Strategic planning

Question 1

What is project management?

Answer 1

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements and successfully achieve the project objectives

Question 2

What includes social cultural dimension of PM?

Answer 2

Leadership, problem solving, teamwork, negotiation, politics, customer expectations

Question 3

What includes technical dimension of PM?

Answer 3

scope, Work breakdown structure, schedules, resource allocation, baseline budgets, status reports

Question 4

why PM is important?

Answer 4

1.Strategic Alignment: Because it ensures it will deliver real value
2. Leadership: Because it brings leadership and direction to projects
3.Clear Focus & Objectives: Because it ensures there’s a proper plan for executing on strategic goals.
4. Realistic Project Planning: Because it ensures proper expectations are set around what can be delivered, by when, and for how much
5. Quality Control: Because it ensures the quality of whatever is being delivered, consistently hits the mark.
6. Risk Management: Because it ensures risks are properly managed and mitigated against to avoid becoming issues.
7. Orderly Process: Because it ensures the right people do the right things, at the right time
8. Continuous Oversight: Because it ensures a project’s progress is tracked and reported properly.
9. Managing and Learning from Success and Failure: Project management is important because it learns from the successes and failures of the past.

Question 5

What is portfolio?

Answer 5

Collection of projects, programs, subportfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.

Question 6

What is programs?

Answer 6

Group within a portfolio comprised of subprograms, projects or other work in a coordinated way in support of the portfolio.

Question 7

What is projects?

Answer 7

Within or outside of a program still considered part of a portfolio.

Question 8

What traditional project management includes?

Answer 8

Initiating (define a project), planning (scope, refine objectives, course of actions), executing (complete activities), monitoring and controlling (track, review, regulate progress and performance), closing (finalize all activities)

Question 9

What does logical framework approach and RBM include?

Answer 9

problem identification and definition, objective identification and definition, project planning, implementation and evaluation

Question 10

what is RBM?

Answer 10

a management strategy/approach to ensure processes, products and services contribute to achieving a set of results

Question 11

what is a result?

Answer 11

a result is a measurable change that is derived from a cause-and-effect relationship (outputs, outcomes, impact)

Question 12

To solve complex problems with adaptive leadership we need…

Answer 12

(1) to identify and to deconstruct the probme (2) to find out why and how the problem is caused so we can know how to address the problem (3) to identify the immediate, underlying and structural causes of the deprivations we want to address

Question 13

What is the UN Common Country Analysis (CCA)?

Answer 13

(1) objective, forward-looking assessment (what is happening?) and analysis (why?) of the country situation and trajectory (2) driven by SDGs, shaped by programming principles (3) a way to engage with national stakeholders and to provide input to the national plan process (4) provides essential evidence for theory of change, strategic priorities and outcomes (5) identifies SDG-related data and trends and gaps, areas for enhances policy coherence

Question 14

What elements does identification whithin strategic planning includes?

Answer 14

Background (gathering information), assessment (shortlist), analysis (problem tree), stakeholders analysis (partnership)

Question 15

What are the key criteria for catalytic development solutions?

Answer 15

(1) transformational effect (what is the potential to bring change and positively influence other development priorities? what is like hood of success?) (2) leave no one behind (3) reach (how many people are effected?) (4) time sensitive (what are the consequences of not acting now) (5) effort (what level of resources we need?)

Question 16

What are possible ways to analyze a problem?

Answer 16

Problem tree, SWOT analysis (4 squares), Fishbone diagram (without effects)

Question 17

What are the effects in the problem tree analysis?

Answer 17

Consequences of the focal problem for the individual and the community. The effects provide arguments for decision-makers and other stakeholders for why the focal problem is so important

Question 18

What is the focal problem?

Answer 18

Problem that the project shall focus on realistic to solve this problem during the project period. The focal problem will later become the project outcome

Question 19

What are the Reasons/Causes

Answer 19

the underlying reasons behind the focal problem. They explain why the focal problem exists. All main problems have their individual resons

Question 20

what is causality analysis and how to perform it?

Answer 20

Causality analysis supports the identification of the immediate, underlying and structural causes. It requires systematically asking ‘why?’ through a hierarchy of issues and identifying the causes for deprivation at each level in the hierarchy.

Key deprivation (the problem/negative outcome) -> immediate cause (proximate and nearest cause, most direct explanation) -> underlying causes (choices made by society such as laws, policies, practices) -> basic/structural causes (root of the problem)

Question 21

What is triple-A analysis?

Answer 21

Authority - refers to the necessary support from the company’s management. This can be hierarchical/organizational, resource allocation, legal

Acceptance - relates to the extent to which those affected by the reform or project - employees, suppliers or customers - will embrace it

Ability - focuses on the practical and technical side of the project and the need for time, money, skills or expertise to carry it out

Question 22

What is theory of change?

Answer 22

Theory of change explains why and how we think certain actions (activities) will produce desired change (outcome) in a given context.
The description of a sequence of events that is expected to lead to a particular desired outcome.
Theories or hypotheses about what needs to change and how into a ‘causal or change pathway’

Question 23

What is a vertical logic or results chain?

Answer 23

it’s the causal sequence for a development intervention that stipulates the necessary sequence to achieve desired results

Question 24

how vertical logic look?

Answer 24

if activities are managed, then outputs are produced -> if outputs are produced then outcomes are achieved -> if outcomes are achieved then contribute to the achievement of the impact

Question 25

Key characteristics of impact?

Answer 25

long-term effect of a programme; different projects can have the same goal broader than the programme; programme only contributes to it timeframe: typically 2-5 years after programme ends

Question 26

Key characteristics of outcome?

