How to design projects

One of the reasons and drivers for the existence of the entities is the realization of projects . These are not only the bureaucratic justification of their activity, but also the best way to plan their development . And it all starts with an idea.

However, transforming the needs and purposes into a project is not an easy task , especially when the activity of an entity begins. For this reason, this resource describes the most basic aspects of the design and planning of projects aimed at entities that are just starting out.

What is a project?

In the approach of what a project consists of, especially in the case of social action projects or social intervention, some words appear: needs, planned action, deadline, objectives or activities and results, among others. These would be some of the stages or key aspects that must define any project. But it is many other things.

First, a project is  a work methodology that allows for the consistent structuring of an intervention or action that aims to respond to a social need, while seeking a better identification of the problem and definition of the activities that can satisfy it in order to improve impact or  results . It is, therefore, a filter to observe reality, position itself towards it through values ​​and define an action that cuts distances between the entity's vision and social reality, while attending to the needs of a specific group .

Also, in addition to this structural dimension and the implementation of social change, a project is a management tool that seeks effectiveness and efficiency aimed both at the achievement of objectives through the performance of various activities and organization and optimization of human, financial and material resources.

On a more metaphorical level, a project is a cycle, a process . Its stages are fed back in a circuit, always open to possible changes that may occur, both in the situation to which it wants to respond and in the possible social actors. A project is not linear , it is something alive, given that the results generated, as social repercussion and organizational learning, go and must go beyond its execution period because they generate impact at an external and internal level, as well as medium and long term.

And the fact is that the project is often limited to an operational definition, forgetting its more conceptual and ideological dimension . The way in which funding is obtained and the permanent search for it by non-profit entities has helped to contribute to the idea that a project is a procedure, a pile of bureaucratic paperwork that must be passed through in order to be presented to a call This approach, however, leaves aside its methodological essence and its transformative capacity , which turns the drafting of the project into a space to embody the entity's values .

Taking all this into account, a complete definition of the concept 'project' could be: It is the planned and technical action of the actions of change in the social reality of a community , defining activities to be executed within a deadline and with certain resources in order to achieve goals and results that respond to the needs of this community, which is, in turn, active participation.

Any idea can be a project?

Every project has first been a spontaneous idea  of ​​someone who is a member of the organization or a team. However, not every idea is capable of being a project. There are two essential characteristics for an idea to become a project.

First of all, it must be based on a real need of the group to which it is addressed, while later contrasting this need with the beneficiaries, and making them take ownership of the idea. On the other hand, it will also be necessary to agree on the idea with all the people of the entity . After all, they are the ones who will make it possible, and they must be involved at all times, at the same time that the idea fits with the mission, strategic lines and objectives of the entity.

However, there are other issues to consider that will make the difference between a successful project and one that is not. First, the ideas, to be projects, must bring some added value to the community to which they are addressed and must be innovative in some sense (territorially, methodologically, in their activities and objectives...). They also need to be communicable and attractive  to funding agents: without resources, it cannot be carried out.

All this means devoting time to knowing, listening, evaluating and generating ideas while studying their feasibility , filing them in a drawer to recover them when the opportunity to carry them out appears. It's about making a  creative identification of the possibilities, listening, observing the reality of the environment and other entities...

What elements should it have?

The project design methodology is based on raising a series of questions that will give form, coherence and meaning to the project: What is happening in the reality in which you want to intervene? What are the needs of the group on which you want to intervene? What priorities and strategies are proposed for the intervention? How, when and with what resources will the intervention be carried out? Were the expected results achieved?

Each of these questions translates into one of the phases of the project .

The previous step is the analysis of the reality  that surrounds the entity. It is important to keep in mind at all times the context in which you want to intervene, as it is essential for the realization of the objectives that will guide the task. It is therefore necessary to define which situation or problem you want to respond to, its origins, who are the recipients and which agents are involved and how. This will be followed by the  detection of the collective's needs  . His participation will practically guarantee the success of the task.

Based on the needs,  the objectives can be defined , which will guide all the decisions to be made. They must be comprehensible and concrete, as well as measurable and classified into categories (general, specific, long, medium and short term...), but also reflected together, the result of a democratic process.

With the objectives in mind, it will be time to  plan the intervention , that is, designate the methodology and the procedure to be followed, while identifying the tasks or activities that will have to be carried out and the calendar. It will also be necessary  to organize the resources , this being understood as the forecast of the time and materials that will be necessary to develop the actions and draw up a budget .

The last stage of a project's cycle is the evaluation , where the people involved reflect on the activities carried out and their results. The aim is to identify successes and mistakes that may have occurred before, during and after the intervention and learn from them. In this phase, the results obtained will have to be compared with the expected results, as well as analyzing the project during its execution, with the aim of guaranteeing its suitability and development, being a continuous and permanent process.

In what order?

Each of the phases mentioned in the previous section must be embodied in the project document , which is not only what is submitted to qualify for funding, but also an ideal way to plan an action. This text must have several parts. It always starts with a general presentation of the project and the entity.

The first is to present the title of the project and indicate the full name of the entity that designed it. Then you need to summarize it very briefly, offering the basic information in an attractive and easy-to-read way, so that the person reading it can get a quick idea of ​​it.

The next step is to introduce the organization , offering a complete picture of its reality, with a brief summary of its history, its aims and purposes, the scope of action or lines of work and the target persons , is that is, the geographical area in which they are located.

After that, we go straight into detailing the specifics of the project. Thus, the detected needs must first be exposed , as well as the sector of people from which they are drawn and indicating the justification. From here the objectives will have to be listed , classifying them in general and specific and making a forecast of the expected results.

The next segment will be dedicated to the method used to achieve these goals, with the activities that will be carried out, the work plan and the role of the volunteer (if any) and the rest of the team.

It will also be necessary to specify the form that the evaluation will take , so that a project monitoring system is established , indicating who will evaluate what, with which mechanisms to contrast with the purposes and through which indicators.

It will only be necessary to expose the means needed to carry out the project, that is the human team, the material resources and the financing, if applicable.