Activity reporting

Roll out the WASH partners' activity reporting tool

The core response monitoring mechanism are the activity reporting tools. Although some other system exist, the main Activity reporting tool is the W-matrix. Refer to the Activity reporting tool (W-matrix) section in the Information Management chapter. With a well-structured W-matrix, the WASH coordination unit will be able to:

• Track progress towards HRP objectives and targets
• Highlight disparities in the response – these might be geographic, sub-sectoral, by type of beneficiary or response, inter-cluster, etc. 
• Highlight service-level indicators for the activities, measured against the minimum standard benchmarks
• Facilitate transparency and accountability to WASH partners, donors, public and affected population

A core function of the IMO is to ensure that such operationally relevant data is available in a timely, digestible manner to support operational decision making. A well-constructed activity tracking system will also minimise the time required to fulfill upward reporting obligations, maximize the time available for strengthening each part of the IM system, and enable more specific gap analyses.

W-matrix must be set up in the early stage of the response, and modified later once the strategy's monitoring plan is finalized. It can be designed using GWC template, but needs to be customized for each crisis based on the monitoring plan indicators and queries done by WCC to the IMO. W-matrix can produce satisfactory outputs only if:

• It has been well designed 
• partners are trained and supported to fill it with their project data in a timely manner (see for example: 2016 WC SSD 5W instruction for partners) 

W-matrix do have limitations, and should be complemented and triangulated with other monitoring system, such as Quality Assurance and Accountability Systems (QAAS), Technical Quality monitoring, or Feedback and Complaints Mechanism