Managing projects

1st July 2010

Definition of project management

Project management is the discipline of planning, organising, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Principles of project management

• Openness

• Accountability

• Transparency

Project phases

• Application

• Contract

• Set-up / implementation

• Delivery (quarterly & annually reviews)

• Evaluation (interim & final)

Functions of project management 1

• Contact point for the project (internal & external)

• Establish systems and procedures

• Manage the delivery of outputs and outcomes

• Coordinate evaluation and measure success

• Manage publicity and marketing

• Manage the staff (e.g. project workers)

Functions of project management 2

• Allocate funds and manage the budget

• Manage partnerships and sub-contracts

• Monitor progress and address under-performance

• Report to funders and complete monitoring forms and claims

• Report to steering group / governors

Project set-up

• Read the contract

• Understand the project aims and activities

• Funder requirements

• Agree outputs and clarify any uncertainty

• Project paperwork and WEA systems

• Logos and acknowledgement

Project file

• Contract • Partnership agreements• Steering group minutes• Correspondence with funders• Schedule of reporting• Monitoring forms• Financial claims• Sample paperwork• Budgets and amendments• Evaluations• Case studies / photos / evidence of achievement

Eligibility

• Participants (age, gender, ethnicity etc.)

• Geographical focus

• Activities

• Partners (e.g. not for profit)

• Expenditure (capital?)

Few pointers

• Take chances but manage risks• Document everything• Set expectations and take action early• Manage change• Be creative• Build relations with funders and partners• Engage internally as well as externally• Look beyond the lifetime of the project• Shamelessly promote success• Celebrate achievements and mark phases

You’re the project manager 1

Scenario:

Your project is coming to an end when a partner delivery organisation tells you it won’t be able to deliver all its contracted outputs. If this happens you won’t be able to meet all your targets and may have to return some money to the funder. This matter wasn’t mentioned previously and you had been told everything was on-track.

What do you do?

You’re the project manager 2

Scenario:

You have been appointed as project manager to a project which was developed without your involvement. When you read the contract you feel the outputs are unrealistic and unachievable. You have also identified some additional expenditure which hasn’t been budgeted for. This leads you to suspect the project won’t be financially viable.

What do you do?