Message-ID: <199606121910.AAA32639@sdnpk.undp.org> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 22:17:14 -0400 From: Riaz Khan <mailto:RIAZKHAN@NLDP.SDNPK.UNDP.ORG> Subject: MANAGEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Dear List members, I call myself a Management Specialist but the only principle that I really believe in is to " Keep things simple". I am familiar with LOGICAL FRAMEWORK and PROJECT MANAGEMENT (CPM). I personally do not recommend LOG FRAME for developing countries as the users get bogged down in the format/intracacies of the log frame rather than the contents. Most of the time the LOG Frames are not easily understood by other Governmnet Officers etc. Only the designers know what the frames represent. Project Management is excellent for scheduling and monitoring of activities but requires a lot of effort just to keep it up and running. Most of the time the users do not believe in the CPM and ignore the reports generated by the CPM. Rapid Appraisal, Partcipatory Approach, Management by Objectives, Output Indicators, Baseline studies, Management Information System, are some of the other terms that I am familiar with.Probably there are many more Management tools (in the field of development) that are being used for managing development projects. Being in third world and with little access to the latest research I would be grateful if list members could post some of the latest ones so that I can bring myself up to date.
Moreover I also believe that the use of Information Technology (critical these days) is very weak in development projects as most of the project managers are from social sciences background and are very weak in Computers and related technology. Most of the time these project managers lack the management skills to develop the necessary/detailed systems and procedures around which the whole implementation revolves. I think that the real culprits are those, who are involved in the project at the identification and appraisal stage. At that time they need to ask questions like WHAT, WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW. The how part is generally ignored and is left for the project implementtaion team to decide. That is the main reason that most development projects show poor results when implemented. Delays are quite common. A good manager will ask all these critical questions. Wheras a person with a development background will concentrate on the Concept and leave the implementation to chance. If critically analyzed from a management angle most development projects will not pass the test.
regards
Riaz Khan