Project implimentation

Project

Implementation and

management

Summary

This session covers the aspects of project

implementation and management from

activation onwards, including factors that affect

project implementation.

Project management as a concept is

considered.

The characteristic of a good project manager

are discussed.

Contents

Introduction to Project Implementation

Project Activation

Project Operation

Approaches to Project Implementation

Project Implementation Plan

Factors Affecting Project Implementation

Project Management Defined

Aspects of Project Management

Characteristics of a good Project Manager

Project Implementation

Process whereby “project inputs are converted to project outputs”. May be looked at as:

Putting in action the activities of the project.

Putting into practice what was proposed in the project document (i.e. transforming the project proposal into the actual project.)

Management of the project or executing the project intentions.

Project Implementation (cont.)

Implementation usually done by implementing agency (organization) that prepared the project and received funding for it.

Other organizations that participate in the implementation of the project by way of collaboration, say by according good

working relationship, extending technical advice or seconding their staff to the project

are referred to as co-operating agencies.

Project Implementation phase

involves:

Project activation, and

Project operation

Project activation

This means making arrangements to have the project started. It involves coordination and allocation of resources to make project operational.

Project operation

This is practical management of a project. Here, project inputs are transformed into outputs to achieve immediate objectives.

Project operation and

maintenance

Operation and maintenance

To attain value and maximum returns, the district/municipality or the beneficiaries organize for the facility to have the project properly managed and maintained regularly.

An operation and maintenance manual is prepared by the contractor and handed to the district / beneficiaries.

Approaches to project

implementation

Top-down approach

Implementation mainly done by agencies from outside the community with limited involvement by the beneficiaries.

Bottom-up approach

Beneficiaries implement the project. Outside agencies may provide the financial resources and technical assistance.

Collaborative participatory approach

Both top-down and bottom-up approaches to project implementation are applied in the process.

Project implementation plan

(PIP)

If PIP not carried out during the project design process and embodied in the project documents, it is carried out at the project activation stage.


includes:

a) The project implementation schedule

This is concerned with:

What activities can produce expected

project outputs?

What is the sequence of these activities?

What is the time frame for these activities?

Who will be responsible for carrying out

each activity?


includes:

The following methods may be used to

answer the above questions:

Gantt chart

Critical Path Method (CPM) or Net work

analysis

Project Evaluation and Review Techniques

(PERT)

Simple formats

What is a GANTT Chart?

The Gantt chart is also referred to as the

progress chart.

It is a chart showing the timing of project

activities using horizontal bars.

It is one of the techniques of project

scheduling, which depicts the frequency of

activities and determines the period of time

for implementation.

How to determine a GANTT chart

Determine the parts or implementation phases of the project and the sequence in which the associated activities shall be carried out

Then estimate the amount of time required for each activity

List the activities that can be carried out at the same time and identify those to be carried out sequentially

How to construct a GANTT chart

Time represented on the horizontal axis, and

activities on the vertical axis.

Bars are entered to indicate the time period

allocated for each activity and the state of

progress at any particular point in time.

Example: Maize farming projectActivity

Marketing

Threshing

Harvesting

Weeding

Planting

Preparing seedbed

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Time period/ months

The Simple Format

ACTIVITY STARTING

DATE

ENDING

DATE

COST RESPONSIBLE

PERSON

REMARKS

- Preparing seed bed

- Planning

- Weeding

- Harvesting

- Storage

- Threshing

- Marketing

Practical

Develop

a Gantt chart Simple Format

project implementation schedules in relation to the identified projects in the project identification session.


(cont.)

b) The role of the implementing agency

The specific responsibilities of the key staff during project implementation and

monitoring are outlined.

c) Beneficiary participation

The involvement of the beneficiaries in planning and implementation and what is expected of them is spelt out.


(cont.)

d) Organizational structure and staffing

Here the following are sought:

Project structure for purposes of management

Qualifications and skills for the staff

Job descriptions and specifications for the staff

Technical assistance if needed

e) Financial management

This looks at funds management, accounting period, financial reports and statements and how often they will be made?


(cont.)

f) Reporting system

This looks at who will be reporting to whom and how often. There is need to design standard reporting formats.

g) Sustainability

The concept of sustainability is based on belief that project should result in benefits that have lasting effect. Project should be sustained beyond the life of funding - especially if it is a grant.

Project should not exhaust the available resources like raw materials and labor.


(cont.)

Time control and remedial action

Time taken to implement project activities is one

measure of successfulness of supervision or

monitoring of project implementation.

Supervisor pays particular attention to time

control measures, time scheduling and its

supervision, time extension and postponement,

damages for non-completion and defect or

warranty period.


(cont.)

Supervision of implementation of project schedule

This involves a set of checks and balances to ensure that the schedule is being adhered to.

To ensure that the time schedule is being adhered to, the project activity time listing can be of great importance.

Project Activity Time Listing

Activity

earliest time

Activity

latest time

Activity

code

Activity

Description

Activity

duration

Start Finish Start Finish

Progress

remark

Practical

Using the Project Activity Time Listing, develop a Project Activity Time Listing table in relation to the Identified project in project identification session, and fill it in.

Factors affecting project

implementation

Factors that lead to success of projects

Political Commitment

Simplicity of Design

Careful preparation

Good management

Involvement of beneficiaries/community

Factors and problems

that lead to failure of

projects

Financial Problems

Management problems

Technical problems

Political problems


implementation

Other typical implementation problems

Poor scheduling of projects leading to delays in

Poor scheduling of projects leading to delays in

implementation.

Misallocation of funds

Delay and sometimes lack of counterpart funding

Lack of accountability and transparency

Bureaucracy in decision-making.

Selfishness/nepotism/favoritism by some project

managers.


implementation

Other typical implementation problems (cont.)

Weak monitoring systems

Natural calamities like drought, earthquakes,

landslides, and hailstorms.

Policy changes

Migration of beneficiaries

Lack of team work

Lack of incentives for implementers.

etc.

Project management

Management may be defined as;

Getting things done from the available

resources, the way you want them to be done.

Project management defined

Project Management is an all-embracing term

covering the management of every detail of a

project (Project cycle) and may be defined as,

“the process of planning and directing a project

from its inception to its final completion”.

Project management (cont.)

Project management decisions - a necessary

function for setting up a project. It is concerned with:

Forecasting

Setting objectives

Policy making

Planning - determines success/failure of project. It

has three (3) main aspects:

Programming

Scheduling and

Budgeting


Project control - To control is to compare

actual with planned achievements and take action

to correct any adverse deviations. It involves:

Plans of Operation

These are the result of the planning process of Project

management.

Review and Updating

Review is necessary to determine whether the project is

proceeding according to plan or not. Updating is

recording the state of the project as shown by the

reviews, or of making amendments.


Project Action - When review has shown a

project to be deviating from plan, action is

required to restore the operation to its planned

characteristics.

A good project manager should:

have working knowledge in several fields

be able to understand general managerial problems

have active interest in training and developing subordinates

be able to delegate some tasks to subordinates

Characteristics of a good

project manager

A good project manager should:

know the project and understand its objectives

know the systematic process for managing projects

be able to answer the following questions:

What is the project for?

Why is it required?

Whom does it serve?

How is it justified?

How is it going to be used?

Characteristics of a good

project manager

Project implimentation

Education

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