Annex 5 - Evaluation sample questions
With reference to the Evaluation component of BOS reporting, following questions are tailored to BOS and could be utilized to structure the guiding questions within a BOS evaluation.
Reference: UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) http://www.unevaluation.org
Relevance: BOS addressing country or multi-country priorities and opportunities
The extent to which the priorities of BOS are consistent with country needs, programming priorities, and BOS global commitments. The extent to which the BOS reflects the UN in the country’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances for common business operations and changing demands of the country context, so that the UN’s BOS interventions and results achieved continue to be relevant.
Do the BOS outcomes address the country’s priorities for common business operations?
Has the BOS been flexible to adjust to new common service opportunities?
Have the BOS outcomes guided UN agencies in the context of UN system wide business operations goals and commitments?
To what extent has global policy commitments to common business operations been highlighted in the BOS?
Efficiency: BOS is a coordination and partnership framework
The extent to which the UN in the country’s ways of working affected progress of results and implementation of the BOS. The extent to which outcomes are achieved through the appropriate amount of resources. The extent to which transaction costs were minimized in the implementation of BOS.
To what extent has the BOS increased synergy between the operational practices of UN agencies?
Has the efficiency of UN entities increased as a result of BOS and its common services?
Are all roles and responsibilities in relation to BOS clearly defined? Are the different roles and responsibilities respected by everyone? If not, why not?
Have the internal and external coordination structures of BOS increased efficiency and effectiveness and reduced duplication? If not, why not?
Are BOS budget allocations aligned with BOS priorities?
Effectiveness: BOS implementation contributes to progress of the BOS outcomes
The extent to which each level of the accountability framework for BOS contributed to the outcomes defined in the BOS. The evaluation will note how unintended results, if any, have affected common business operations positively or negatively and to what extent these issues were foreseen and managed. The evaluation documents lessons learned for future BOS implementation and how BOS can continue business operations reforms.
What progress has been made towards the realization of BOS outcomes?
What lessons can be identified and used to guide planning of global commitments to common business operations?
What are the main factors that contributed to the realization or non-realization of the outcomes?
Where the expected outcomes realized given the BOS timeframe and available capacities and resources?
To what extent and in what ways has the comparative advantage of UN Agencies been utilized in the country/multi country context?
Impact: BOS impacted the realization of global targets for common business operations
The extent to which the BOS has impacted global priorities for common business operations, notably the implementation of the SG’s global reform priorities.
Are there any changes to the global business operations that can be attributed to this BOS?
What contribution has the BOS made to working with key strategic partners through BOS implementation?
Sustainability: BOS results contribute to the sustainability of cooperation among individual UN agencies
The extent to which common business operations strategies implemented in the current BOS are likely to contribute to the sustainability of common business operations toward the establishment of a common back office.
Has the BOS contributed to establishing common services that would be able to achieve positive results in the future?
Have joint structures and processes strengthening happened?
To what extent does the BOS promote ownership of common business operations?
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