By Hüseyin Aktürk
General Manager, AB-ilan.com / Senior Project Manager
“The Logical Framework is not a document. It’s a living tool. Learn to master it — and it will become your project’s best ally.”
Introduction
For many, filling out the Logical Framework Matrix (also known as the “Logframe”) can seem daunting. However, once you understand its internal logic, it becomes significantly easier to manage. For professionals working in project design and implementation, this matrix is a critical tool. A properly filled Logframe is essential not only during the project writing phase but also throughout implementation and evaluation. In this article, we provide a concise yet comprehensive guide on how to complete a Logical Framework Matrix correctly.
What Is the Logical Framework?
Although the Logical Framework Matrix is commonly associated with European Union projects in Turkey, its origins are actually American. It was initially developed by the U.S. military for operational purposes and was later adopted by USAID for development projects in the early 1960s. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that the Logframe gained widespread use in Europe.
While there are different versions of the Logframe, the most basic and commonly used format is a 4×4 matrix comprising 16 cells. You can think of it as a strategic chart that guides you towards your project’s goals.
The matrix consists of four rows and four columns. Please note: the top-right cell must always be left empty. The reason for this will be explained later.
The Structure of the Logical Framework Matrix
The Logframe is structured into four main components:
- Hierarchy of Objectives:
- Overall Objective
- Specific Objectives
- Expected Results
- Project Inputs:
- Activities
- Means
- Budget
- Project Assumptions
- Performance Indicators
These four groups function like interconnected puzzle pieces. To construct a clear hierarchy of objectives, the other three sections must also be correctly completed.
How to Fill Out the Logical Framework Matrix
Before you begin filling out the matrix, ensure that you’ve completed your project’s preliminary analysis phases:
- Problem Analysis
- Objective Analysis
- Strategy Analysis
- Stakeholder Analysis
Once these are done, you can move forward with the hierarchy of objectives. Following the sequence below will make the process more manageable:
Overall Objective:
What is the long-term, overarching goal that your project aims to contribute to?
This goal must align with the objectives stated in the program guideline.
Remember, the overall objective reflects the long-term impact.
(The first row of your strategy tree will typically give you a clue about your overall objective.)
Specific Objectives:
What are the precise, mid-term goals that your project will directly achieve?
Just like the overall objective, make sure your specific objectives are aligned with those outlined in the program guideline.
(The second row of your strategy tree usually hints at your specific objectives.)
Expected Results:
What are the short-term results you expect to achieve with your project?
Expected results are closely tied to your activities and outputs.
For example, organizing a ceramics training course for 20 people is an activity; the expected result is the improved skills of those 20 people by the end of the course.
These results must also align with the result indicators and output indicators defined in the program guideline.
Activities:
These are the project’s work packages.
All tasks and interventions that will help you reach your objectives should be listed here.
Means:
List all the resources needed to implement the activities.
For example, to deliver a training, you might need computers, a trainer, a classroom, documents, and a projector.
Budget:
This section is used to reflect the main budget headings from your financial documentation.
Examples include:
- Human Resources: €…
- Travel: €…
- Equipment and Supplies: €…
This cell essentially addresses two questions:
- Are there any preconditions that must be met before the project starts?
For example, to conduct training sessions in schools, you may need to sign a protocol with the Ministry of Education. - What assumptions are in place?
(The method for answering questions in cells 7, 8, and 9 will be explained in a later section.)
Output Indicator (Cell 10):
This cell defines the quantitative threshold for success.
It asks: “What numerical value or percentage represents successful completion of this result?”
For example, if you organize a vocational course for 100 people, what level of participation or success would you consider a positive outcome?
Let’s say 90% of the participants are expected to pass their final exam and receive certificates. This becomes your success threshold.
Each project team may set different targets.
However, it’s important to remember that you are responsible for achieving the indicators you include here — during and after the project.
If you commit to 90% success but only achieve 40%, evaluators will look into the reasons during the monitoring and evaluation phase.
Source of Verification (Cell 11):
This cell asks how you will objectively prove that the results were achieved.
Saying “90 people increased their skills” is not a valid source of evidence.
Instead, use verifiable documents such as:
- Attendance sheets with signatures
- Photos or video recordings
- Exam results
- Copies of certificates
Specific Objective Indicator (Cell 12):
Here, you are expected to quantify your specific objectives.
Let’s return to our simplified example:
- Activity: Provide vocational training to 100 people in the tourism sector
- Expected Result: Improved vocational capacity of these 100 individuals
- Specific Objective: Improved hotel quality in a specific district
- Overall Objective: Increased number of tourists visiting that district
How can we numerically express improvement in hotel quality?
Example:
In 2018, the average rating of hotels in the district on Booking.com was 7.2.
By the end of the project, we aim to raise this average to 7.6.
Source of Verification (Cell 13):
How will we verify this improvement?
Quite simply — we can collect data on Booking.com ratings for hotels in the district in 2018, then collect the same data at the end of the project and compare the results.
Overall Objective Indicator (Cell 14):
This cell is the macro-level equivalent of cells 10 and 12.
For our example, we need a numerical indicator for the overall objective of increasing the number of foreign tourists visiting the district.
Be realistic when setting this value.
Saying “we will increase tourist numbers by 50%” may not be feasible through a single project.
