Project Managers Without Borders

Lessons learned and project closure reports are important organizational process assets that a project manager may find missing upon starting work with a new non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-profit organization (NPO). This historical information is useful for many activities such as on-boarding new members, explaining the mission of the organization to the community, or developing project charters. The final project report becomes an important advocacy tool and gives ideas for articles or stories to attract wider attention or to spread news about a particular situation. Additionally, performance information from previous projects can help make the best use of limited resources and funding.

Three ways to bring value to the NGO through project closure:

#1 Engage stakeholders to determine project or phase closure guidelines or requirements. An organization can guide its actions throughout the project by knowing what the expectations are for documenting project successes and failures from the beginning, when to gather lessons learned, and how to archive the project information for future use. These activities can be incorporated into the NGO’s monitoring & evaluation program. It may also open lines of communication to other stakeholders, including in the community the NGO operates, as input on reporting requirements are gathered. Work with the NGO, members of the community, and other stakeholders to determine their reporting needs. Then, suggest templates that may work well for their purposes.

#2 Encourage documentation of project failures. Failure happens. That is the opening line on the Admitting Failure website. Formally closing an aborted or cancelled project is needed to continue critical thinking in the field where the organization works and to help other organizations succeed in those areas. At Admitting Failure, organizations share information as a way to bring “new levels of transparency, collaboration, and innovation across the for-purpose sector.” Project closure reports can provide NGOs with the project history that they can summarize and share on the website. The reports can also provide a foundation for developing a “Failure Report.” A how-to guide developed by Engineers Without Borders Canada can be found on Fail Forward’s website.

#3 Promote dissemination of project success. Formally establishing a project’s closure helps the NGO redirect resources to the next project or project phase and guides communication to internal stakeholders, external funding bodies, and community members. Published peer-reviewed literature by non-profit and NGOs is not common (Allen, 2016). This is a gap in dissemination of information about potentially innovative interventions as evidence-based practices are often formed by peer-reviewed published literature and not unpublished studies, or grey literature. Even if an organization does not develop a scholarly article, the information can be used to inform future decisions on projects. Working with an NGO on its reporting needs is a great opportunity to exercise creative skills and to think beyond a standard report. It’s important to “consider the audience” and communicate the project findings in ways that best suit the stakeholders. You may not consider filming a video on the latest software development project, but this could be the perfect medium to supplement the closure report!

In closing...

A project closure or evaluation report supports the organization in formally documenting the end of the project. It can be used to promote awareness, develop project strategy, and disseminate knowledge in the field of work. Use your project management skills to help an NGO complete a project life cycle and to get a good start in its knowledge management practice

References

Allen, L. (2016). Why Is There No Funding For Non-Communicable Diseases? Journal of Global Health Perspectives. Retrieved from http://jglobalhealth.org/article/why-is-there-no-funding-for-non-communicable-diseases/.

Admitting Failure. www.admittingfailure.org. Accessed December 24, 2016.

Fail Forward. www.failforward.org. Accessed December 24, 2016.

Better Evaluation. www.betterevaluation.org. Accessed December 28, 2016.

Romiya Barry is a clinical research professional using the project management framework to improve patient care and community health.  She is recognized by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and PharmaTimes Inc. for her leadership in clinical project management. Romiya is on the Board of Directors for Health Horizons International, a healthcare NGO serving communities in the Dominican Republic. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Follow @romiyagbarry! 

Project managers work to connect problem-solvers with problems. So, it may seem natural to find certified Project Management Professional Kris Troukens learning about a problem and contacting Project Managers Without Borders (PMWB) to help solve it.
 
Kris Troukens has been involved with Project Management Institute (PMI) in various national and international roles over the past 15 years. Professionally, he has worked as project manager and senior consultant, in addition to remaining active in the project management realm as a speaker, teacher, and consultant. 

As Director at Large for PMWB, Kris is leading a collaborative program between PMWB and the Ghana Branch of Project Management Institute. The collaboration is aiming to tackle the recurrent flooding program in the Accra region of Ghana. Kris and the program team are exemplifying a real-world application of project management skills to support community leaders solve their problems. Their work on the Accra Flooding Initiative reflects themes project managers may be familiar with in their everyday professional roles.

A Complex Problem

Kris highlights how a single natural event can be complex and have unfortunately detrimental consequences for a community. The criticality of the situation can create an urgency to motivate change.

Accra is flooded at least once a year; in bad years this happens more than once. The loss of life is important each time. However, the year 2015 was particularly bad, as a petrol station exploded because of the floods, thus causing in itself about 180 casualties. 

Collaboration in Innovation Development

Kris realizes the Accra Flooding is an example of a world problem that could benefit from the knowledge and expertise of project management.

