Transforming PAJ: Achieving Operational Excellence, Streamlined Data Collection and Team Collaboration through CLA

During 2023-2024, PAJ embarked on a transformation journey to enhance operational efficiency and foster team collaboration. Recognizing the importance of reflective practices, PAJ initiated pause and reflect sessions using Action After Review tools. These sessions were designed to critically evaluate theories of change, outcome level results and corresponding indicators within PAJ's MEL plan. Another key objective was to streamline collaboration across the project, ensuring that all staff members were aligned and working cohesively towards common goals. This initiative led to a series of insightful findings that were meticulously analyzed and adapted to drive success. One of the pivotal discoveries was the inefficiency and resource intensive nature of PAJ's traditional paper-based data collection methods. In response, PAJ transitioned to using digital tablets for data collection, significantly reducing time, effort, and resource expenditure. This shift not only enhanced the data collection process but also supported PAJ's commitment to sustainability and climate change mitigation. Additionally, these sessions revealed that collaboration significantly simplifies and enhances work accuracy. This realization prompted PAJ to expand its collaborative efforts to include external partners. Notably, PAJ collaborated with the International Republican Institute (IRI) to support PAJ in measuring one of its outcome level results centered around increased efficiency of the public administration, further amplifying the impact of PAJ's purpose. The impact of the pause and reflect sessions enabled PAJ to amend its MEL plan to better align with the project’s expected results and foster an environment of openness and adaptability. This collaborative effort culminated in the development of innovative methodologies that have strengthened PAJ's internal operations and positioned it for future success.