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FROM AN IDEA TO A PROJECTPaul SilfverbergPlanpoint LtdViidenrajantie 2200630 HelsinkiFinland

tel: +358-40-5444 286paul.silfverberg@dlc.fi

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KEY ELEMENTS OF A PROJECT

A project

undertakes inter-linked activities leading to the achievement of clearly defined objectives which are are monitored by indicators.has a time frame with specific milestonesis implemented by a specific project organisationwith clearly defined roles and responsibilitieshas clearly specified resource frames (means)has beneficiaries and various other stakeholders

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PROJECT AS SEEN BY THE BENEFICIARIES

A PROJECT? WELL, IT’S WORK WHERE THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW

TRY TO GET THOSE WHO DON’T WANTTO MAKE SOMETHING THAT IS

IMPOSSIBLE!

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PROCESS OF A PROJECTTRAINING

INSTITUTION BUILDING

STUDIES AND RESEARCH

INVESTMENTS, REPAIRS

WHAT IS DONEIN A PROJECT? IMPLEMENTING

AGENCY

PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION

BETTER SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

IMPROVED ORGANISATION

BETTER FACILITIES

IMMEDIATE TARGET GROUP

WHAT OUTPUTSSHOULD BEPRODUCED?

IMPROVED SERVICE

BETTER PRODUCTION

BENEFITS FOR THE ”CLIENT”

WHAT DIRECT RESULTS SHOULD BE ACHIEVED?

IMMEDIATETARGET GROUP

WHAT IMPACTS SHOULDBE ACHIEVED?

FINALBENEFICIARIES

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PROJECT CONCEPT

PROJECT

Time

PROJECT PURPOSE

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

RESULTS

STARTING POINT

TARGET SITUATION

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PCM AND LFA APPROACHES

Key words of advance project planning and management:

•Project Cycle management

•Logical Framework Approach

•Relevance

•Impact

•Sustainability

a

a

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PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

Main problem: the project plan is prepared at a stage when the level of knowledge is lowest during the course of the project ⇒ The project should become a learning process

PrinciplesDividing planning into three phases and levels: Identification – project formulation – work planningEstablishment of a monitoring system to feed lessons learned for work planningWork planning and monitoring based on the Project Document

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PROJECT CYCLE

PROGRAMMINGPROGRAMMING

PROJECT IDENTIFICATIONPROJECT IDENTIFICATION

APPRAISAL AND FINALISATION OF THE PLANS

APPRAISAL AND FINALISATION OF THE PLANS

FINANCINGFINANCING

Mid-term review

Final and ex-postevaluation

PROJECT FORMULATIONPROJECT FORMULATION

EVALUATIONEVALUATION

IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

WORK PLANNINGWORK PLANNING

STRATEGIES OF THE DONOR AGENCY

STRATEGIES OF THE DONOR AGENCY

NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF THE STAKEHOLDERS

NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF THE STAKEHOLDERS

NATIONAL / LOCAL STRATEGIES

NATIONAL / LOCAL STRATEGIES

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Logframe - defining the project structure, testing its internal logic, formulating objectives in measurable terms, defining means and cost (overall)Activity scheduling - deter-mining the sequence and depen-dency of activities; estimating their duration, setting milestones and assigning responsibilitiesResource scheduling - from the activity schedule, developing input schedules and a budget

LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACHId

entif

y /

Ana

lyse

PLANNING PHASEANALYSIS PHASE

Problem analysis - identifying stakeholders, their key problems, constraints and opportunities; determining cause and effect relationshipsAnalysis of objectives -developing objectives from the identified problems and opportunities; identifying means to end relationshipsStrategy analysis - identifying the different strategies to achieve objectives; determining the major objectives (overall objectives and project purpose)

Sele

ct th

e m

ost

appr

opria

te o

ptio

nD

educ

t

Def

ine

the

proj

ect l

ogic

Spec

ifyin

g an

d op

erat

iona

lisin

g

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PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING

Problem- and need-based approachWhat are the problems, weaknesses and their causes?What are the future threats and obstacles?Whose needs are priorities?

Solutions based on strengths and potentialsLocal resourcesNew markets etc. as potentials

Participatory approach and stakeholder ownershipObjective-oriented approachEnsuring sustainability through minimising risks

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PROJECT SCOPE

What is the entity behind the project idea?Who are the stakeholders and what are their needs and interests?What is the core problem?What are the causes of the core problem?=> What should be the project scope in

order to achieve a good impact and sustainable results?

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PLANNING PROCESS

POTENTIALS AND SYNERGIES

RESOURCE ASSESSMENT

PROBLEM ANALYSISSTAKEHOLDER

ANALYSIS

PROJECTPLAN

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

SELECTION OF A STRATEGY

PROJECT FORMULATION

IMPACT AND RISKASSESSMENT

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PLANNING STEPS

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLANNING TEAM

BACKGROUND STUDIES

COLLABORATIVE PLANNING WITH STAKEHOLDERS

ADDITIONAL STUDIES AND DRAFTING OF THE PLAN

COMMENTING AND APPRAISAL

INFORMATION TO STAKEHOLDERS, PRA

FINALISATION OF THE PLANS

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STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

Planning workshop to

define preferred solution

Planning workshops to

agree workplan & assess progress

Reflection / planning

workshop to analyse outcomes

a

a

Workshop to analyseframework conditions

and to agree on general focus

Planning workshop to

diagnose target group needs

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STAKEHOLDERSFINAL BENEFICIARIES

NGOs, INFORMAL GROUPS

PRIVATE SECTOR

OTHER• MEDIA• RELIGIOUS

GROUPS• ETC.