Answer 26

main reason for why the project is implemented influence, but largely beyond the control of the programme timeframe: during or up to a few years after the programme

Question 27

key characteristics of output?

Answer 27

what the project will deliver (products of services) a group of people or an organization has improved capacities, abilities, skills, systems are under the control of the organization and its partners timeframe: during programme

Question 28

key characteristics of activities

Answer 28

actions taken to transform inputs into outputs means to achieve the outputs timeframe: during the programme

Question 29

How to formulate good results?

Answer 29

Results are about change. it's important to use 'change language' (describes changes in the conditions and/or quality of life of people; criteria for success (focus on results)) rather than the customary 'action language' (providers' perspective - and usually starts with by doing this or that (focused on completion))

Question 30

What is SMART outcomes/outputs?

Answer 30

SPECIFIC - details exactly what need to be done MEASURABLE - achievement or progress can be measured ACHIEVABLE - objective is accepted by those responsible for achieving it REALISTIC - objectives is possible to attain (important for motivation effect) TIMED - time period for achievement is clearly stated

Question 31

What are indicators?

Answer 31

Quantitative or qualitative variables that allow stakeholders to verify changes produced by a development intervention relative to what was planned

Question 32

key characteristics of indicators

Answer 32

neutral and objectively verifiable describe how the outputs/outcomes have to be measured include quantity, quality and time always adapt according to each goal and project disaggregated by sex and other necessary social categories if possible

Question 33

what is the baseline?

Answer 33

status of the indicator at the beginning of a programme or project that acts as a reference point against which progress or achievements can be assessed

Question 34

what are key characteristics of baseline?

Answer 34

description (qualitative or quantitative) of the situation, prior to an intervention brenchmark for assessing progress on outcomes or impacts first data collected for an indicator

Question 35

What are targets?

Answer 35

a target is what one hopes to achieve and it normally depends on programme period and duration of the interventions and activities

Question 36

key characteristics of targets?

Answer 36

signals how much change and in what direction the baseline and target should use same unit of measurement as the indicator

Question 37

what are means of verification?

Answer 37

the sources of information are the persons, beneficiaries or organizations from whom information will be gathered to inform initial baselines and measure results

Question 38

why time and cost are important for a project?

Answer 38

time: delays, waste of resources, impact on lives, gets more expensive, requires request extensions budget: if spends more - no adequate estimation of resources, no control, corruption; if spends less - activities not accomplished, donors might reduce funds in the future

Question 39

what is critical path?

Answer 39

the critical path is the sequence of activities with the longest duration. A delay in any of these activities will result in a delay for the whole project

Question 40

what is result-based budgeting?

Answer 40

is a subset of RBM that focuses on aligning resources with results. It requires a system of budgeting that links budget allocations to a specific change in expected outputs and outcomes

Question 41

what are the main characteristics result-based budgeting?

Answer 41

a shift in accountability from inputs and activities to outputs and outcomes managers with the authority relocate budget for better performance incentives to reward managers that meet or exceed expected targets

Question 42

what are the key elements of project cost management?

Answer 42

1. estimate costs: approximation of resources/inputs needed 2. determine budget: aggregate and establish a cost baseline 3. control cost: monitoring and update

Question 43

what are types of costs?

Answer 43

1. Direct costs - is a price that can be directly tied to the production of specific goods or services 2. Indirect costs - represent the expenses of doing business that are not readily identified with a particular grant, contract, project function or activity, but are necessary for the general operation of the organization and the conduct of activities it performs. 3. Fixed costs - is an expense that does not change when sales or production volumes increase or decrease. 4. Variable costs - are any expenses that change based on how much a company produces and sells.

Question 44

who are potential and typical stakeholders for the project?

Answer 44

1. people with decision making authority related to the programme 2. organizations that will implement similar or potentially conflicting interventions 3. people who may experience negative consequences 4. people who are expected benefit 5. people who expected to change their behavior or to improve their performance (beneficiaries and TA)

Question 45

what is partnership?

Answer 45

partnership are voluntary and collaborative relationship between various parties, both public and non-public, in which all participants agree to work together to achieve a common purpose or undertake a specific task and, as mutually agreed, to share risks and responsibilities, resources and benefits

Question 46

how to engage with different types of stakeholders and foster collations for change?

Answer 46

1. Identify stakeholders 2. Map-out their influence and dependency 3. Assess their power relations, capacity and needs

Question 47

What partnership map includes?

Answer 47

1. Potential challenger (high power and low interest) 2. Supporters (high power and interest) 3. Potential allies (low power and high interest) 4. Marginal player (low interest and low power)

Question 48

What is risk?

Answer 48

an uncertain future event or condition which, if happens, it may affect the mission objective. it could have a positive and negative effect

Question 49

what are the objectives of project risk management?

Answer 49

1. to increase the likelihood and impact of positive events 2. to decrease the likelihood and impact of negative events in the project

Question 50

what are 3 potential risk response development?

Answer 50

1. risk mitigation (reduce likelihood and reduce impact) 2. risk avoidance (change your plan) 3. risk transfer (pass the risk to another party)

Question 51

Key steps of contingency plan

Answer 51

STEP 1 - risk identification (analyze the project to identify sources of risk) STEP 2 - risk assessment (in terms of severity of impact, likelihood of occurring, controllability) STEP 3 - risk response development (a strategy to reduce damages, contingency plans) STEP 4 - risk response control (implement risk strategy, change management)

Question 52

what is safeguards?

Answer 52

a measure taken to protect someone or something or to prevent an undesirable impact

Question 53

what are the assumptions?

Answer 53

assumptions are the variables or factors that need to be in place for results to be achieved. Assumptions can be internal or external to the particular programme or organization