HOW TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT IDEA Training unit 2.2 Definition of objectives in the action

HOW TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT IDEA

Training unit 2.2

Definition of objectives in the action

How to develop the project idea

The EU Commission and National Agencies encourage project lay-outs

in which:

the detected competency gaps constitute the problem;

the actions suggested should contain an articulate and convincing motivation.


Community literature has consolitated, through the years, a methodological approach. One should keep that in mind

while designing and managing actions.

Project Management It is a solution oriented management system

Project Cycle Management The project (PCM) consists of a set of tools and frames of reference which allow to highlight the effective needs (the problems) and final beneficiaries of public funded projects

and programmes


Application forms for candidature are designed in order to facilitate a logical project scheme

whice includes:

objectives; methods; beneficiaries; time; outcomes and monotoring.

The objectives need to be stated in detail.

That objectives are of different types and that there is a hierarchy of priorities among them:


General objectives of the projectIs made up of long-term benefit objectives: capable

of a positive influence over the focused context, as well as the related geographical region, the networks of partnerships and the partakers in

the mobility

Specific objectives of the projectsIs made up of those objectives which enable the

achievement of benefits the beneficiaries will gain at the end of the process


Project designers are asked to define objects that are:

coherent and aligned with the objectives and purpose of the Lifelong Learning Programme;

coherent and plausible to the detected needs and relevant to the chosen target group;

adequate and suitable to the projected time-span of the action, especially in relation to the period of mobility;

able to generate added value to what already exists; capable of promoting innovative practices in

educational and training systems.


Greater distinction among objectives ought to be made, when referring to the

target group:

DIDACTIC: refer to the ability to adapt socially and to build positive relations with collegues.

COGNITIVE: objectives are directly related to the development and integration of educational and training competencies (attained at school, training institutes, universities).

OPERATIONAL PROFESSIONALIZING: objectives are directly connected to the achievement of specific technical and professional competencies.


Objectives “referred to the partnerships and actors”

Cooperative network of intentions for a long term investment

Opportunity to exchange experiences on the different styles of work organization together

with the possibility to develop common projects, like a common evaluation grid for specific

educational experiences.


Project Cycle Management (PCM)

Supply valuable indicators in the process of setting objectives

according to a hierarchy of cause and effect. This allows to design a precise plan for the attainment of

the set goals.


Logical Framework ApproachIs an extremely useful tool for planning

and managing a project, in fact it allows to:

Analyse the factual of a given context, for the purpose of drawing up the desired future conditions and the relative strategies to achieve them;

Design a set of devices and operational phases for the development of the project idea.


Mobility actionsLogical Framework Approach

Is able to guarantee the relevance and corrispondence of the project ideas. In fact:

the actor and the project makers are given the possibility to spot out the problems directly from the field of application;

define the desired objectives and the relative gauge indicators.


Having isolated the first problemit is possible to spot out the primary cause in

a visible and evident context

from this point on, the problems related to the first one are detectable and so are the

causes.

Whit the help of arrows, the cause/effect relation is emphasized.

After a first drawing of the negative aspects

PCM changes the tree of problems into the tree of objectives, in other words the better and positive

aspects of the desired situation are visulized.

The problems are trasnsformed into objectives.

Every problem, linked to another by a cause/effect relation in the tree of problems, will have a

corresponding objective linked to another by a means/goals relation, in the tree of objectives.


PCM recommends that an articulate and reliable system of monitoring and

evaluation be developed for each project

It will include a set of unmistakable indicators, easy to check and to define realistically

measurable objectives.

The following elements constitute any indicator: variable; target group; observation time period; reference value.


Content

Planning and project management methodology. Project objectives definition process. Objective types in a LLP (Lifelong Learning

Programme). Elements of Project Cycle Management. The Logical Framework and indicators.

Documents

HOW TO DEVELOP THE PROJECT IDEA Training unit 2.2 Definition of objectives in the action