Elements of project management

EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS OR OUTPUTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NORMALLY ARE ORGANIZED AS PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT NEED TO BE PLANNED, MANAGED, AND EVALUATED. THE EFFORT OF SEPARATE CONTRIBUTORS TO A PROJECT CAN BE BEST INTEGRATED IF THOSE PERSONS UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF A PROJECT AND METHODS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT. THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS PAPER DEFINES A PROJECT, A PROGRAM, THE PROJECT CYCLE AND ITS MANAGEMENT, PRE-AUTHORIZATION PLANNING, POST-AUTHORIZATION PLANNING, AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ONGOING MANAGEMENT. SECTION TWO COVERS PROJECT PLANNING -- THE ITERATIVE NATURE OF PLANNING, STUDYING THE ENVIRONMENT, ESTABLISHING PLANNING PREMISES, AND SETTING OBJECTIVES. SECTION THREE PRESENTS THE CYCLE OF PLANNING-ACTION-CONTROL, INCLUDING TARGETING AS A TECHNIQUE FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION. SECTION FOUR DISCUSSES ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, INCLUDING DECISION-MAKING, PHYSICAL PLANNING, CASH FLOWS, NATIONAL CONCEPTS OF RETURN, NON-MARKET-ORIENTED PROJECTS, AND RISK AND UNCERTAINTY. A SECTION ON CREATIVITY DISCUSSES BRAINSTORMING AND FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS. A SECTION ON DESIGN APPROACHES TREATS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC METHOD AND THE CREATIVE DESIGN OR IDEALS CONCEPT. A FINAL SECTION ON IMPLEMENTING THE INVESTMENT PHASES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDES DISCUSSIONS OF THE ANALYSIS OF IMPLEMENTING CAPACITY, SOCIAL ANALYSIS, DEALING WITH RESISTANCE, FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS, AND INVOLVING THE TARGET POPULATION.