scholarly journals Managing an Integrated Project - Experiences from the Realigning Agriculture to Improve Nutrition project

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 5035 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Matturi ◽  
Chris Pain
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
International Development ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Donor Funding ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Integrated Project

Over the last number of decades there has been a tendency within the international development sector to privilege the management of projects in a siloed manner. This translates to projects managed in a narrow way according to pre-defined parameters of say the education or health sectors. As a project manager you are held accountable for delivering education or health outputs. A shift in donor funding to focus on development projects that are considered easy to administer partly explains this siloed approach to project management within the development sector. However, there is a gradual kick back against the siloed project management approach. Instead we are seeing a return to an integrated managerial approach.An integrated managerial approach involves bringing together various technical specialists to work on common objectives in a coordinated and collaborative manner. A growing number of development actors such as Concern Worldwide are embracing this ‘new approach’. For Concern Worldwide integrated projects are interventions which address multiple needs through coordination across a variety of sectors and with the participation of all relevant stakeholders to achieve common goals. Integrated projects are about sector projects working together with the same target group in the same area in a coordinated manner. This paper reflects on Concern’s experience and evidence to date with integration drawing on the agency’s work in Zambia. The Realigning Agriculture to Improve Nutrition project in Zambia highlights the practical challenges and lessons of managing an integrated project.   

scholarly journals Software development as a design or a production project

2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom McBride ◽  
Brian Henderson‐Sellers ◽  
Didar Zowghi
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Simple Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Problems

PurposeThe paper seeks to investigate whether project managers regard software development projects as design problems or production problems.Design/methodology/approachProject management literature was examined to determine what evidence there should be to indicate whether a software development project was regarded as a problem to be solved or a product to be produced. Data were then collected through structured interview of project managers currently engaged in managing software development projects. The data were analysed to determine how project managers regarded their projects and whether this matched a theoretical expectation.FindingsThe empirical data indicated that most project managers regard their projects as production problems, where it is assumed that the underlying problem is largely understood, the project encapsulated in a planned schedule of activities and there will be an emphasis on monitoring the project against the planned progress.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to the small sample size of fewer than 30 project managers, external validity is weak. More research is needed to confirm these results over a larger sample and to probe more subtle orientation to production or design projects.Practical implicationsThe research developed a simple test to indicate the degree of novelty of the application to be developed. The test indicates whether the application is novel and should be treated as a design problem, or well known and therefore should be treated as a production problem.Originality/valueThe paper draws attention to the need for project managers to evaluate the type of application to be developed and to adopt an appropriate project management approach. The paper also provides a simple test to achieve that objective.

scholarly journals The methodology of the Logical Framework with a Risk Management Approach to Improve the Sustainability in the International Development Projects

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 756
Author(s):  
Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero ◽  
Isabel Ortiz-Marcos
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
International Development ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Logical Framework ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Framework Approach ◽  
Research Questions

When working with international development projects (IDPs), the use of the logical framework approach (LFA) prevails as the most important tool to plan and manage these projects. This paper presents how the methodology has been enriched, including risk management (LFRMA logical framework with risk management approach), proposing an original contribution, tested with professionals that will improve the effectiveness of IDPs by increasing their success rate and their sustainability. The steps followed to design the methodology (problem statement (literature review, interview with experts, questionnaire for professionals. and statistical analysis), case study analysis (eight case studies in Colombia, interviews with IDPs managers, focus groups, questionnaire for participants, qualitative analysis, and fuzzy analysis) and design of LFRMA (focus group with experts)) and the methodology itself (how to introduce risk management during all the life cycle through the methodology steps) are presented. Conclusions answer the research questions: can the effectiveness and sustainability of IDPs be improved? Can risk management help to improve IDPs effectiveness? Would it be useful to introduce risk management into the LFA? The LFRMA methodology consists of two fields of application, the first at the organization level and the second at the project level.

