DEPARTMENT OF PROJECT PLANNING AND

MANAGEMENT

Course name: -FUNDAMENTALS OF PROJECT PLANNING &MANAGEMENT

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
1. What is a project management? What is a general management? Compare and contrast

project management and general management?

Project management is comprised of organizing, planning, motivating, and controlling

procedures, resources and protocols to achieve specific goals of a specific project. A project may

be a temporary and time constrained mission that is geared towards the production of a specific

result, product or a service, also often constrained by funding and other resources. The aim of

project management would be to use the limited time and resources and channel them towards

the achieving of the goal of the project to achieve the optimum results that are beneficial and of

added value.

General management can be defined as coordinating the usage of available resources and time

towards the accomplishment of a specific goal or an objective of a certain organization or a

business. This task usually comprises of organizing, planning, staffing, leading, controlling or

directing specific resources, time or people. This also includes the manipulation of human,

financial, technological or natural resources to the maximum benefit of the cause at hand.

Similarity of Project Management and General Management

Both Project Management and General Management use scientific methods of management:

 Planning
 Organizing
 Directing and
  Controlling of Either organizational or project resources

The difference between Project Management and General Management

Although the functions and duties of both project management and general management are very

much similar, a few differences between them make them unique functions with identities of

themselves.

• Project management is usually employed in projects that are temporary and time constrained.

General management is employed for ongoing procedures or functions of certain organizations,

businesses etc.

• Usually, in project management, resources are limited. In contrast, general management is also

responsible for resourcing whatever necessary ingredients as deemed necessary for the

continuation of functions.

• Therefore, one can say that the difference between project management and general

management does not lie in leadership or other qualities required, but in the scope of

responsibilities that lie within each role.

2. How are project constraints interrelated? Give your own examples that show how the

interrelation among the different constraints.

 All constraints are interrelated, so a strain on one will affect one or more of the others. All of the

six constraints influences each other in that any one getting affected impacts one or more of the

rest. Here's an example:

 If you are unable to meet a sudden rise in cost, the project scope may shrink and the

quality may decline.

 If you expand the scope of the project, it will inevitably increase cost and time and may

affect the quality of the deliverable.

 If necessary resources are not available, time to deliver will increase. This may also

increase project cost, because alternates resources, if available, may be more expensive

than planned.

 If a QA team finds that the quality of a deliverable is going bad, more resources may be

required. This increases the cost for additional resources and effort to fix the faulty. This

will also increase the time to deliver.

 If scope creep happens on the project, it will result in increased time, cost, resources and

potentially reduced quality. And thus increased risk on delivery.

3.What are the phases of the project cycle management? Write the possible input, process
and output of each phase. Put each phase in their increasing order based on the time they
take in the project cycle management
PHASE INPUT
SITUATIONAL Strategic plans
ANALYSIS (national /regional /local)
Policy papers Reports
and consultancy papers
INDETIFICATION Policy papers: Strategies
and Development Plans
(National, Regional,
Municipal, Sectoral and
Overall)
FORMULATION & Project concept note;
PROCESS OUTPUT
Strategy based analysis; Sectoral strategies
Beneficiaries & and development
stakeholders plans; Long term
objectives and
Visioning Criteria
for project appraisal
based on relevant
strategy
Problems to be Stakeholder needs;
addressed; Project Assessment Project
Ownership; Fundraising Concept Note
(PCN)/Project
Proposal Document
(PPD); Logical
Framework Matrix
Phases
Scoring systems and Pre-feasibility
ASSESSMENT & (PCN) (ToR) Filtration of project study; Cost-benefit
APPROVAL Filtration/Evaluation proposals Assumptions; analysis,
against specific set of Risk Identification; Environmental
criteria; Scoring of Financing Proposal assessment,
project proposals Decisions; Decision to Assessment Score;
fund; Procurement for Feasibility Study;
Detailed Design Goods Draft
procurement Services Financing/funding
Procurement proposal; (Logical
Framework) Detail
Design; Investment
Funding
Agreement;
Financing
Agreement; Tender
Documentation
IMPLEMENTATIO Tender Documentation; Physical and non-
N & MONITORING Terms of Reference for physical activities
Procurement of services
Special conditions taken
and goods Contracts;
by other
Logical Framework
institutions/government;
Project Plan
Supervision
EVALUATION Various Project Decision on using Evaluation report
documentation, Terms of results in future
Reference, reports, identification and
monitoring reports, project planning
progress reports, budget
4. What are the contents of a feasibility study report? Please describe each of the

components

 Executive Summary – a description of the problem/opportunity highlighted in the study, the

purpose of the report, and the importance of the research for your target audience

 Background – a more detailed description of the feasibility study, who it was carried out,

and whether it was implemented elsewhere

 Analysis – an examination and evaluation method employed in the conducting your

feasibility study

 Alternatives and Options – an overview of any alternative proposals or options and their

features in comparison to the main proposal of the study

 Cost-Benefit Evaluation – a rigorous analysis method that was implemented to examine and

evaluate the main proposal for cost-benefit effectiveness and to demonstrate the tech

feasibility, economic practicality, social desirability, and eco soundness of the proposal.

