ROLE OF MONITORING TOOLS IN PROJECT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION; A CASE OF mWATER USE IN THE EVALUATION OF GENERATION WATER PROJECT IMPLEMENTED IN BUGESERA AND NYAMAGABE DISTRICTS, RWANDA
Abstract
The general objective of this study was to determine the role of ICT based tools in project performance evaluation, with reference to the evaluation of Generation Water project implemented by WaterAid Rwanda, in Bugesera and Nyamagabe Districts. The specific objectives were to assess the effectiveness of the mWater survey tool in collecting accurate and reliable data for project performance evaluation, evaluate functionality of the mWater portal in analyzing and visualizing collected data for project performance evaluation and establish the user experience and satisfaction with using mWater for project evaluation. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The participants in the evaluation of the Generation Water Project make up the study's population of interest, which consists of a total of 43 individuals. Census approach was used. For primary data questionnaires were used as the main data collection instruments and were in form of a five Likert scale with close ended questions. Multiple sources were used to collect secondary data; the respondents filled in the answers in the spaces provided to collect information required. Pilot study was done using 5 respondents. Reliability was measured using Cronbach’s Alpha. Validity of the instruments was measured using expert’s opinion. Data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods using SPSS version 21."Data collection" exhibits a positive relationship with project performance evaluation (B = 0.973, p < 0.001), indicating that as data collection efforts increase, project performance evaluation tends to improve. Conversely, "Data analysis" demonstrates a negative association with project performance evaluation (B = -0.462, p = 0.005), suggesting that more extensive data analysis may have a diminishing impact on project performance evaluation. "User experience" exhibits a strong positive relationship (B = 1.341, p < 0.001), indicating that a positive user experience significantly enhances project performance evaluation. Finally, it is recommended that future research should focus on establishing how mWater improve project management while in actual practice, rather than exclusively relying on the self-reports of company-biased project managers.
Keywords: ICT-based tools, Project performance evaluation, WaterAid Rwanda, Bugesera and Nyamagabe Districts, mWater survey tool, Data collection, Data analysis and User experience.
CITATION: Mbarushimana J. P. & Sanja, M. (2024). Role of monitoring tools in project performance evaluation; A case of mwater use in the evaluation of generation water project implemented in Bugesera and Nyamagabe districts. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 11 (1), 255 – 274. http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v11i1.2851
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Acquisti, A., Brandimarte, L., & Loewenstein, G. (2016). Privacy and human behavior in the age of information. Science, 347(6221), 509-514.
AlSuwaidan, L. (2021). Centralized data storage and security in the mWater platform. Cloud Computing and Data Management, 14(4), 78-92.
Baker, J., & Thompson, C. (2017). Mobile Data Collection: A Review of the mWater Survey App. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 35(3), 188-207.
Brown, A., Smith, B., & Garcia, C. (2020). Enhancing Project Evaluation Through Data Visualization Tools. Journal of Project Management, 35(2), 127-142.
Bryde, D., Broquetas, M., & Volm, J. M. (2013). The project benefits of building information modelling (BIM). International Journal of Project Management, 31(7), 971-980.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2013). Understanding nursing research: Building an evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Chen, Y., Wang, X., & Wang, L. (2019). The impact of information and communication technology on inter-organizational collaboration in construction projects. Automation in Construction, 104, 24-35.
Clark, E. R. (2017). Visualizing Project Metrics: A Comparative Study of Tableau and Power BI. International Journal of Data Visualization and Analytics, 3(2), 18-30.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Cronbach, L. J. (1952). On the coefficient of reliability. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297-334.da Silva Wells, C., van Lieshout, R., & Uytewaal, E. (2013). Transparency and accountability improvements in project monitoring with mWater. Participatory Development Review, 9(3), 56-72.
Foster, T., Willetts, J., Lane, M., Thomson, P., Katuva, J., Malava, J., ... & Hope, R. (2019). Risk factors associated with rural water supply failure: A 30-year retrospective study of handpumps on the south coast of Kenya. Science of the Total Environment, 650, 1-10.
Garcia, R. A., Fernandez, M. A., & Perez, J. R. (2020). Enhancing construction project management through ICT tools: A systematic review. Electronics, 9(3), 518.
Golafshani, N. (2018). Validity and reliability in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 23(2), 211-228.
Harris, M., Peletz, R., Saboori, S., Gensheimer, K., Moraes, M. S., Rehfuess, E., ... & Julian, T. R. (2018). Safe drinking water and waterborne outbreaks. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 8(2), 179-193.
Hilton, M. (2017). Pretesting: Evaluation of Questionnaire Themes. In Research Methods in Social Sciences (pp. 112-115). Publisher.