During the PMI Africa conference in Accra, I had the opportunity to talk about this recurring problem with several city officials and authorities. Several other initiatives had been tried in the past, but none made any significant progress. With the help and knowledge of the local PMI chapter leaders, we decided to try and do something to find a possible solution.

 Today, we are concentrating our efforts on two things. The first phase is to inform all stakeholders, and create a "forum" where these different parties communicate efficiently together. The second phase is the creation of detailed technical plans (WBS in project terms). It is not our ambition to actually execute these plans ourselves, but to provide very useful input to guide local authorities and agencies as they start improvements. 

Beyond the Triple Constraint

Project Managers are familiar with the triple constraint of time-quality-costs. As with many development projects, there are other internal and external factors that must also be equally balanced. For the Accra Initiative Team, ‘time’ is a self-imposed construct, allowing the team to develop the program without too much pressure. However, careful stakeholder management is one of the most critical constraints in the project. 

Stakeholder engagement in development projects is often complex. There are often several players with a multitude of expectations. Having the right level of collaboration is key to supporting the success of the project. 

Beyond project managers, we are teaming up with engineers and experts from the water-treatment industries. These are the main areas where actions plans will need to be compiled. However, other more general project management skills are also required. For example when a topic such as "how to develop a garbage collection system from scratch" is on the table. Some of the other relationships we are managing include working with city and government officials. This is sometimes very sensitive, and we don't want to upset anybody. So our wording and planning needs to happen carefully. For example, when holding the international workshops we try to engage the Ambassador for Ghana in the host city.

PMWB acts as the coordinator of the "stakeholder platform" as well as the organizer of the workshops that will deliver the WBS [work breakdown structure] plans. These workshops are happening in various international cities, with the help of local PMI chapters.

When managing the relationships, we don’t use any project management or stakeholder management tools in particular--just common sense and lots of energy! Respect is of the essence. In other countries and other continents things are happening differently than in some of our "Western" countries. But I noticed that with mutual respect you can come a long way.

A Personal Commitment to Making the World a Better Place

Applying project management skills to your community or to another community is an impactful way to learn how to drive innovation. Kris’s words show this is also a way to develop soft skills such as empathy and leadership as well as to foster growth as a global citizen.

This project matters to me because of some of the personal stories that I heard in Accra. People at the conference were personally involved at the recent floods, and some kind of desperation was hanging in the air that no tangible progress can be seen to resolve the floods.

My work on this project has changed me personally. I’ve learned to appreciate another country, and another continent. Relating this to project management steps as they are applied at home is a very rich experience. And I made lots of new and dear friends, for which I will be eternally grateful.

As exemplified by the PMWB logo, the Accra Flood Initiative brings together the hands of various people reaching from around the world to provide integrated support to the world’s communities. Kris and the PMWB team are showing us how the knowledge and skills developed as project management professionals will transform ideas to outcomes.

To keep updated about the Accra Initiative, visit the project site http://pmwbi.org/site/index.php/projects/africa. There you can sign up for the newsletter, lend your expertise, or make a donation.

Special thanks to Kris Troukens for sharing his story! Kris can be contacted at [email protected].

Romiya Barry is a clinical research professional using the project management framework to improve patient care and community health.  She is recognized by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals and PharmaTimes Inc. for her leadership in clinical project management. Romiya is on the Board of Directors for Health Horizons International, a healthcare NGO serving communities in the Dominican Republic. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Follow @romiyagbarry! 

Climate change. Desertification. Pollution. Species disappearing. Not enough to grab your attention? What about a world water crisis? Could this be enough? I bet the thought of a sixth mass extinction is frightening though. But the scariest part of it all is that this is happening today right in front of you.

If current trends continue, two planets might be needed by 2050 to meet humanity's demands. I’m not sure if you’re paying attention to the news, but… it may take a while until we all get to Mars! However, not all is doomed. If you are working on a project, then you certainly are a problem-solver, a firefighter or, likely, a superhero. You may be exactly what the world needs.

Sustainability is starting to make the rounds in the project management arena, but we still have a long way to go. This is mostly because people don’t understand much about it, incorrectly perceive it is an endeavour that will bring more costs than benefits, or they simply assume they have to comply with the short-termism views dictated by the industry.

However, as a project management practitioner, you have a role to play. You are in a privileged position to influence what the world will look like in the future, and, if you are working with an NGO, you certainly know that every action counts towards a better tomorrow.

So what is sustainability and why should you bother with it? Sure, you may drive an eco-friendly car and recycle, but sustainability is much more than environmental concerns. Simply put, sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future ones. To achieve this, sustainability is composed of three key dimensions that must be effectively balanced, the triple bottom line: the economic dimension, the social dimension, and the environmental dimension.

