Project Management Track

Training and Sharing Workshop

Project Initiation and Planning

Ismail Ilsouk
Introduction:

● Welcome and Introductions

Ismail Ilsouk is Executive Director of SimSim-Participation Citoyenne, a Moroccan independent civil

society organization aiming to use ICT using information and communication technology (ICT) and
online engagement to enhance communication between citizens, public officials, and public institutions
in order to enable citizens to influence government and national policy through democratic means.
Introduction:

● Welcome and Introductions.

● Overview of workshop objectives

General Objective: How to initiate, define and organize a project, while understanding project
management skills, roles, and responsibilities across a variety of stages of project creation.

Expected Outcome: Participants will have gained the knowledge and skills required to effectively
initiate and plan a project.
Introduction:

● Welcome and Introductions

● Overview of workshop objectives
● Agenda

Thinking Solutions

Project Planning

Project initiation
But before that!

Let’s start with a couple of ideas:

● Your organization is the most important project of all of your projects.

● Any project that does not advance your organization’ mission is a project you should
not do
● Organizations’ (and teams) capacity is an important factor in its success, but it does not
always include the ability to create an impact.
● “What is the added value?” is a good question to always ask.
Thinking Solutions:

● Understanding the context

● Defining the needs
● Brainstorming solutions
Project Planning

Example: SimSim’s project: Strengthening Citizen Participation in Legislation and Public

Decision-making through Online Petitions
Thinking Solutions:

● Understanding the context

Understanding information on relevant internal and external factors.

Internally: Structure, competencies, systems, resources…etc.

Externally: macro-level issues affecting organization and constituents, perceptions of external
stakeholders and partners.

It is an CONTINUOUS process.
Understanding the context helps organizations understand challenges and risks,
identify opportunities, and set realistic goals.
Thinking Solutions:

● Understanding the context

● Defining the needs

What is the problem you wish to solve?

Is it the problem? or is it the result of a bigger?
Is no one else trying to solve it?
How does it relate to your mission?
Can you solve it fully? if not, how much can you handle?
Do your have the right competencies?

Any other relevant questions?

Thinking Solutions:

● Understanding the context

● Defining the needs
● Brainstorming solutions

What is your vision for change (ideal situation that will result from the change)?
All stakeholders need to understand why the change is needed and what the ideal outcome is.

How are are going to get there?

There is no set format to complete these three elements. Organizations choose the
format that suits them best.
From Thinking to Doing:

Now, you have a solution!

Example:
Strengthening Citizen Participation in Legislation and Public Decision-making
through Online Petitions

But How?
Project Planning

● Establishing project goals and objectives

● Defining project approach
● Identifying project stakeholders
● Outlining project activities, timelines and milestones
● Allocating resources

Example: SimSim’s project: Strengthening Citizen Participation in Legislation and

Public Decision-making through Online Petitions

In project planning, logical frameworks are your friend! Let’s talk about it more!
Project Planning: Logical
Frameworks
● A planning tool consisting of a matrix which provides an overview of a project's goal, activities
and anticipated results, and more.

There are different types. Some are more detailed than others.

Please use the link below to download an example we will discuss:

Logical Framework
Project Initiation:

● Establishing project governance

● Setting up a communication plan
● Developing a project kickoff plan
● Getting buy-in from stakeholders

Example: SimSim’s project: SimSim’s project on Access to Information