
Limitations of LF:

 During the planning process, the Logical Framework does not take
uncertainty into account. Neither does it allow for the consideration of
potential alternative actions.

 A linear causall sequence is assumed which is an unlikely simplification

of the relationships among various project components and elements in
the environment.

However, like any other model, logframe also has its limitation. It is
certainly not an answer to all the problems which development projects are
likely to encounter, but at least it offers project managers a guide so that
implementation does not happen without any thought of the relevant
means-end relationships. It is an important tool for project monitoring and
evaluation.
Figure 9. Simplified example of a problem tree.
Figure 10. Simplified example of an objectives tree.
Figure 11. Simplified example of objectives clustered into strategies.