Kinaki can be integrated into tracking project activities and monitoring outputs.

This learning journey will guide you through the recommended process in Kinaki for tracking project activities, including: creating Project activities, setting up the activity tracking forms, reviewing the results and creating reports.  

In addition, Kinaki can be used for monitoring of project output indicators. This is a useful function especially when reporting for donors who wish to see activity status alongside the project output results. For example, the Output and Activity Reporting Worksheet for projects funded by Global Affairs Canada.

Using Kinaki for Tracking

There are two ways you can add activities to your project.

The first way is to list your activities directly in your Project Logic. To do this, add a new level to the Project Logic from the Project Settings page.Then add your Activities as a Result Statement, in the same way as you would your Outputs and Outcomes. You can drag-and-drop your activities underneath your Outputs.

Another way you can add activities is to add them as indicators to your Outputs.This is our recommended route, as you can then see the activity status contribute directly to the Output they are connected to – and activities themselves don’t necessarily need their own indicators – that they are complete or not (their status) is what matters.

Read this article for step by step guidance: Adding Activities as Indicators.

Indicators and Outputs

You will be able to identify your Outputs as activities separate from your Output Indicators.

You can attach each Output to a specific Data Collection Tool (type: Manual Results Input) and see them clearly laid out in the table found on the Data Collection page.

You can then go to the Questions page to set up what you want to ask in your tracking form, and then design the form by going the Design Form page.

Finally, collect your data using the forms you created. Remember that besides collecting the activity status (e.g. planned, ongoing, completed etc.), you can also collect a short narrative providing more insight into the activity status.

You can then see your results on the Data Management page, rename or edit the datasets, and submit them for analysis

Creating a new report specifically for your activities will allow you to see things clearly and efficiently.

You can add each “indicator” (activity) one at a time from the Analyze Data page into your Activity Report or add them all at once from Report Settings.

You can also include in a narrative in your Report (on Analyze Data page) explaining the activity status and revise/update it as needed.

Data Collection and Tracking

Let’s look at how to monitor your Project Outputs in Kinaki.

Defining the Indicators for your Outputs is a crucial step in your MEAL+ process.

From the Indicators page, you can work on them one at a time in the pop-out box, where you should think through and define key details.

This includes how will you calculate the results for this (Indicator Calculation), and how do you know if the Indicator is met (Indicator Satisfaction). You can add these definitions into custom columns on the Indicators page.

Thinking through these steps will help you determine if you need different Data Collection Tools (DCT) for your Outputs, and how many:

Some Outputs might be grouped together under one DCT – for example, name it: Output Tracking – and processed through a form, like your activities. Others may be more complicated, reach different beneficiaries, or need to be collected at different times, and therefore need to be separated.

Our tutorial videos on Data Collection Tools will help explain when and why you might want or need to do this. As a rule of thumb, Output Indicators that you would traditionally collect data for within one paper or Excel form will likely be attached to one DCT.

Preparing your data for collection or import is important to think about – will you be importing from Excel or from one of the third party apps like Kobo or ODK Collect?

You can also enter results directly through Manual Results Input (in case your data is not available or usable), or use Kinaki Online Forms.

This decision-making chart may help you to decide which type of DCTs to use:

Analysis and Reports

Analyzing Results for Output Indicators is done on the Analyze Data page, where you can select your indicators, any relevant disaggregation, and any filters for results you may want.

Reporting on your Output Indicators is easy! Simply create the report under the Reports page, and go back to Analyze Data to add each indicator one at a time or open Report Settings under the specific report you want and add all indicators at once from there.

If you made an Output and Activity Report – you can add both your “Activity Indicators” and your “Output Indicators” directly to it – and you’ll see them all clearly laid out for you to organize and adjust as needed.

Have you watched our Overview video yet? Or explored the Demo Project video series? Both will give you even better understanding of how Kinaki works, and how you can be most efficient and effective with your time working in Kinaki.

Next Steps

You have completed the Journeys!

Deep dive and explore any section of our Knowledge Hub, that is relevant to what you are working on or want to explore, for step-by-step in depth guidance!