according to Lavagnon A. Ika, a researcher from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa in Canada. Ika picked out 4 reasons why projects fail and also discusses in the paper what could be done to address these challenges. As I think these challenges are more prevalent than just in international development projects in Africa, it’s worth looking at how we can address them in case there are lessons here for other projects in different settings.
So let’s see what Ika has to say about breaking the traps that projects fall into.
How to fix ‘One-size-fits-all’
The researcher concludes that international development projects should refrain from using rigid methodologies and adopt methods that allow for more flexibility. Focusing on the political aspects of projects will help, as structured methods often assume that organisational politics are not present in project management – and as experienced practitioners will know, that’s very far from the truth.
Hybrid models that are context specific and allow the local project team to tailor the approach are the best way forward.
How to fix ‘Accountability for results’
“Project management for ID [international development] should refocus on managing objectives for long-term development results and shy away from its emphasis on visible, short-term outcomes and efficiency,” writes the researcher. In other words, a management by results approach would do well. Projects could also benefit from including the Millennium Development Goals and from using key success criteria. Rough estimates are more useful than fully documented business cases, and these should focus on the parts of projects that deliver the most benefit.
Focus on putting most management oversight around the areas that deliver the most value ad that require it, and use judgement as to whether strict reporting protocols are necessary on all elements of the project. Ika also suggests that there should be incentives for project managers to take risks as well as avoid them and that bureaucracy for the sake of it should be avoided in exchange for a results-based environment.
How to fix ‘Lack of project management capacity’
Supervising projects effectively is key to their success, and Ika suggests this is even more important in situations where international development projects are taking place after conflict or war. Increasing supervision in countries with poor policies is one of the recommendations: Ika points to the fact that there is less supervision in countries that are perceived to be weaker and more in countries that are perceived to be stronger. Reversing this is one way to ensure more international development projects are given the chance to succeed.
Ika also recommends that aid agencies include more people with project management skills on staff. It is a skill set to be learned and developed, so moving away from the model of using ‘accidental project managers’ and increasing the amount of ‘professional’ project managers is another way to increase success rates for international development projects.
How to fix ‘Cultural issues’
You can’t fix culture, and you shouldn’t want to. Instead, project management approaches should be tailored to fit with values and culture. In countries where culture is markedly different to that of the West, where many project management approaches were developed and honed, this becomes even more important.
Ika recommends that there methods are tailored to manage a strong need for political and community demands on project resources and to cope with powerful hierarchies. Stakeholder management is critical to ensure that political requirements are met and that the local communities are brought on board. Reward and recognition systems can differ from culture to culture, so don’t assume that what works in one setting will automatically work in another, as people can be motivated by very different things. “There is a need for an African project management approach that is tailored to African values, cultures and sociality,” writes the researcher.
While all of these challenges, and potential solutions, have been discussed in the context of international development projects in Africa, they are likely to have a much wider impact. This research shows us that while there are some challenges that are inherently local, at a macro level, many of the challenges facing project managers are universal.
How do you deal with methodology, accountability, capability and culture challenges on your projects? Let us know in the comments.
Want to read the original research? Here are the details:
Ika, Lavagnon A. 2012. ‘Project management for development in Africa: Why projects are failing and what can be done about it.’ Project Management Journal, Vol 43, No 4, pp27-41.
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