APFNet Udpates Rules to Better Guide Future Project Management
APFNet adopts project life-cycle management based on the Manual for Project Identification, Implementation and Management (PIIM), which provides comprehensive guidance for the key actions and procedures of the management of APFNet projects from project identification to inception, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and finally completion and administrative closure. The first version of the APFNet PIIM was released in 2013 and had efficiently led more than 50 APFNet projects toward achieving project objectives during the past ten years. However, with 10 years of management experience and suggestions from project partners, certain improvements to the 2013 PIIM were needed to better support APFNet future projects. In this context, APFNet updated the PIIM, and we are happy to introduce the new 2022 version, which will comprehensively guide the management and evaluation of APFNet demonstration and research projects.
Similar to the previous version, the new PIIM covers a range of key topics relevant to project management, including general information about APFNet projects; mechanisms for project identification; regulations for project inception, project implementation and project completion; what should be done if a project needs to be changed and how to monitor and evaluate the overall progress of the project.
Key changes to the new PIIM include a closer alignment with the APFNet Strategic Plan and the organization’s overall priorities. The criteria and indicators for project appraisal have been updated. Additionally, it has incorporated changes that have been made in project management on the ground which are based on years of insights and lessons learned. Also, the project accounting and budget system has been fully updated and been partially automated, and a range of new and updated templates for the Project Document, the Project Annual Work Plan, the Project Progress Report, Audit Report, and others have been produced.
In addition, a new APFNet Project Visual Identity and Communications Guide, outlining how to design a project’s communication strategy, describing different available tools, detailing requirements for APFNet visibility for APFNet-funded products and instructing on proper project documentation, has been launched as well. This new guide gives specific communication guidance for APFNet projects, adding to the previously published more general APFNet Communication Guide .
Finally, aiming at informing better learning and further decision-making at an objective basis for APFNet and the project partners, the newly updated Guidelines for Project Monitoring and Evaluation (2022) further regulates project M&E criteria, procedures, classification and responsible parties, as well as relevant templates. Main changes include: 1) Integrating monitoring and evaluation regulations into a single guideline; 2) Regulating the evaluation criteria and indicators; 3) Setting evaluation frequency based on different project budget categories; 4) Further specifying and upgrading the preparation and execution process of project evaluations to ensure consistent evaluation quality; 5) Expanding the evaluation lifecycle by adding the step of giving feedback to the evaluation results, ensuring that the results will be widely shared and effectively used, and 6) Improvement of existing templates to increase the overall value of project evaluation, this specifically includes the ToR template, the project evaluation plan and the project evaluation report template.
The new PIIM, communications guide and M&E guide are available on the APFNet website under Projects → Management and evaluation regulations, as well as for direct downloads with the links below.
Key changes to the new PIIM include a closer alignment with the APFNet Strategic Plan and the organization’s overall priorities. The criteria and indicators for project appraisal have been updated. Additionally, it has incorporated changes that have been made in project management on the ground which are based on years of insights and lessons learned. Also, the project accounting and budget system has been fully updated and been partially automated, and a range of new and updated templates for the Project Document, the Project Annual Work Plan, the Project Progress Report, Audit Report, and others have been produced.
In addition, a new APFNet Project Visual Identity and Communications Guide, outlining how to design a project’s communication strategy, describing different available tools, detailing requirements for APFNet visibility for APFNet-funded products and instructing on proper project documentation, has been launched as well. This new guide gives specific communication guidance for APFNet projects, adding to the previously published more general APFNet Communication Guide .
Finally, aiming at informing better learning and further decision-making at an objective basis for APFNet and the project partners, the newly updated Guidelines for Project Monitoring and Evaluation (2022) further regulates project M&E criteria, procedures, classification and responsible parties, as well as relevant templates. Main changes include: 1) Integrating monitoring and evaluation regulations into a single guideline; 2) Regulating the evaluation criteria and indicators; 3) Setting evaluation frequency based on different project budget categories; 4) Further specifying and upgrading the preparation and execution process of project evaluations to ensure consistent evaluation quality; 5) Expanding the evaluation lifecycle by adding the step of giving feedback to the evaluation results, ensuring that the results will be widely shared and effectively used, and 6) Improvement of existing templates to increase the overall value of project evaluation, this specifically includes the ToR template, the project evaluation plan and the project evaluation report template.
The new PIIM, communications guide and M&E guide are available on the APFNet website under Projects → Management and evaluation regulations, as well as for direct downloads with the links below.
The new guidelines come into effect immediately and all current and prospective future project partners and evaluators are highly encouraged to consult them.
Download:
APFNet Manual for Project Identification, Implementation and Management 2022
APFNet Project Visual Identity and Communications Guide 2022
APFNet Guidelines for Project Monitoring and Evaluation 2022
