Finalising your approach
Stop/go decision
Once you have reached this point, you probably feel that you are ready to go ahead with the project. However, before 'getting stuck in' it is worth taking stock. Some projects will take a while even to get to this stage - it may be that things have changed in the interim and the project objectives, plan or timescale may need to be reviewed. Other projects may have been developed very quickly because there is an urgent deadline or pressing need for action. In such cases, it is easy to overlook important issues or slip up in the planning. So, before giving a project the green light, run through the following questions and make sure you are satisfied with each answer.
Is this still the right thing to do?
- Is this project still likely to achieve what you originally wanted it to achieve?
- If those original objectives have been modified in the light of subsequent information, events or new priorities, does this project remain the most suitable intervention for achieving those objectives?
Support from others
Do you have sufficient support from:- colleagues/ senior managers;
- partners (where relevant);
- the community (where this can be determined)?
Have you thought about how to maintain that support throughout the course of the project (eg through communication/ invitations to participate etc)?
Planning
- Do you have clear objectives for the project?
- Do you understand how the project fits into relevant strategies, such as the Force community engagement strategy?
- Do you have a fully worked out project plan which is designed to meet those objectives?
- Do you have an agreed and realistic timetable for the project, which contains key milestones and (for longer or more complex projects) regular project reviews?
- Do you have a clear understanding of each member of the project team's role and responsibilities?
- Do you have effective communication channels in place with all key stakeholders?
- Do you have a communications/ media strategy (where appropriate) and a plan about how to deliver it?
Resources
- Is the funding secure?
- Is the funding sufficient to cover all the project expenses (plus a contingency fund, where appropriate)?
- Are the people involved:
- sufficient in number;
- equipped with the necessary skills/ training/ personal qualities;
- from the (politically and practically) appropriate parts of the Force/ Authority/ partner agencies/ communities?
Logistics
- Have you made all the necessary logistical arrangements (eg. venue hire)?
- Have you checked whether anyone involved in the project has any special needs and made arrangements to facilitate their participation?
Risks
- Have the identified risks been successfully managed?
- Are you confident that the risks will be monitored and managed throughout the project?
Evaluation
- How will you evaluate this project?
- How do you collect the necessary data for effective evaluation?
- Can you use this project in support of any of our performance targets/ PPAF measures etc - if so, are you keeping the right people informed of your progress?
Summing up
If you are happy with all of the above, you can move ahead with the project with confidence. If you still have some concerns or unknowns, you may need to do a bit more work before giving the go-ahead.
Once the project has been given the green light, you will move into the 'implementation' phase. See the Implementing your project section for information on how to put it all into practice.
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