Questions to ask at the origination of programme development.
Designing and Managing Programmes
A programme plan is a document that will be used
by
internal
stakeholders
see also Guidelines on Programme and Project Plan Writing
At an early stage (origination) of programme development what is needed is to collect all the precious formal internal and external documents and see if they provide adequate answers to the basic questions below. If not you need to interview the Organization leaders in order to clarify the issues so that you can write a clear document.
Mission: What is the mission of the organisation? What do you think is the mandate of the organisation? What changes would the organisation like to make with the projects it implements? What is the social, economic and political context you currently work in?
Vision: What is the overall vision of the organisation? Where do you see your organisation in 2020? What will help us achieve this vision? What will make it difficult to achieve?
What are the strengths?
The weaknesses ?
The opportunities ?
The threats?
How do you describe the power structure of the organization.
What are the different hierarchical levels in the work organization?
What is the complex of rights and duties which specifically belong to each organizational level?
What is the communication pattern between the hierarchical levels?
Who are the strategic partners ?
The present ones :
The intend ones ...i.e. who would you like to add on as partners?
What is the projected budget for 2009 to 2011? What human and financial resources would you require in order to achieve your objectives? How would you raise these funds? How would you structure the organisation to achieve these objectives?
Learning and Knowledge Management:
How does the Organization learn?
How does it record its experiences and how does it communicate them internally?
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The questions below pertain to the programme sectors / project level and they are qanswered by the programme - cannot be asked as preliminary questions.
Change How does change happen in the contexts where you work? What needs to change in order to solve the problems? How can this desired change happen? How can we remove the factors causing suffering? Who can help make this change happen? What do you see as emerging key trends in your areas of operation which will have major impacts on poverty?
Stakeholders : Who are the current target groups/ beneficiaries of the organisation? Are there any other target groups that the organisation would like to benefit?
Identification: Problems and Needs of the Target groups: What are the problems being faced by or the needs of the beneficiaries? In other words, what do you think are the factors causing poverty and suffering among people in the geographical areas where you work? What are the factors inhibiting development and people's dignity? What are the needs of the target groups (including their need to recognise and exercise their rights)? What are the expectations that the beneficiaries have from you? What do you perceive are the rights of your target groups? When did you last conduct a participatory needs assessment among your target groups?
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· Organisational Objectives: What are your organisational objectives? In other words, how or in what way can you remove the causes of poverty and suffering among the people in areas where you work? These objectives would be the major Programme Pillars of the organisation? Which of these objectives respond to the needs of your target groups? Are there any objectives you would like to add on to your existing list (perhaps in order to respond to the new needs of your target groups or needs of your new target groups)? Do you think the role of your organisation is to work with strategic local partners or be directly present in the countries where you work?
See also