# Feasible measurement case: Cedar Works

**Fictional case.** Cedar Works is an invented job-readiness program. All organizations, locations, figures, and records below are fictional and supplied only for this exercise.

## Request

Create a concise indicator reference sheet and a feasible quarterly M&E plan for the July to September 2026 cohort. Show calculations, collection frequency, source, responsibility, use, and expected staff burden. Cite the source IDs. Keep essential information and flag any assumption.

## Source CW-01: Program and capacity

Cedar Works served 80 participants at four sites in the July to September 2026 cohort. Each site has one facilitator. The M&E officer can spend up to 4 hours per month on this cohort's data tasks. Each facilitator can spend up to 30 minutes per week on M&E records. Staff-hour limits are available time, not a target to fill.

## Source CW-02: Indicator list

| ID | Indicator | Existing definition / target |
|---|---|---|
| CW-I1 | Participants completing the course | Count of enrolled participants attending at least 10 of 12 sessions; target 60 of 80 |
| CW-I2 | Graduates in paid work 90 days after completion | Percent of graduates due for 90-day follow-up who report paid work in the reference week; target 50% |
| CW-I3 | Employers hosting a practice placement | Count of unique employer organizations hosting at least one participant placement during the cohort; target 8 |

## Source CW-03: Existing records and calculation rules

- Enrollment register has 80 unique participant IDs and consent-to-contact status.
- Attendance registers list 12 sessions at each site. In this cohort, 58 of 80 participants attended at least 10 sessions.
- Forty graduates are due for a 90-day follow-up during October 2026. All 40 have valid contact permission and a follow-up status field. The follow-up form asks whether the participant did any paid work for at least one hour in the seven days before the interview. The completed follow-up records show 24 “yes,” 13 “no,” and 3 “not reached.”
- Placement log has employer ID, participant ID, and placement date. The cohort log records 10 placement events across 7 distinct employer IDs.
- Staff estimate for planning: entering or checking one site's weekly attendance register takes 15 minutes per facilitator per week. Consolidating the four site registers takes 45 minutes per site per month for the M&E officer. A follow-up call takes 8 minutes including the form. Counting unique employers from the placement log takes 30 minutes per quarter for the M&E officer.

## Source CW-04: Current routine

Facilitators already maintain attendance registers weekly. The M&E officer consolidates them monthly. The 90-day follow-up is planned once for each eligible cohort, not monthly. The placement log is updated when a placement happens. Results are used in the quarterly cohort review to decide whether to adjust session scheduling or employer outreach.

## User task

Review the indicators, make only justified definition changes, and produce the reference sheet and feasible plan. Show numerator and denominator rules, including treatment of the three not-reached follow-ups. Calculate observed values from the supplied records. Estimate staff burden from the stated assumptions and compare it with available capacity. Do not imply that “not reached” means “not employed.” Do not add unprovided evidence or targets.