 Conclusion – a summary of the work done and your own conclusions regarding your

analysis

 Recommendations – a series of recommendations practices and follow-up actions based on

your conclusions
5. Describe the difference between vertical and horizontal logic

The difference between a horizontal and a vertical structure is: -

In the vertical logic is the reasoning which connects the three levels of objectives in the matrix,

the outputs, the purpose, and the goal.

In this case in horizontal logic, the linkbetween the levels of objectives are the items in the

external factors column.

 Vertical logic

- Identifies what the project intends to do and achieve

- Clarifies the causal relationships (means to end)

- Specifies important assumptions and risks

 Horizontal logic

- Specifies the indicators to measure progress

- Identifies the sources or means by which indicators will be verifies

6. Compare monitoring and evaluation in terms of frequency, objective, purpose and focus

Item Monitoring Evaluation

Frequency  Monitoring is the systematic  Evaluation is the

and routine collection of periodic assessment of

information about the the programs/projects

programs/projects activities activities

 It is ongoing process which is  It is done on a periodic

done to see if things/activities basis to measure the

are going on track or not i.e. it success against the

regularly tracks the program objectivei.e. it is an in-

 Regular, ongoing depth assessment of

the program

 episodic
Objective  to improve project design and  to improve project

functioning of current project design of future

 to truck changes from the projects

baseline conditions to desired  to validate what results

outcomes. were achieved, and

how and why they

were or were not

achieved.
Purpose  checks whether the project did  checks whether what

what it said it would do the project did had the

  provides information for impact that it intended

evaluation  It provides information

 improving efficiency for proper planning

 Improve effectiveness,
 Adjusting work plan
impact, future

programming
Focus  It focuses on input, activities  It focuses on

and output outcomes, impacts and

 More focused on quality control overall goal

 Focus on tracking performance  More focused on

quality assurance.

 Focus on judgement,

learning and merit

7. Describe the major steps involved in monitoring and evaluation?

Step 1: Identify Program Goals and Objectives

The first step to creating an M&E plan is to identify the program goals and objectives. If the

program already has a logic model or theory of change, then the program goals are most likely

already defined. However, if not, the M&E plan is a great place to start. Identify the program

goals and objectives.

Step 2: Define Indicators

Once the program’s goals and objectives are defined, it is time to define indicators for tracking

progress towards achieving those goals. Program indicators should be a mix of those that

measure process, or what is being done in the program, and those that measure outcomes. 

Step 3: Define Data Collection Methods and Timeline

After creating monitoring indicators, it is time to decide on methods for gathering data and how

often various data will be recorded to track indicators. This should be a conversation between

program staff, stakeholders, and donors. These methods will have important implications for

what data collection methods will be used and how the results will be reported.
Step 4: Identify M&E Roles and Responsibilities

The next element of the M&E plan is a section on roles and responsibilities. It is important to

decide from the early planning stages who is responsible for collecting the data for each

indicator. This will probably be a mix of M&E staff, research staff, and program staff. Everyone

will need to work together to get data collected accurately and in a timely fashion.

Step 5: Create an Analysis Plan and Reporting Templates

Once all of the data have been collected, someone will need to compile and analyze it to fill in a

results table for internal review and external reporting. This is likely to be an in-house M&E

manager or research assistant for the program.

Step 6: Plan for Dissemination and Donor Reporting

The last element of the M&E plan describes how and to whom data will be disseminated. Data

for data’s sake should not be the ultimate goal of M&E efforts.  Data should always be collected

for particular purposes.

 8. Convert the following problem tree into objective tree

Catch and income of fishing

families improved
Low incidence of water born
diseases and illnesses particularly
among poor families under 5s
Riverine
ecosystemreduced
threat and better fish

Quality of river water is

improved

Reduced level of Solid

Waste water treated in
waste dumped into Households and factories not discharge
plants meet environmental
river waste water directly into the river
standards

Population aware of Existing legal

Polluters are 95% households
danger of waste regulations are
controlled and business
dumping adequate to connected to
prevent direct sewerage network
discharge of
Environmental Public education or waste water
protection agency information
effective and programs available Adequate level of capital
neutral with Pollution has investment and good business
industry interests been a good planning with in local government
political