Design Elements

Although findings from evaluations highlight the importance of smooth project implementation, they also leave little doubt that poor design impedes implementation and the production of both timely and quality outputs. In particular, some of the project design elements, such as key assumptions and the assessment of potential risks for the project, are often underestimated or poorly identified despite the important effect they have on ensuring the effectiveness in project results and the prospects for their sustainability.

Main weaknesses in project design as identified through past evaluation work include:

• poor links between output and objectives;
  
• lack of realism in the implementation schedule and plan;
  
• poor identification of counterpart inputs; and
  
• inadequate institutional framework.

The most critical aspects of individual design elements can be summarized as follows: (i) realism in identifying prerequisites and risks for project success; (ii) links with other (national) institutions and projects; (iii) realism in work plans; (iv) clear definition and logical sequencing of inputs, activities, outputs and objectives.

A closer examination of the main weaknesses in individual elements of project design and implementation, together with their respective role in contributing to project results (outputs), suggests that many of the weaknesses in project design reside in components that are of a non-technical nature. In general, these relate to project management, institutional aspects, and basic principles of project design; e.g. project design often over-estimates the assets of host organizations, thereby underestimating the amount of project inputs and timeframe required to build up the desired programme.

The issue of government budgetary capacity is not always given the attention it deserves at the earlier stages of project design. The general shortage of central government funds means that project activities are often underfunded.