As project management professionals, the triple constraint is the bread and butter of our profession. Thus, to incorporate sustainability with project management is essentially a matter of extending our much-loved triangle to account for long-term impact:

Project managers have an opportunity to advance sustainable development through particular practices and conduct and help shape a viable future for the world.

Nevertheless, what does this mean in practice and what can you start doing in your projects to apply sustainable project management in your organization? Here’s a list to start with:

• Focus on long-term impact rather than the immediate outcomes of the project
• Pay attention to the interests of the extended project stakeholders circle (community, planet, etc.) rather than limited to project sponsor interests
• Select sustainability-oriented suppliers
• Use sustainability as criteria for measuring a project’s success
• Extend the role of the project manager to include driving sustainability as a primary responsibility in day-to-day tasks
• Extend the role of the sponsor to include directing and promoting sustainability in the project
• Conduct a project impact assessment from a triple bottom line perspective: people, profit, and planet
• Make sustainability concerns visible in decision-making and in the project business case
• Identify requirements relating to sustainability, i.e., not just present, but also future needs
• Identify benefits relating to sustainability
• Start with the end in mind through early planning of the project legacy and how it is going to be managed once the project is finished

Contrary to what some people believe, sustainability doesn’t have to be costly. In fact, it enables valuable benefits such as the more constructive use of resources and consequent cost savings, better risk mitigation and maximization of opportunities, or more motivation and engagement from workforce. Ultimately, it creates a sustainable business, that is, one that could last.

We’re here for the long-run. Are you?

Combining creative and analytical skills helps NGOs' project performance!

NGO (Non-Government Organization) and NPO (Non-Profit Organization) Founders take pride in creating organizations that address various social justice issues, such as establishing green environment, sourcing micro financing for small businesses, or providing educational opportunities for girl-children. Their energy, skill, and creativity works in government, local agencies, and grassroots movements to make the dream a reality. But energy and passion needs to be balanced with rigorous planning, organization, and management. This is where a Project Management skill set can step in.

Here are the top 3 reasons why your NPO organizations should care about Project Management.

#1 - You only get one chance to make a good first impression

Make it count!

In today’s world, there are several non-profit organization options out there for almost every charitable goal imaginable. With tool sets like Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and GreatNonprofits.org at their disposal, the average donator is much more discerning with who they give their money to. Keeping in mind that approximately 39% of (IT) projects fail, it is in the best interest of any non-profit organization to limit the possibility of project failure and ensure the people who provide funding maintain confidence in the organization’s ability to deliver on their promises.

Since poor project management process is one of the main reasons projects fail, it makes sense to invest in project management oversight to mitigate this issue before it derails your project and undermines the confidence of your donors and stakeholders.

#2 - Money does not grow on trees

Can’t Grow a Money Tree - Matt Harris - CC BY-NC

Closely related to #1, we have to remember that money is finite and this is especially true in the non-profit sector. For IT projects, the average cost overrun is 43% and a whopping 71% of projects come in over budget (est. waste in the US alone: $55 billion per year). PM processes help to mitigate these issues by a strong focus on Project Planning, managing scope creep, tracking and measuring progress, and keeping stakeholders engaged and informed throughout delivery. This ensures that *what* needs to get done is directly tied to *how* are we going to get there: PM oversight can help provide the tactical approach to achieve the NGO's strategic objectives.

#3 - Haste Makes Waste

According to a KPMG Global survey, short-term projects (<1 year) are more likely to fail than those of longer durations. While one’s intuition might be that a short-term project is easy and should not be additionally burdened with administrative and management overhead (or costs!); it is these projects that are at most risk. When we rush projects or skimp on delivery methodology, we increase the risk of failure. Projects - especially shorter ones - benefit from good planning, well-defined requirements, schedule management, and cost control. In the non-profit world, there is little margin for waste: especially if you are to remain appealing to your donor base. From this perspective, Project Management oversight is a smart investment.

While Project Management is perceived as a lot of forms, paperwork, and administrative burden, in reality, it can provide invaluable returns for an NGO (Non-Profit Organization). By increasing the chance that a project delivers on-time, on-budget, and actually meets the needs and expectations of the organization's stakeholders, this oversight can help ensure a steady donor stream, maintain public confidence, and support continued commitment to an Organization’s strategic objectives and goals.

What other benefits have you noticed (as a PM or as an NGO) Project Management provides to the Non-Profit sector? What kinds of challenges does one face in the Non-Profit world that you would never see in private or public sector industries? Chime in the comments section below!