Johnson, A. B., & Brown, C. D. (2019). Impact of Project Management Software on Project Performance Evaluation: A Case Study of Construction Projects in the United States. Construction Management and Economics, 37(9), 513-525.
Jones, S., Williams, A., & Martinez, B. (2020). Assessing the Reliability of mWater Data in Resource-Constrained Settings. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 155(1), 143-156.
Karanja, P., & Ndung'u, A. (2021). Addressing data security concerns in ICT-driven project evaluation: Lessons from Kenya. Journal of Information Security, 8(3), 132-147.
Kawasaki, A., Berman, M. L., & Guan, W. (2013). Customizable data access levels in the mWater portal. Information Security and Privacy Review, 7(1), 34-47.
Kim, Y., & Lee, S. (2022). User Experience with mWater and its Implications for Project Performance: A Case Study Analysis. Journal of Technology and Project Management, 17(1), 20-35.
Kiptoo, A., & Wanjau, K. (2020). Project management practices in Kenya: Challenges and prospects. International Journal of Project Management, 38(5), 128-137.
Kothari, C. R. (2017). Research methodology: Methods and techniques (3rd ed.). New Age
Kumar, P., Rai, A., & Kumar, N. (2021). Challenges and Opportunities of ICT in Project Management. In Intelligent Communication, Control and Devices (pp. 375-383). Springer.
Lantagne, D., Clasen, T., Raykhinshteyn, V., Lu, Y., Overbo, A., Barstow, C., ... & Inauen, J. (2019). Microbiological effectiveness and cost of boiling to disinfect drinking water in rural Vietnam. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(16), 9465-9475.
Lavrakas, P. J., & Lavrakas, P. J. (2017). Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods. SAGE Publications.
Lee, B., Kim, S., & Shin, S. (2021). Predictive project performance evaluation using machine learning techniques. Sustainability, 13(8), 4569.
Li, X., & Khan, S. (2020). Evaluating Project Performance in the Era of Information and Communication Technology. International Journal of Project Management, 38(2), 127-135.
Matturi, K. (2016). Improving data quality through the use of the mWater survey and portal. Journal of Data Collection and Analysis, 28(3), 120-135.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook. Sage Publications.
Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2017). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. African Centre for Technology Studies.
Murthy, S. L., Shemie, D., & Bichai, F. (2018). mWater: A comprehensive survey and data management platform for project performance evaluation. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Information Technology Education (pp. 123-128).
Mwamwaja, S. A. (2014). The impact of the mWater survey and portal on project monitoring, evaluation, and decision-making processes. Innovations in Technology and Development, 6(2), 45-58.
Mwangi, R., & Kimani, S. (2018). Enhancing project decision-making through ICT: A study of construction projects in Kenya. International Journal of Construction Management, 18(4), 335-348.
Ngechu, M. (2018). The use of SPSS in managing and analyzing data. Journal of Statistical Software, 21(4), 1-10.
Nguyen, T. A., Do, H. D., & Nguyen, T. T. (2018). Cloud-Based Project Management System for Construction: A Case Study in Vietnam. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(5), 04018028.
Nunes, M., Abreu, A., Bagnjuk, J., & Tiedtke, J. (2021). The Significance of Data Analysis in Project Performance Evaluation. Journal of Project Management, 15(3), 45-58.
Nyaga, J., Whipple, J., & Lynch, D. (2019). ICT tools and project team communication in Kenya: An exploratory study. International Journal of Information Management, 44, 168-178.
Oduor, J., Ng'ethe, G., & Olubayo, A. (2017). Real-time data and project performance: A study of ICT integration in road construction projects in Kenya. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 143(7), 04017030.
Omar, T., & Nehdi, M. L. (2016). Enhancing project monitoring through real-time data collection with mWater. Journal of Project Management, 42(1), 65-78.
Orodho, A. J. (2017). Essentials of educational and social science research methods:
Pallant, J. (2019). Maximizing external validity: Utilizing the entire population rather than a sample. In R. Smith (Ed.), Enhancing Project Performance: A Comprehensive Approach (pp. 45-67). Publisher.
Patanakul, P., & Shenhar, A. J. (2012). What project strategy really is: The fundamental building block in strategic project management. Project Management Journal, 43(5), 4-20.
Patel, S., & Kumar, M. (2020). Mobile Surveys for Inclusive Data Collection: A Case Study of mWater in Rural Health Projects. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 12(3), 17-31.
Patton, M. Q. (2011). Developmental evaluation: Applying complexity concepts to enhance innovation and use. Guilford Press.
Pearce, J., Dickinson, N., & Welle, K. (2014). Capacity building in the WASH sector through mWater. Sustainable Development Journal, 22(2), 89-104.
