Scope and Intent

Scope  

PD Foundations is the cornerstone project developing foundational principles that guide the practice of public diplomacy (PD) at the Department of State.  This volume offers an in-depth guide for PD practitioners, primarily at overseas posts, on the monitoring of public diplomacy interventions including: activities, events, programs, initiatives, campaigns, media engagements, etc.

It is a practical guide, but it goes into more depth than what is found on similar topics in the introductory publication, “PD in Practice.” This volume explains the difference between monitoring and evaluation, but it provides guidance for only the first.  There are additional monitoring and reporting requirements for some grants and some ECE-funded programs; these requirements exist in addition to the guidance offered in this volume, but the principles and methods outlined here are largely consistent with these standards.  18 FAM 300 provides official monitoring and evaluation (M&E) guidance for bureaus and offices; overseas posts are not required to meet the requirements outlined therein.  Nevertheless, whenever possible, this document is aligned with the guidance in 18 FAM 300, and deviations are explained.  PD Foundations is a starting point to successfully planning, implementing, and assessing public diplomacy interventions.

Purpose  

The Office of the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R) directed the preparation of PD Foundations by the Office of Resources, Policy, and Planning (R/PPR) with input from practitioners and other experts.  As such, it provides direction for the interpretation of policy and the design and implementation of PD activities by PD offices and sections, PD practitioners, and others implementing PD functions for the Department.  

The PD Foundations project is composed of multiple parts.  The “Contemporary PD” series explores our shared identity, examining the current state of the field through various lenses–historical, theoretical, logical, metaphorical, functions over time, and PD's role in the U.S.  government.  The “PD in Practice” series lays out shared vocabulary and practices for the modern tradecraft of public diplomacy, including at overseas posts and other contexts.  The “PD Theories and Concepts” series contains deeper explorations on how core concepts or theoretical approaches are applied in the practice of public diplomacy.  This volume is part of the “PD in Practice” series.  

Application  

Guidance established in this volume applies to all public diplomacy (PD) practitioners serving in assignments abroad and to any headquarters or domestic elements that support, coordinate, or collaborate with PD practitioners overseas.  

Public diplomacy practitioners should follow the guidance provided in this publication except in rare instances when PD Section Chiefs and Office Directors judge that exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise.  The U.S. Constitution, Congressional legislation, the Foreign Affairs Manual and Foreign Affairs Handbook (FAM/FAH), and specific guidance from the Office of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy (R) take precedence over this document.  

Change requests and comments 

Users of this document are encouraged to submit comments and provide recommendations for changes to this document.  Email feedback and recommendations to PD@State.gov.  If you have specific questions or requests for Monitoring support, email PD@state.gov to request a consultation.  

Supporting documents and follow-on conversations

The PD Foundations text is published on PD@State, the PD Knowledge Base, available to Department of State users.  PD@State also hosts supporting materials to put PD Foundations into daily practice, including tip sheets, work guides, and tools for skills and concepts presented here.  Subject matter experts and experienced practitioners in R/PPR are also available for consultation and coaching on these concepts and others.  R/PPR also provides on demand M&E support for individuals and teams.  Please contact PD@State.gov for support.  

Executive summary

Monitoring is central to modern, policy-centered, audience-focused, data-informed PD.  Monitoring is the continuous process of collecting and reviewing data to measure what is happening during a section activity or initiative; it is part of the way we know whether our PD programs are effective.  This document presents the concepts and tools PD practitioners need to carry out effective monitoring programs that meet the needs of their local context, while building shared language and processes.

This guide provides readers with an in-depth explanation of monitoring and practical approaches to conduct section activity monitoring successfully.  The Monitoring Toolkit outlines how practitioners should identify good candidates for monitoring and how to allocate resources for monitoring.  It introduces a three-part approach to monitoring PD initiatives and activities:  using a logic model, developing a monitoring plan, and completing an after-action review (AAR).

A logic model is a visual road map that shows how PD activities lead to changes in priority audience groups' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, reaching a defined goal.  In public diplomacy, it combines resources, audiences, and actions to produce results and both short- and long-term outcomes.  The logic model acts as a guide for "if-then" thinking, highlighting the connection between actions and desired results.  A well-constructed logic model is the basis for future planning and provides indicators for the monitoring plan.

A monitoring plan is a document that explains how you will measure the section activity's outputs and outcomes.  It illustrates what progress and success look like by identifying indicators and tools for data collection.  The plan includes a list of indicators for outputs and outcomes, the tools for collecting data, performance targets for each indicator, and the actual values obtained through data collection.  It takes the planning details from the logic model and clearly shows how the PD section will know if the implementation is on track.  The monitoring plan also provides crucial information for conducting an after-action review.

An after-action review (AAR) is a structured review of the results of a section activity.  The Monitoring Toolkit uses a structured meeting template designed to guide the team through reflection, results, and next steps.  An AAR provides space for reflection on the planning, implementation, and effectiveness of a section activity.  An AAR links planning and monitoring by using data collected through the monitoring process to improve future section activities.

No single document can serve as a comprehensive tool for those interested in monitoring their section’s activities and initiatives.  This guide aims to give a framework and a starting point for creating more resources and support for monitoring.  To support PD practitioners in their monitoring efforts, this guide includes an extensive appendix section with templates and tools to add to the process explained in the main text.  

Section One:  Introduction to PD monitoring

Section Two:  What should I monitor?

Section Three:  How much does monitoring cost?

Section Four:  How do I monitor?

Section Five:  The PD monitoring process in depth

The Appendices section provides more details, and tools for implementing recommendations from the main document.  It contains: 

• Appendix A:  For further guidance catalog contains a list of monitoring resources from across the Department of State.  
• Appendix B:  Monitoring for grants and PD-implemented section activities outlines examples of how PD sections may decide which activities to monitor, with section activities implemented by post and by outside implementing grants partners.  
• Appendix C:  Logic model template provides users with a blank, fillable template for the logic model.  
• Appendix D:  Completed logic model example offers users a fully completed example logic model for posts to use as an example that illustrates the guidance and standards from the Monitoring Toolkit.
• Appendix E:  Developing outcomes provides users with practical advice on developing short-term and long-term outcomes in the logic model.  
• Appendix F:  Monitoring plan template includes a blank, fillable template of the Monitoring Plan.
• Appendix G:  Completed monitoring plan shows practitioners a completed example that builds on the example logic model in Appendix D.  
• Appendix H:  After-action review template contains a blank, fillable AAR template.  
• Appendix I:  Completed after-action review example illustrates a completed after-action review based on the completed logic model and monitoring plan provided in previous appendixes.  

PUBLISHED

April 15, 2024

PUBLISHER

Organizational Learning Unit, Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR) 

PROPONENT

Research and Evaluation Unit, Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR) 

ABOUT R/PPR

The Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR) provides long-term strategic planning and performance measurement capability for public diplomacy and public affairs programs. It also enables the Under Secretary to better advise on the allocation of public diplomacy and public affairs resources, to focus those resources on the most urgent national security objectives, and provide realistic measurement of public diplomacy's and public affairs' effectiveness.

ABOUT THE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION UNIT

The Research and Evaluation Unit (REU) in the Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R/PPR) supports public diplomacy (PD) practitioners by producing, coordinating, and communicating rigorous research and building capacity around using that research to shape and inform data-driven public diplomacy on U.S. foreign policy priorities. The team provides direct support to PD sections for monitoring and evaluation (M&E), audience research, and applied management research.

DRAFTERS

Andrew Ballard

Erin Murrock

MANAGING EDITOR

Anna Cairney

Contact PD@state.gov with questions, comments, revisions, suggestions, corrections, etc.