PROJECT OBJECTIVESTRAINING AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

SECTOR AUTHORITIES

OTHER AUTHORITIES

OTHER PROJECTS

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STAKEHOLDER ANALYSISSTAKEHOLDERS INTEREST AND ROLE PARTICIPATION IN THE

PLANNING PROCESS a) Essential stakeholders b) Potential useful partners c) Potential conflict partners

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BACKGROUND STUDIES ISSUES TO BE

CLARIFIED INFORMATION

SOURCES SURVEY

METHODS General background information

Regional/local information

Speficic information

Other issues

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PROBLEM MATRIX FINANCIAL

FACTORS TECHNO-LOGY

SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS

INSTITUTIO-NAL FACTORS

ENVIRON-MENTAL FACTORS

Benefici-aries Producers Proces-sing Admi-nistration Other actors

Financing Financial

planning Financial

mgt Book-

keeping Ability to

pay Willing-

ness to pay

etc.

Equipment Facilities Operation

and mainte-nance

etc.

Various cultures, ethnic groups

Attitudes and values

Language Gender

roles etc.

Manage-ment

Co-operation

Laws and regulations

Flow of informa-tion

Super-vision

etc.

Short-term impacts

Long-term impacts

Environ-mental conditions

etc.

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PROBLEM TREE METHODEstablishing cause-effect relations between problems

Poor learning results Effects

CausesWeak pedagogical skills of teachers

Dated and too theoretical curricula

Poor level of teaching

High number of drop-outs among students

Students have to work during study

periods

Non-motivated students selected

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STRUCTURE OF A PROJECT PLAN

PLANNING ANALYSES

WHY THE PROJECT IS NEEDED?WHAT ARE ITS GOALS?

OVERALL OBJECTIVES•indicators

PROJECT PURPOSE•indicators

WHAT RESULTS/OUTPUTSSHOULD BE PRODUCED?

RESULTS•quantity / quality

HOW THE PROJECT WILLBE IMPLEMENTED?

WORK PLANSTRATEGY

ORGANISATIONINPUTS/RESOURCES

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CONTENTS OF A PROJECT PLAN

1. Summary2. Background and need3. Beneficiaries and stakeholders4. Objectives and indicators5. Results6. Implementation strategy7. Work plan (Activities)8. Means 9. Budget (Cost estimate and financing plan)10. Risks and assumptions11. Organisation and project management12. Monitoring, evaluation and reportingAnnexes: LogFrame Matrix, Scheduled work plan, summary of background studies, job descriptions, etc.

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LogFrame MATRIX

‘... IF outputs are delivered, AND assumptions hold true, THEN the project purpose will be achieved ...’

Objectively Verifiable Indicators

Project Strategy

Sources of Verification

Assumptions

Overall Objective

Project Purpose

Results

Activities Means Cost

Pre-conditions

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PROJECT AS A PROCESSDETAILED BACKGROUND STUDIES

SELECTION OF PARTICIPATING ACTORS

DETAILED DEFINITION OF NEEDS

ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT PROJECT TEAMS

TRAINING ON PLANNING

PLANNING OF PILOT EXPERIMENTS

STUDY TOUR

IMPLEMENTATION TRAINING

EVALUATION OF RESULTS MARKET SURVEY

PLANNING OF PHASE II

ORGANISING OF PHASE II

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

PHASE II

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ACTIVITY & RESOURCE SCHEDULING

Logframe

550017504250750400

11003100

Budget

550017504250750400

11003100

Budget

SalariesAllowancesVehicle Op.Office Tel/FaxSeedsFertiliser

5000 55001250 17503750 4250

750 750400 400850 1100

2300 3100

Budget

WorkplanWorkplan

Workplan

Results-based workplans & budgets

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INTEGRATED APPROACH

+Linked objectives

Standardiseddocumentation

Basic Format1. Summary2. Background3. Intervention logic4. Assumptions5. Implementation6. Sustainability analysis7. Monitoring and evaluation8. Conclusions and recommendations

Feasibility studies

Financing proposals

Annual reports

Evaluation reports

550017504250750400

11003100

Budget

550017504250750400

11003100

Budget

SalariesAllowancesVehicle Op.Office Tel/FaxSeedsFertiliser

5000 55001250 17503750 4250750 750400 400850 1100

2300 3100

Budget

WorkplanWorkplan

Workplan

Results-based workplansand budgets

Logframe

National / sectoral objectivesCSP NIP

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Summary: PCM PrinciplesPartner / stakeholder orientation -involve-ment of stakeholders in decision-makingLogframe planning - comprehensive & consistent analysisSustainability - mechanisms to ensure continued flow of benefitsProject cycle phases - structured & informed decision-makingIntegrated approach - vertical integration & standardised documentation

a

a

Basic format

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CRITICAL FACTORS OF PROJECT SUCCESS

Commitment of stakeholders

Needs-based approach

Comprehensiveplanning

Organisation andmanagement

Realistic assumptions

Other factors

Projectsuccess

Sufficient resources

Ensuringsustainability Schedule

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RISKS OF A PROJECTa) EXTERNAL RISKS

NATIONAL/REGIONAL LEVELMacro-economy and political situation, strategies and programmesNational institutions and legislationMarket potential and competitionEnvironmental conditions, etc.

SECTOR LEVELSector strategies and programmes, financial resourcesAvailability of skilled staffCo-operation and co-ordination between different sectors and levels

b) INTERNAL RISKSInstitutional arrangements, management, availability of staffProject funding and financing of long-term operationSocial and cultural factorsEnvironmental factorsOperation and maintenance, distribution of sparepartsParticipation and ownership