2. Key Results-Based Reporting Guidelines
1
Report Against the Results Framework
Structure reporting around:
Outcome → Output → Indicator → Activities.
Avoid presenting the report only as a list of completed activities.
❌ Weak: Three hygiene awareness sessions were conducted.
✅ Better: Three hygiene awareness sessions reached
245 people, representing 82% of the quarterly target of 300 participants.
2
Distinguish Activities, Outputs and Outcomes
Activity: What the project did.
Output: What was directly delivered or who was reached.
Outcome: What changed as a result of the intervention.
Example:
Activity: Conducted hygiene promotion sessions.
Output: 1,250 people received hygiene messages.
Outcome: 78% of assessed households demonstrated appropriate handwashing practices.
3
Compare Achievement Against Target
Wherever possible, show:
Reporting Period Achievement
→ Cumulative Achievement
→ Target
→ % Achievement
| Indicator |
Period Achievement |
Cumulative |
Target |
% Achieved |
| HH receiving WASH assistance |
1,200 |
2,850 |
4,000 |
71% |
4
Explain the Meaning Behind the Numbers
Do not report figures without interpretation. Explain what the achievement means
for beneficiaries and programme performance.
❌ 1,250 households received hygiene kits.
✅ During the quarter, 1,250 vulnerable households received hygiene kits,
achieving 100% of the planned quarterly target. PDM findings showed that
91% of respondents reported receiving the complete kit.
5
Explain Under- and Over-Achievement
Significant deviations from target should always be explained.
Example:
Achievement reached 68% of the half-year target due to procurement delays
and temporary field-access restrictions. Pending activities will be prioritized
during the next quarter.
6
Disaggregate Results
Where relevant, disaggregate results by:
Sex • Age • Disability • Population Group • Location • Other project-specific categories
Disaggregation should help explain
who was reached, who may have been missed, and whether inclusion was achieved.
7
Use Monitoring Evidence
Strengthen narrative reporting using evidence from:
Monitoring visits, PDM, baseline/endline, outcome assessment,
Kobo/MIS, FCRM, DQA, FGD, KII, observation and community consultation.
Result → Evidence → Explanation → Gap/Challenge → Action
8
Report Challenges Together with Management Action
Do not simply list challenges. Explain their effect on results and what action was taken
or is planned.
❌ Heavy rainfall affected activities.
✅ Heavy rainfall restricted field access in two locations,
delaying 120 planned household visits. The team rescheduled the visits
and prioritized accessible blocks to minimize further delay.
9
Highlight Learning and Adaptation
Particularly in quarterly, half-yearly and annual reports,
explain what the programme learned and what was changed as a result.
Example:
Community feedback indicated that hygiene sessions scheduled during peak household
work hours had lower participation. Session timing was therefore adjusted,
resulting in improved attendance during the following reporting period.
10
Keep the Narrative Concise and Analytical
Avoid activity diaries, unnecessary repetition, long meeting descriptions,
and excessive operational details.
Every paragraph should ideally answer:
What result does the reader need to understand?