Glossary of Development Terms and Abbreviations

NB: Some of these terms are specific to DFID, others are used throughout the development community.

oa - Official Aid 

OAU - Organisation of African Unity

Objectives - the individual steps that contribute to meeting the aim; use a "to.to." statement i.e. to do [something] to achieve [something].

It is normal to distinguish:

(a) Wider (sector/national) objectives - broad strategic goals usually set in a long time frame.

(b) Development (long term) objectives.

(c) Immediate (project; short term) objectives - specific goals being addressed by a project (see also: Immediate Objective; Wider Objective).

Objectively Verifiable Indicators (OVIs) - are the measures to verify accomplishment of all stages of the project through the Logical Framework. OVIs must be targeted in terms of Quantity, Quality, Time. Indicators at the Purpose level measure end of project Impact.

oda - Official Development Assistance 

ODA/GNP - Official Development Assistance/Gross National Product Ratio 

ODI - Overseas Development Institute

OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OECS - Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

OED - Operation Evaluation Department (World Bank)

Office of the Paymaster General - the government department which holds accounts and makes payments for government departments and other public bodies.

Official Assistance (oa) - This is the equivalent for countries on Part II of the DAC list of official development assistance to countries on Part I of the DAC list i.e. developing countries. To qualify as oa resource flows should have the same concessional and qualitative features as oda (below) (see also Other Official Flows).

Official Development Assistance (oda) - flows to developing countries and multilateral institutions provided by official agencies, each transaction of which meets the following tests:

(a) it is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective.

(b) it is concessional in character and conveys a grant element of at least 25%.

Only aid to countries on Part 1 of the DAC list is eligible to be recorded as oda.

The UN target for aid of 0.7%, endorsed in 1970 by the UN General Assembly, is expressed in terms of net oda (i.e. after deduction of loan capital (i.e. principal) repayments) as a percentage of Gross National Product. (see also Other Official Flows).

OFI - Oxford Forestry Institute

OHCHR - United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ongoing Evaluation - an evaluation designed to help the development of a project as it proceeds.

More wide ranging and thorough than a review. Sometimes referred to as 'concurrent' or 'formative' evaluation. Contrast ex post or terminal evaluations.

On-Lending - money that is channelled through an intermediary lender.

ONS - Office for National Statistics (UK Govt Dept)

oof - Other Official Flows

Open Tender - a procedure where all suppliers interested in a contract can submit a tender.

Operation and Maintenance - refers to the routine costs of project implementation; abbreviated as O&M.

OPM - Oxford Policy Management

Opportunity Costs - the benefit foregone by using investment resources in a project instead of in their next best alternative use. It may or may not be measured in monetary terms.

Options - a range of alternative courses of action that may be chosen and assessed against 'doing nothing' (see also: Project Appraisal).

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - a group of major industrial countries promoting growth and high employment among its members, fostering international trade and contributing to global economic development. It includes the Task Force Environment for Europe.

Other Official Flows (oof) - are defined as flows to aid recipient countries by the official sector which do not satisfy both the criteria necessary for oda or official assistance.

Outcome - a broad terms variously used to refer to outputs, effects and/or impacts.

Outcome (also referred to as results) is best seen as a generic term (like Objectives) which refers to the combination of Outputs, Purpose-level, and Goal-level Impacts of all types. Outcomes may have a precise sector specific meaning i.e in health outcomes refer to health status.

Output - the product or results of a project, also referred to as deliverables (see also: Logical Framework Approach).

Output to Purpose Review (OPRs) - The periodic review of ongoing projects, focusing on progress at the Purpose level, and the causal links between Output and Purpose. Other Impacts (e.g. at the Goal level and unplanned impacts) should also be considered.

Currently appears to be used interchangeably with 'impact review' or 'mid-term review'. OPRs may be carried out by DFID staff and/or consultants. They usually involve the participation of Stakeholders either directly or by assessing their views.

OPRs require information on which to based judgements. The collection of that information requires synthesis of Monitoring data, related studies, and often the commissioning of specific Evaluation and Impact studies. Building in the necessary information systems will be a part of project design.

Overheads - fixed costs borne by a project that do not vary with output over the short term e.g. premises costs.

Overseas Services Aid Scheme (OSAS) - a scheme which met part of the cost of qualified British staff - for example, engineers, doctors and teachers - employed by the governments of developing countries until local personnel can be trained to take over the work. DFID supplements the salaries paid by overseas governments, and meets the cost of passages and other allowances.

Ownership - claiming as one's own; possession; the idea that an organisation is more likely to be committed to a project if it has been involved in its development.

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