Participatory Project Planning and Management

Course Outline

Course: Participatory Project Planning and Management

Course Preamble

The purpose of this course is to equip participants with knowledge and practical skills in participatory project planning and management. It focuses on imparting strategies, tools, and methodologies to facilitate inclusive project planning and execution. Participants will learn how to engage stakeholders effectively, apply participatory approaches in project design, and implement result-based management techniques for successful project outcomes.

Course Objectives

Program managers and officers attending this workshop will gain hands-on skills in the following areas:

• Principles of participatory project planning and management

• Stakeholder engagement and participation

• Project cycle management

• Needs assessment and problem analysis

• Logical Framework Approach (LFA) in project planning

• Development and implementation of project work plans

• Setting performance indicators for project monitoring

• Participatory tools for project tracking and evaluation

• Resource mobilization and financial planning

• Risk management and sustainability strategies

• Participatory monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL)

• Impact assessment and reporting

• Application of information systems in project planning and management

Who Should Attend?

The course is recommended for the following:

• Departmental heads

• Project managers and officers

• Program coordinators

• Development workers and NGO staff

• Policy makers and government officials

• Community leaders and facilitators

• Anyone involved in project planning and implementation

• Consultants in project planning and management

Training Main Modules

Introduction to Participatory Project Planning

• Understanding key terminologies

• Importance of participatory project planning

• Stakeholder analysis and engagement strategies

• Participatory project cycle management

Needs Assessment and Problem Analysis

• Situation analysis and needs assessment

• Problem tree and objective analysis

• Prioritization of project interventions

• Identifying project beneficiaries and their roles

Logical Framework Approach (LFA)

• Introduction to LFA methodology

• Designing the log frame matrix

• Linking objectives, outcomes, and outputs

• Developing measurable indicators

• Risk assessment in project planning

Work Plan and Resource Planning

• Steps in developing project work plans

• Allocation of project resources and budgeting

• Financial planning and accountability

• Resource mobilization strategies

Project Implementation and Risk Management

• Managing project activities and timelines

• Strategies for effective project execution

• Identifying and mitigating project risks

• Ensuring sustainability in project implementation

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

• Designing participatory M&E frameworks

• Setting up monitoring and evaluation indicators

• Conducting participatory impact assessments

• Learning and adaptation in project management

Data Collection and Analysis in Project Management

• Participatory data collection tools and techniques

• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis

• Data visualization and reporting

• Utilization of M&E results for decision-making

ICT in Project Planning and Management

• Use of management information systems (MIS)

• Mobile-based data collection tools

• Geographic Information System (GIS) applications

• Real-time project monitoring tools

Project Performance Evaluation

• Mid-term and final project evaluations

• Developing evaluation questions and frameworks

• Preparing project evaluation reports

• Dissemination of evaluation findings

Gender Mainstreaming in Project Planning

• Importance of gender in project planning

• Setting gender-sensitive indicators

• Collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data

• Appraising projects from a gender perspective

Impact Assessment and Sustainability Planning

• Introduction to impact assessment methodologies

• Estimation of counterfactuals

• Techniques for measuring project impact

• Strategies for ensuring project sustainability

Participatory Project Consultancies

• Setting up project consultancies

• Engaging in participatory project consulting

• Consultancy proposal development

• Best practices in participatory project management consulting

Way Forward After the Training

Participants will develop a work plan through the help of facilitators that stipulates the application of acquired skills in improving their organizations. ASPM will monitor implementation progress after the training.

Training Evaluation

Participants will undertake a simple assessment before the training to gauge their knowledge of participatory project planning and management. Another assessment will be conducted after the training to demonstrate knowledge gained through the training.