Introduction to Project Planning

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What is Project Planning?For the purposes of this tutorial, project planning is

the process of developing and implementing new or existing library projects, programs, and services

Examples might include: Leading a research project

Hosting a public event Developing a tutoring program Redesigning a website

Digitizing materials Planning a fundraising effort

Launching a public education campaign

The possibilities are endless…

Getting Ready:Things to Consider

#1: What is the vision?Spend some time thinking about your vision for the project…

•What do you hope to achieve?•What will a successful project look like?•Does this project already exist elsewhere in the community? How will your project differ and/or how might you partner with others?•What are the project’s goals and outcomes?•How will you measure and evaluate these outcomes/the overall project?

Photo by 0Four (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#2: Who is the audience?Now think about the audience for this project…

•Who will be affected/served/engaged by this project?•How will you reach out to them?•Who should participate in the planning of the project?•Who should participate in the implementation?•Who should participate in evaluation?

Photo by thinkmedialabs (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#3: What resources are available?

Next, spend some time thinking about resources…

•What financial resources are available? •What financial resources would you ideally like? •What human resources (staff, volunteers, etc.) are available? •What human resources would you ideally like? •Will/Can/Should you partner with other community organizations?•What planning/communications tools are available?•Are there any resource constraints (e.g. budget issues) you should consider?

Photo by zzpza (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#4: How will the project be sustained?

If the project in question is not a one-time effort, consider how it will be sustained…

•After launch, who will keep it going?•Who is responsible for making long-term decisions for the project?•If you are in a leadership role, who will take over for you when your internship ends?•What financial and/or human resources are required to sustain the project?

Photo by Alex Lomix (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Getting Started:Next Steps

#1: Write a plan.Create a comprehensive first draft plan for the project

•Describe the project vision, purpose, and audience.•Explain what resources are desired as well as what resources are needed.•Highlight key project benchmarks and deliverables.•Develop a first draft timeline, from development to evaluation.•Offer suggestions for how the project should be managed.

Photo by Crystal (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#2: Seek feedback.Share the plan to garner feedback.

Keep in mind that you will likely seek feedback on your project twice:

1) Before you begin to formulate any type of a plan (when it’s still primarily an idea for a project), and

2) When you have a tangible plan ready for consideration and/or approval

Photo by MarkyBon (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#2: Seek feedback (continued)Start any planning process with your supervisor:

What do they think of your idea? Do you have approval to go forward with crafting a formal plan?

Request thoughts and suggestions from relevant staff and volunteers.

Photo by theunquietlibrarian (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#2: Seek feedback (continued)Run it past those who might be served by the project

(for example, if the project is an after-school tutoring program for teens, ask some of the library’s youth volunteers for feedback)

•Seek approval from appropriate decision-makers.

•Revise and seek feedback again as needed, including from potential community partners.

•Confirm that you have approval to begin work on the project!Photo by christine592 (Flickr/Creative Commons)

#3: Confirm availability of resources.

Once you have a working plan, confirm the availability of human and financial resources.

•Identify who should serve as project decision-makers, leaders, implementers, evaluators, etc. This might include convening a committee.

•If appropriate, create a plan for recruiting and engaging volunteers (hint: work with the library’s existing volunteer management staff/systems)

•Secure and/or raise necessary funds.

•Secure access to needed tools, software, information, etc.Photo by 401K (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Launching Your ProjectOnce you have an approved plan, a clear sense of who will do what, and

the resources to get started, it’s time to launch your project!

•Use your written plan: it is a guide for everything from meeting the desired project goals to staying on track with the project timeline.•Adjust the plan: don’t be afraid to adjust the plan/timeline as you go!•Keep People in the Loop: regularly communicate progress, successes, and challenges to decision-makers, staff, partners, and volunteers. •Evaluate as you go: What’s going well? What might you do differently?

Photo by DLR German Aerospace Center (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Don’t Forget to Evaluate!Upon project completion or the end of your internship, evaluate the project.

•What went well?•What was challenging?•What might you do differently?•Revisit the project vision, goals, and outcomes. Were they achieved? Why or why not?•Offer recommendations for ongoing and/or future efforts.•Seek feedback from participants and project partners.

Photo by Ben Watkin (Flickr/Creative Commons)

SAMPLEDraft Plan for a

Public Literacy Fair

The VisionA one-day six-hour event where members of the community - children and

adults - come to the library to learn about local public and nonprofit programs to increase literacy and foster a love of reading

The event will host 10-15 tables where local programs and library services can share information with an attendance of between 500-600 individuals.

Success will be measured by: 1) a rough count of attendees, and 2) post-event web surveys of attendees and 3) participating organizations.

Photo by gouldlibrary (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Literacy Fair Plan v1

The AudienceThe audience for this event is adult readers, youth readers, parents, and

teachers. Participants/Partners include public and nonprofit literacy programs and library staff and volunteers.

Decision-makers:•Library staff •Small advisory committee - comprised of library representatives, public/nonprofit program representatives, and individual volunteers, will advise on the planning process.

Photo by ACPL (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Literacy Fair Plan v1 (continued)

Literacy Fair Plan v1 (continued)

Financial and Human ResourcesThe library is providing the space, tables, and chairs for the event at no cost.

A modest budget of $1,000 is sought to cover incidental costs (for example, publicity, snacks for event volunteers, etc.)

Human resources include the following: •Intern to plan and manage the event (including convening the advisory group and recruiting program representatives to table at the event)•Intern supervisor to provide oversight and decision-making•Library volunteer manager to assist with recruiting volunteers for the event

Photo by Ollie T. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Literacy Fair Plan v1 (continued)

Sustainability

This project is a one-day, potentially one-time event. However, the intern will write up a project plan and evaluation to inform future efforts should it be replicated.

Photo by Joe Lanman (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Literacy Fair Plan v1 (continued)

Benchmarks, Deliverables, and TimelineNote: This (very rough draft) spreadsheet was created using free online Google Docs

Next steps for this plan?•Seek feedback, revise as needed, and confirm approval

•Confirm availability of needed resources

•Implement the plan per approved timeline (adjust as needed)

•Communicate with participants, partners, and decision-makers throughout the planning process

•Evaluate – both before and after the event

•Celebrate completion of the project!

Now It’s Your Turn!

ACTIVITYConsider a library project you might work on during your

internship.

Go through each step in this tutorial and jot down your responses to the questions, from crafting a vision to ideas for evaluation.

What will your first draft plan look like?Share this with a fellow intern and/or your internship supervisor!

Photo by Shane Pope (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Where can you go to learn more?

Additional Resources on Project Planning/Management

Corporation for National & Community Service•Resource Center (Click the Program, Financial, and Grant Management tab): http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/browse/topics

Alliance for Nonprofit Management•Resources (Select Organizational Development-Planning in the left column): http://www.allianceonline.org/resources

IdeaEncore NetworkProgram Management: https://www.ideaencore.com/search/apachesolr_search/*?filters=tid:2292

Multnomah County Library •Hosting Library Interns: http://libraryinterns.blogspot.com/

This tutorial was designed by Multnomah County Libraryin Multnomah County, Oregon

as part of their D.I.Y. Intern Program - Toolkit for Success.

This project was generously funded by a 2011-2012 grant from the State of Oregon’s Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA)

Program.