Course Summary:

Sometimes, this might be quite challenging to communicate between the customer representatives and supplier employes. Mostly because the first ones are managers and the latter ones are IT proffessionals. Between those groups, the communication might be difficult. And that is why, all demands, expectations, interfaces, etc. should be identified and formulated into a written specification.

Based on this specification, a detailed analysis should be made by software architects, who will analyze all requirements in detail, identify and solve possible problems and sketch the system concepts. The analysis will also give answer to questions like what tools and technologies should be or is possible to use, what can be the project schedule, make better budget estimations, etc.

Course Objectives:

• To create a Project Plan
• To set up and manage projects effectively
• To scope out the objectives and deliverables for a project
• To calculate the resources required for a project
• To manage and motivate a project team
• To establish systems for monitoring and evaluating projects
• To create a motivated project team

Course Outline

BASIC PRINCIPLES

• Development cooperation as part of foreign policy
• Increasing coordination and coherence
• Strategic planning sets the framework
• Cooperation has various forms
• Policies require action
• Towards a common language
• An integrated approach improves learning
• Project cycle - the life of a development intervention
• Level of participation varies
• Achieving sustainable development
• Policies must match
• Better value for money
• Institutional capacity makes a difference
• People-centered development emphasises socio-cultural aspects
• Participation enhances ownership
• Gender equality and participatory development
• Environment - not only ecology
• Technology must meet the needs

PROJECT DESIGN

• Situation analysis - the cornerstone of project planning
• Background studies and the analysis of stakeholders
• Problem analysis - key to the project’s framework
• Objectives reflect an ideal future
• Strategic choices begin by fixing the project purpose
• Planning with logic
• Logical framework is a practical tool
• Intervention logic states the strategy
• Assumptions must hold
• Indicators make the plan concrete
• Approach describes how
• Organisation determines roles and responsibilities
• Budget details financial framework
• Various roles of the project document

MONITORING

• How stakeholders monitor 
• Integrated approach facilitates monitoring
• What is monitored and how
• Progress reports
• Annual Monitoring Reports
• Other performance monitoring
• Financial reports

EVALUATION

• What evaluation is
• Evaluation has two main purposes
• Different types of evaluations and other related assessments
• Integrated approach and the Logical Framework
• Issues to be evaluated
• General evaluation issues and their relation to the logical framework
• Factors ensuring compatibility and sustainability
• How to plan and carry out an evaluation
• Terms of Reference
• Planning of evaluation requires expertise
• Participation improves quality
• Demand for local evaluation capacity is increasing
• Evaluation report - the first step
• What to do with the evaluation report
• Dissemination of conclusions and recommendations
• Approval and operationalisation of recommendations