Understanding Project Management

Project attributes  The project has a purpose  Project has a life cycle like an organic entity  Project has clearly defined and agreed time constraints  The project has cost constraints  The project is complex and requires co- ordination  No two projects can be precisely alike  focused on target group’s (communities) expectations  involves many unknowns within the work

Steps Involved In Project Planning and Management  Project Appraisal  Project Planning and designing  Project Implementation and Monitoring  Project Evaluation  Project Closure

1. Project Appraisal An appraisal is likely to be necessary when:  a new project has to be initiated  a programme has to be expanded or spread to other areas  starting work with a new partner  changing the direction of an existing programme. Various steps that are usually followed in project appraisals are: (a) Building an understanding on the issue (b) Set priorities (c) Summing of the problem

2. Project Planning and Designing Some key questions:  What development goal the project is expected to contribute?  What are the changes the project itself is expected to bring in the near future?  What will the project deliver?  Who the communities would be?  How their needs would be met through the project?  How the participation of the communities be ensured in order to reach at the goal?

-continue  Which strategy would work best?  Who would be the partners?  What will be the responsibilities of those involved?  What the project will do to make sure that products are delivered?  What funds, expertise, are needed?  When the work plans and progress reports be produced?  What will be the monitoring and review procedures?  When the evaluation would be carried out?

The Process  Selection of the area and village  Identifying resources and seeking collaborations and partnerships  Assessment of partners  Identifying ‘indirect’ partners and constituting an Advisory Committee  Identifying the roles and responsibilities of each partner  Developing a shared understanding on the goal and objectives of the project  Developing an indicative action plan with activities outputs and inputs  Developing a concept, plan and management structure for the implementation of the project

3. Project Implementation  Execution  Ensuring regular monitoring and making appropriate changes in the plan  It is useful to understand the monitoring in the following ways: (i)Designing a monitoring system (ii)Defining the aim of the monitoring  Finalizing Indicators  The collection and analysis of data

A good monitoring system is about good management. A good monitoring system should include the use of results, which could be for planning procedure, for institutional learning and for undertaking formal reviews and evaluations.

4.Project Review and Evaluation  Define purpose  The evaluation and review can be of the following kinds:  Participatory self-review and evaluation  Independent review and evaluation  Mid-term review and evaluation  Terminal reviews and evaluation

The evaluations or reviews should be able to conduct a deeper analysis into:  Effectiveness of the project  Efficiency  Relevance:  Sustainability  Unanticipated effects  Project management

5.Project Closure  Closure  Ensuring sustainability  linkages