Responsive Project Management

- a Danida-funded Learning Programme

29th April – 17th May 2024

• Do you want to improve project management capacity within in your organisation?

• Do you want to learn about responsive, adaptive, and agile PM approaches?
• Do you want to enlarge and diversify your toolbox of project management tools?
• Would you like to be able to integrate sustainability issues in your projects?
• Would you like to master tools for organisational change management?

If yes, then this is the learning programme for you!

The learning journey starts in your organisation with an assessment of the need and
preparedness for improving project management practices. With you as an important
change agent.

Thus, before the three-week face-to-face training course in Denmark, a dialogue will be
initiated between you, the training provider and your organisation to identify areas of
potential organisational strengthening within project management.

After final selection of the participants in the learning programme, pre-reads and e-
learning will serve as a preparation for the training course.

The training provider will offer post-course follow-up in a 3-month period after the
return of the course participants to their organisations focusing on the application of
knowledge, tools and project management approaches.
Introduction
This leaflet describes a learning programme on
Responsive Project Management targeting
professionals from both public, civil society and
private institutions involved in Danish-funded
programmes.
The learning programme shall enable participants
and their organisations to implement programmes
and projects in a responsive way.
The learning programme comprises a pre-course
period, a 3-week training course in Denmark and a
3-month post-course follow-up period.
Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC) has contracted
COWI, a leading Danish multidisciplinary
consulting company, to undertake the learning
programme.
Learning programme objectives
After participation in the learning programme, the
participants shall be able to:
• identify different project types and choose the
most appropriate PM approach for a given
project or project idea
• use relevant agile and adaptive PM approaches
based on their benefits
• use essential PM tools such as stakeholder
analysis, log-frames and theory of change, risk
analysis, resource and time planning,
monitoring, evaluation and learning
• identify, exercise, negotiate and delegate
various PM roles and responsibilities
• plan and initiate appropriate change processes
at individual and organisational levels
• elaborate a project communication strategy/plan
• use and disseminate the action planning method
• understand the importance of using democracy
and poverty alleviation initiatives and rights
based approaches into all project phases.
The learning objectives are met by relating and
adapting the course contents to participants' own
organisational settings through the development
of specific Action Plans. The learning programme
also provides rich opportunities for building a
network of colleagues and counterparts in many
countries of the world.
The responsibility for developing and transferring
applicable skills will be shared by the participants
and trainers in an enabling learning environment.
Content of the learning programme
The learning programme comprises the following
five main modules:
• Project types, cycles and agile & adaptive
project management approaches
• Essential PM tools
• PM roles and responsibilities
• Change management
• Key aspects of Danish Development
Assistance
During the learning programme, various
training methods will be applied including
study groups, participatory approaches,
teacher-centred training, cases and good
practice material and examples.
The learning programme will introduce
participants to methods, approaches and tools
that can be directly applied in project
identification, planning, implementation and
evaluation. The application of the content of
the learning programme will be supported
through the development and implementation
of an organisational capacity development
action plan.
The focus of the action plan will be discussed
with the training provider prior to the start of
the face-to-face training course in Denmark.
Action Plans
All participants will have the opportunity to
apply new tools and skills for own work and
organisational needs. The work with the
Action Plans will be supported in the
following way:
• In the pre-course period participants will be
asked to identify the present capacity of
their organisation in developing and
implementing projects and programmes.
• During the training course period
participants will apply relevant course tools
for drafting an organisational Action Plan
coached by the course facilitators.
• During the post-course period, participants
can continue dialogue with their facilitators
to finalize their organisational Action Plans.
Course modules
Module 1: Project types and PM approaches
• Project typologies and project cycles
• Log frames & Theory of change
• Agile and adaptive PM approaches
Module 2: Essential PM tools
• Organisational capacity analysis
• Planning of time & resources
• Risk management
• Monitoring, evaluation and learning
Module 3: PM roles and responsibilities
• PM as manager, leader, facilitator and
communicator
• Mastering various PM roles
• Ensuring Value for Money in projects
Module 4: Change management
• Analysing, mapping and managing change
processes in organisations
• Stakeholder analysis and management
Module 5: Working with key aspects of Danish
Development Assistance in projects
• Integrating poverty and sustainable inclusive
growth
• Green transition and sustainability
• Democracy & Human Rights-based
approaches
Action Planning (AP)
• How to develop and implement an
organisational action plan
• How to introduce and use the AP concept
in your organization
Learning programme management
The learning programme will be managed by
COWI, a leading Danish consultancy company
with 7,000 employees and 90 years of experience
in consulting services worldwide. For more
information see COWI’s webpage at
www.cowi.com.
COWI has a very long and deep experience
within project management, including various
PM approaches and organisational capacity
building. Furthermore, COWI has proven
experience in the development and
implementation of targeted learning
programmes for a variety of professionals.
How to apply for the course?
Please note that it is not possible to apply
directly for this course. The Sector Counsellor
at the Royal Danish Embassy will pre-select
candidates in collaboration with the affiliated
organisations and submit an application to
Danida Fellowship Centre.
Each candidate included in the application
submitted by the Sector Counsellor must fill
in the form “Information Sheet - Individual
Candidates – Strategic Sector Cooperation”,
which will be forwarded to the candidate by
the Sector Counsellor.
The filled-in Information Sheet must be sent
by mail directly to the responsible Sector
Counsellor at the Royal Danish Embassy and
NOT to Danida Fellowship Centre.
The final selection of candidates will be
carried out by DFC and the training provider
following an in-depth pre-course dialogue.
Funding
The learning programme is funded by Danida
Fellowship Centre (DFC).
Where to get further information?
DFC is responsible for the administrative aspects
of the training. Further information is available at
DFC´s webpage www.dfcentre.com.
For questions related to the content of the
learning programme, please contact:
COWI
Mr Daniel de la Cour, Course Manager
email: dlc@cowi.com
Phone: +45 2348 0191
Mr Daniel la Cour, Course manager & main facilitator
Daniel la Cour is a senior project manager specialised in competence development, project
management and development assistance. His wide experience in cross-cultural technical
assistance, training and project management is gained through long-term assignments on
development projects in Africa as well as short term formulation, evaluation and training
assignments in various countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Competence development
through training and coaching is one of Daniel la Cour’s main specialisation areas. He is an
experienced teacher in project management for external clients in Denmark and abroad.

