I recently came across this very interesting paper on “Navigating adaptive approaches for development programmes: a guide for the uncertain” which reinforces much of my own understanding of the deficiency of the classic approach to designing and implementing development projects. My key takeaway from this article is that there are lots of approaches but they all converge on a few principles.
Who among us can plan projects years in advance and to anticipate to the potential pitfalls, roadblocks, AND opportunities? A fool’s errand really.
We have all suffered the frustration that comes of writing detailed scopes of work that quickly drift out of true, lose the attention of the beneficiaries, and require constant management and amendments.
My experience working on complex problems involving coupled social organizations – constructed environment systems leads me to using Co-Design principles and Adaptive Management. Focus on objectives, not methods; incremental delivery, not massive reports; organizational change, not training.
My preferred approach? Hybrid contracts. Co-design for a short-ish period up front with key questions clearly laid out by the client and beneficiary – firm fixed price. A small leadership team (1-2 persons) responsible for client and stakeholder management for a known duration but typically several years – also firm fixed price. To accommodate the learning and adapting process, I prefer to have a pool of funds (essentially a not-to-exceed amount) and unit rates for the various specialists.
Of course, not every development problem is amenable to using adaptive methods. Construction projects, for example increasing the capacity of a water treatment works, is complicated but not necessarily complex. Complicated projects may in fact benefit from a more exhaustive step by step planning strategy. Complex projects, such as redesigning groundwater management with increased local participation, may require more adaptive methods.
How do you manage complicated or complex projects and what tools do you use?