Set a target that is both reasonable and achievable — for example, a 10% or 15% increase might be more realistic depending on your context.
Source of Verification (Cell 15):
This section asks how the data can be objectively verified.
Official statistics from relevant public institutions can serve as valid sources of evidence.
Note:
This example simplifies the logic by using one activity, one result, one specific objective, and one overall objective.
In real projects, you’ll need to define separate indicators and verification sources for each activity, each expected result, and each specific objective.
How to Fill Out the Assumptions Column (Cells 7, 8, and 9)
The assumptions column is often considered the trickiest. However, it can be filled easily using a bottom-up logic model:
- If I carry out the activity AND my assumptions hold true, then I achieve the result.
- If I achieve the result AND my assumptions hold true, then I reach the specific objective.
- If I reach the specific objective AND my assumptions hold true, then I contribute to the overall objective.
This step-wise logic explains why the top-right cell of the matrix remains blank—there is no further assumption beyond the overall goal.
When this stepwise logic is followed, it becomes clear why the top-right cell of the matrix must remain empty — because there is no further step or logical progression beyond that point. It represents the culmination of the entire logic chain.
Let us now revisit the earlier example and illustrate the assumptions more concretely, moving from the bottom up:
- If we organize vocational tourism training courses for 100 people in [X] district, and if our assumptions hold true, then we can assume that the vocational capacity of these 100 individuals has been improved. Examples of relevant assumptions here might include:
(i) All 100 participants attend the full training program;
(ii) All 100 participants achieve successful results in their final exams. - In the next row up, the specific objective is improving the quality of hotels in [X] district. The logical sentence becomes:
If we enhance the vocational skills of 100 individuals in the tourism sector, and if our assumptions hold true, then the quality of hotels in [X] district will improve.
One plausible assumption here might be:
(i) Hotels in [X] district hire the trained individuals. - At the most macro level, the overall objective is to increase the number of foreign tourists visiting [X] district. The logical sentence would be:
If the quality of hotels in [X] district improves, and if our assumptions hold true, then the number of foreign tourists visiting the district will increase.
Possible assumptions here include:
(i) The project is communicated effectively to the public;
(ii) The right stakeholders are reached for promotional purposes;
(iii) The media shows interest in the project.
As is evident, the higher you move within the logical structure, the greater the distance becomes between your project activities and the actual achievement of long-term goals. At the macro level, even if you implement all activities perfectly and all assumptions hold true, achieving the overall objective may still be beyond your direct control — and will depend largely on external conditions and performance indicators.
New Elements in the Logical Framework: Baseline, Current Value, and Targets
With the introduction of the IPA II programming period, a new version of the Logical Framework Matrix was adopted. In essence, this updated template is no different from the original format — the only significant change is that the performance indicator column has been divided into four parts. The main purpose of this change is to emphasize the importance of indicators and to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation process.
The updated format of the Logical Framework Matrix, in general, looks as follows:
- Indicator
- Baseline (Initial Value)
- Current Value
- Target (Expected Value)
The final column remains as the source of verification.
One of the first things that draws attention in the new template is the change in terminology in certain sections. While the old version used the title “Project Logic” at the top of the matrix, the updated version adopts the term “Results Chain”, which is commonly used in results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
Additionally, the horizontal column now includes the distinction between “outputs” and “outcomes”, which is a source of confusion in results-based monitoring. In this context, “outcomes” are listed alongside the specific objectives. (We’ll explore the difference between outputs and outcomes in a separate blog post — but for now, we can say that the distinction is not as dramatic as it may seem.)
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is related to the section marked in red in the template — many users are unsure about what exactly should be written there. To fill out these four sub-columns correctly, we should recall how the performance indicators column worked in the previous version of the Logical Framework. This part has now been broken down into four components in the new template.
Indicator: What is the core criterion of the indicator? (This is usually the non-numerical part.)
For example, “participants possessing a nationally certified qualification approved by the Vocational Qualifications Authority (MYK)” is an indicator.
Baseline: What is the current situation in your district related to this indicator, before the project starts?
For instance, how many people already have the required certification? This number might be zero, or it might be 117.
Say that before the project begins, there are 3 licensed professional tour guides in the district, and the goal is to increase that number to 8 by the end of the project. In this case, your baseline would be stated as 3.
Current Value: If you are still in the project writing phase, you can leave this column blank — logically, your current value will be the same as your baseline.
So when do you fill in this column?
Suppose your project has started and you need to submit a mid-term report at the end of month 6. In this case, you’ll enter the current value (with the relevant date noted below it).
Alternatively, if there is a monitoring and evaluation visit planned for the 8th month, you can indicate a current value that reflects the anticipated situation at the time of the visit.
Target: This is the numerical value you aim to reach by the end of the project.
Let’s assume we’re filling this out during the mid-term report in month 6. Before the project began, there were 3 certified tour guides in the district. By month 6, you’ve increased this number to 5 (i.e., your current value). The target you hope to reach by project’s end is 8.
The column immediately to the right will, as in the old template, be used to list the source of verification.
Final Words
The Logical Framework is a living document. It is not merely a tool for writing project proposals—it is a vital project management instrument. To avoid problems during project implementation and evaluation, it must be completed carefully and used regularly. You are responsible for the accuracy and validity of this document throughout your project’s lifespan.
© Huseyin Akturk – huseyinakturk.com
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