PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Project Development.

• You have now found it important to develop a nutrition project to address a nutrition problem.

Project……

A project is a specific task or series of tasks which, when completed, will produce a desired result.

A project occurs when you have a goal and a plan to achieve that goal. The journey, how you get there, is part of that project.

Project…..• All sorts of people are involved in a

project. It needs to be designed, to be managed, monitored and reviewed.

• Note that the tasks involved in a project need to be clearly and comprehensively defined before the project begins.

• A failure to understand the requirements and desired end result can produce a failed project.

Project…..

• A project can be of almost any size from massive to minute. It can take weeks, months or even years to complete or could be finished in a day.

• There are several factors as part of every successful project and the first one is knowing exactly what is involved.

Project…..Most projects contain these basic

characteristics.• They have a specific objective • They have an agreed upon time span • They involve something new or unique • They have certain requirements such as

cost and a method of achievement

Project cycle

A project must follow a Project Cycle (Also called project life cycle.

Definition: Stages through which practically every major

project goes through:

Project cycle (1) Identification: stage where one project-idea out of several

alternatives is chosen and defined. (2) Preparation: defined idea is carefully developed to the appraisal

stage. (3) Appraisal: every aspect of the project idea is subjected to

systematic and comprehensive evaluation, and a project plan is prepared.

(4) Presentation: detailed plan is submitted for approval and financing to the appropriate entities.

(5) Implementation: with necessary approvals and financing in place, the project plan is implemented.

(6) Monitoring: at every stage the progress of the project is assessed against the plan.

(7) Evaluation: upon completion the project is reassessed in terms of its efficiency and performance. Also called project life cycle.

Project cycle

1. Identification: stage where one project-idea out of several alternatives is chosen and defined.

You first need to identify a broad topic or subject area within nutrition that interests you and then within this identify a very specific area in which there is either a gap in knowledge or controversy that you can address in your research project.

From this you will ultimately need to develop a formal research question or hypothesis

Project cycle…

2. Preparation: defined idea is carefully developed to the appraisal stage.

3. Appraisal: every aspect of the project idea is

subjected to systematic and comprehensive evaluation, and a project plan is prepared.

Project cycle…

4. Presentation: detailed plan is submitted for approval and financing to the appropriate entities.

5. Implementation: with necessary approvals and financing in place, the project plan is implemented.

Project cycle 6. Monitoring: At every stage the progress of the project is

assessed against the plan. Monitoring is the way in which projects are

measured, managed and kept on track according to the plans: if a project cannot be monitored and measured, it cannot be managed.

Monitoring …

Project management must keep asking the questions: 'have the funds been disbursed on schedule, will this activity lead to the planned Output,

Are there any important Assumptions that need attention and will the Outputs lead to achieving Project Purpose?'

Monitoring

• A Monitoring tool must be developed for this purpose

Project cycle 7. Evaluation: Upon completion the project is

reassessed in terms of its efficiency and performance.

Evaluation is when the assessment of the project is undertaken and any lessons learnt can be identified and disseminated widely.

Evaluation …

A decision about Evaluation is taken at the Formulation stage and the initial points to be included should have been drafted by the project design team.

Evaluation

• An evaluation tool must be developed for this purpose

Monitoring and evaluation

Interdependence between monitoring and evaluation.

Monitoring and evaluationPurpose:

Monitoring and evaluation is the process of collecting and analyzing information about the project that tells you whether you are on track to reach your objectives, and whether or not the project achieved or contributed to the desired impact.

Monitoring and evaluation

In order to know whether or not you are on track to achieving your program’s objectives, you must monitor the project during implementation as well as evaluate its impact at the end of the project.

Monitoring the progress of the project allows you to adapt the program as needed to ensure that you attain your objectives.

Monitoring and evaluation..

• It is necessary to plan for monitoring and evaluation when you design your program;

• This will help you both to design an effective program and ensure that you plan (and budget) for appropriate monitoring and evaluation activities.

Monitoring and evaluation..The process of monitoring and evaluation generally

helps you answer the following questions:• Are we doing what we said we were going to do?• Are we achieving what we said we would achieve?• Is the project design sound? How can it be

improved?• What were the unintended consequences?• Is our program causing the observed changes?

Monitoring and evaluation..Or, in the Causal Pathway Framework language:

Inputs: Were program inputs available, adequate, timely?Activities: Were activities performed on schedule?Outputs: Were outputs produced? Were they of acceptable quality?Effects: Were effects observed?Impact: Was impact achieved?

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