Peletz, R., Kisiangani, J., Bonham, M., Ronoh, P., Delaire, C., & Kohn, J. (2020). Water quality evaluation and spatial analysis in rural Kenya. Water, 12(5), 1420.
Protopsaltis, A., Sarigiannidis, P., Margounakis, D., & Lytos, A. (2020, August). Data analysis and visualization tools in the mWater portal. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), 245-257.
Rao, P. M., & Patel, V. (2022). Harnessing ICT for Project Performance Enhancement: A Review and Future Directions. Computers in Industry, 128, 103718.
Robinson, E. J., Turner, R., & Smith, F. (2017). Enhancing Communication and Collaboration in Project Management through ICT Tools. Journal of Information Technology and Management, 8(2), 21-36.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2017). Research methods for business students. Pearson UK.
Schindler, P. S. (2019). Business research methods (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Schweitzer, R., Grayson, C., & Lockwood, H. (2014). WaterAid's Partnership with mWater: A Global WASH Initiative.
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (8th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Sharma, G. (2017). Pros and Cons of Different Sampling Techniques. International journal of Applied Research, 3(7), 749-752.
Shrestha, R. (2021). Assessing instrument reliability in social science research. Journal of Research Methods, 15(4), 210-225.
Smith, P., Williams, R., & Martinez, A. (2018). The Role of Technology in Modern Project Management. Project Management Journal, 49(3), 65-78.
Studenmund, A. H. (2011). Using econometrics: A practical guide. Pearson.
Tan, Y., Teo, H., & Tan, B. (2019). Enhancing Project Performance through Digital Project Management: A Case Study of Singapore's Construction Industry. Automation in Construction, 100, 203-213.
Taplin, D. H., Clark, H., Collins, E., & Colby, D. C. (2013). Theory of change technical papers: A series of papers to support development of theories of change based on practice in the field. Act Knowledge.
Thompson, G., & White, E. (2020). Visualizing Project Performance: The Impact of Digital Dashboards. Project Management Journal, 51(4), 412-426.
Thompson, R. M., & Davis, S. P. (2019). Adapting mWater for Medical Clinic Evaluation: A Case Study in Data Collection Efficiency. Health Evaluation Quarterly, 42(2), 167-182.
Tondreau, B., Herselman, M., & Botha, A. (2018). Design principles for mobile data collection tools in the field. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 84(5), e12037.
Trochim, W. M., Donnelly, J. P., & Arora, K. (2016). Research methods: The essential knowledge base (2nd ed.). Cengage Learning.
Turner, J., & White, L. (2019). Challenges and Opportunities in Using mWater for Project Evaluation: Insights from User Feedback. Journal of Applied Technology in Project Management, 15(1), 34-49.
Turner, R., & White, S. (2018). Empirical Examination of Challenges and Solutions in Data Collection for Project Evaluation. Project Management Journal, 49(1), 15-28.
van Deursen, A. J., & van Dijk, J. A. (2019). The first-level digital divide shifts from inequalities in physical access to inequalities in material access. New Media & Society, 21(2), 354-375.
Venkatesh, V., & Bala, H. (2008). Technology acceptance model 3 and a research agenda on interventions. Decision Sciences, 39(2), 273-315.
Vogel, I., Pritchett, L., Hattori, A., & Undie, C. C. (2012). The theory of change approach to planning, monitoring, and evaluation: Its application to the urban health initiative. Population Council.
Wanderi, E. N., Mberia, H., & Oduor, J. (2015). Evaluation of Factors Influencing TotalQuality Management Implementation in Rwadan Construction Companies: A Caseof Fair Construction Company. European journal of business and social sciences, 4(3), 14-28.
Wang, Y., & Li, Y. (2016). Data-Driven Decision Making and its Impact on Project Performance. International Journal of Project Management, 34(7), 1357-1373.
Williams, S., & Robinson, K. (2020). Empirical Insights into Best Practices for Data Collection in Project Evaluation. Project Management Quarterly, 12(1), 34-48.
Waweru, N., & Omondi, F. (2016). Challenges of implementing e-governance in Kenya: The case of Huduma Centres. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 76(7), 1-19.
White, H., & Raitzer, D. A. (2017). Theory-based impact evaluation: Principles and practice. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
White, P. T., & Lee, J. M. (2021). Uncovering Insights with mWater: Enhancing Project Evaluation through Analytics. Tech Evaluation Today, 8(2), 75-89.
Zwikael, O., & Globerson, S. (2006). Benchmarking of project planning and success in selected industries. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 13(3), 306-323.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v11i1.2851
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
PAST ISSUES:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.