Capacity development through international projects: a complex adaptive systems perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter McEvoy ◽  
Malcolm Brady ◽  
Ronaldo Munck
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
International Development ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Donor Agencies

Purpose – International development practice has had as its dominant paradigm the rational-analytic model of project planning, management and evaluation. This is reflected in the widespread adoption by donor agencies of results-based management (RBM), side by side with conventionally used tools for monitoring and evaluation (including logical framework analysis (“logframe”), logic model and results frameworks). Donor agencies rely upon such tools to generate the evidence base for measuring “success” across the spectrum of their work, even though projects differ enormously in their nature, scope and time-span. Process-led capacity development projects and input-led infrastructural or straightforward service delivery projects require very different yardsticks of performance monitoring and appraisal. Drawing on insights from the complex adaptive systems (CAS) literature, the purpose of this paper is to explore how projects focused on capacity development necessitate a more eclectic approach, including – but not restricted to – RBM methodology. Design/methodology/approach – Using the insights of CAS theory, and with particular reference to projects which have capacity development as their prime focus, this paper explores a broadening of conventional project management practices. Findings – The paper posits an integrative approach to managing international development projects focused on capacity development – one which would recognise the values of instrumental utility and goal-setting associated with the application of the tools of RBM, while situating that within a more open, system focused and holistic approach to projects and their outcomes, placing emphasis on context, adaptability and learning. Research limitations/implications – The research enquiry presented is discursive rather than empirical, and builds on established theory and constructs of three distinct conceptual fields: first, the RBM approach to project and programme implementation; second, the “complexity” strand of organisational management literature; and third, the capacity development strand of international development discourse. Originality/value – The paper intersects disciplinary boundaries between project management, organisational studies and international development theory and practice.

scholarly journals Agile method in project management: method implementation, competencies of team members and project manager

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
Irina Olegovna Naydis
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Leadership Qualities ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Professional Field

The article outlines the study of approaches to project management: classical or traditional project management and flexible project management methods. Agile project management is analyzed using the Scrum methodology, which is a variety of Agile approach. The main stages of the above approaches are presented, their features, scope and advantages are revealed. The features of team management in traditional and flexible projects are considered. There has been developed an algorithm for choosing and actualizing a project management approach, which reflects the essence of flexible and traditional project management. At the present stage of development, the external environment is characterized by high variability, so the flexible project management becomes a factor in the competitiveness of the organization. There have been analyzed the competencies of the project manager and team members, which are necessary for efficiency of Agile methodology. It has been defined that the members of the project team must have flexible competencies. Flexible competencies are understood as a set of knowledge, abilities, skills, personal characteristics, motivational and value aspects that contribute to the effective operation of the employee within the flexible project team. The flexible competencies of the team members are: creativity, adaptability, ability to self-government and self-organization, openness to new things, learnability, self-criticism, involvement, tolerance to other positions, broad specialization and versatility, trust and openness, stress resistance, communication skills, etc. The requirements for the head of a flexible project are: T-Shaped competence type (the expert level in one's professional field and the extensive knowledge in the related fields), temporary competence, emotional intelligence, leadership qualities and developed communication skills

Sustainability in Project Management

2013 ◽  
pp. 182-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Tharp
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Financial Loss ◽  
Corporate Environment ◽  
Common Goals ◽  
Implementation Guidelines ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Sustainability Program ◽  
And Control ◽  
A Company

As organizations evolve to embrace sustainability objectives, the operations of a company need to evolve to support those new objectives. Since project management is how strategy is executed within an organization, project management’s evolution is key to this new reality. In this chapter, the author examines aspects of a sustainability program, common goals between project management and sustainability, and pragmatic implementation guidelines, which help the project manager integrate sustainability into his practices. Special emphasis is placed on each process area of project management, from inception through execution and control. The objectives of this chapter are: (1) translate the fundamental aspects of sustainability to the corporate environment and broader community; (2) understand the risk of ignoring sustainability aspects in projects, as expectations change, both in terms of direct financial loss and longer-term impact; and (3) explore how to integrate sustainability practices into project management knowledge areas.

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