Ms. Randi Christensen, facilitator

Randi Christensen is an experienced project manager, lecturer and facilitator of agile and
lean project management. Her key qualifications are management structures, tools and
processes, strategic management, management of complex projects with a drive and flair
for development and facilitation. Randi has extensive experience in developing and
implementing Agile project management and Lean Construction in Denmark and
internationally.

Mr. Peter Mallow, Assistant Course Manager

Peter Mallow holds a Master's degree in Economics & Political Science and has more than
30 years of international experience as economist, project manager and capacity developer
in EU, CEE, Africa and Asia. He has extensive experience in managing and facilitating
training courses and workshops, business and action planning, feasibility studies, transport
economics, market analysis, capacity development and institutional strengthening, organisa-
tional analysis, value for money analysis, cost benefit analysis and financial project analysis.

Ms Helle Qwist-Hoffmann, facilitator

Helle Qwist-Hoffmann has solid experience with sustainable economic development in
Europe, Africa and Asia. Her background combines sustainable development, broader
natural resources management, climate change adaption and resilience, and green growth.
Helle holds an MBA in Leadership & Sustainability and has a strong profile in managing
complex global projects and programmes. She has a solid experience with the full project
cycle from conceptualization, programming, implementation, management supervision,
quality assurance, evaluation, reporting and knowledge management & learning.

Mr. Lars Peter Christensen, facilitator

Aid effectiveness, democratic governance, civil society development, institutional analysis and
capacity development has been at the core of the work of Lars Christensen during more than
40 years of professional experience. Lars Christensen served as Team Leader and Project
Manager of large, complex, multi-cultural Danida-financed programmes in Mozambique, Nepal
and Uganda and brings, therefore, a wealth of practical experience in leading large, complex
programs in multi-cultural and multi-donor settings.

Ms. Dorthe Thyrri Rasmussen, facilitator

Dorthe Rasmussen is an experienced Learning & Development Leader who helps
organisations succeed with their business strategy by developing and implementing learning
and development programs. Dorthe has in-depth knowledge of developing learning
programs within project and programme management through many years of working at
strategic and programme/project levels. She is focuses on how project managers can
produce organisational benefits (and not just deliverables) and has assisted numerous
organisations develop benefit tracking models and reporting.

Mr. Jakob Rasmussen, facilitator

Jakob Rasmussen Jakob is a highly competent facilitator, that help the participants create
their own understanding of the topics and ensure that there is full participation and
motivation throughout the training sessions. Jakob focuses on ensuring a link between the
defined strategy, the necessary organisational competences and the underlying structures
and processes, including what it takes to ensure change management and benefits
realisation as well as an assessment of the project’s success.

Ms. Nina Sonne Nikolaisen, facilitator

Nina Sonne Nikolaisen has more than 15 years of experience as project manager on big IT
projects and business development projects in COWI. She is a certified PRINCE2 Agile
practitioner and is, as Quality Manager, responsible for the project management method on
internal COWI development projects. This includes training and coaching other project
managers in COWI with a strong focus on agility, business benefits and global collaboration.
Other key specialist areas include user involvement, change management and knowledge
management.