What is participatory project and programme management?
Social changes in the South and North are often brought about and supported through projects and programmes. Most of these projects and programmes are implemented in a complex and dynamic context with different players involved to varying degrees. Participatory project and programme management is used to work in a result-oriented and participatory way. With this approach the life span of projects or programmes is divided into various phases which together form the project or programme cycle: analysis, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and adjustment.

Why do organisations request the services of South Research?
Some organisations want to integrate project cycle management (PCM) into their activities to meet external (donor) requirements. Others are looking for a new way of getting intended beneficiaries, partners and their own personnel more involved in project management, through participation and increased ownership. The introduction of PCM makes it possible to manage the relationship between collaborating organisations in a more transparent way: for each phase in the project cycle the responsibilities of the partners are clearly defined and their decisions more transparent. In this way the various actors are given a greater influence over the decisions that are made. Here PCM acts as a lever in a process of empowerment. It is very important in PCM that sufficient attention is paid to the ‘monitoring’ and 'adjustment' phases, so that learning processes can be initiated. PCM gives a better and coherent overview over the whole range of relations and decisions and through this organisations gain a better insight in the complex interaction between projects, programmes and partners.

What does South Research have to offer?
South research sees PCM not primarily as a tool (see opposite: 'The tools') for external control, but rather as a stimulus in developing a learning environment, the development of skills and as a means of improving the quality of projects and programmes. South Research assists organisations in integrating PCM into their actions. South Research offers, among other things, a general PCM training course in which the basic methods and ways of working during each phase in the project or programme cycle are explained and put into practice. By the use of PCM, projects and programmes become more focused and transparent, there is more emphasis on learning and empowerment. We also guide organisations through the process of integrating crosscutting themes - for example 'gender', 'environment', HIV and AIDS' - into project and programme management.

We attach considerable importance to the way in which tools are developed and used as well as on the changes brought about by the use of PCM in the various stakeholders. Careful guidance of the PCM integration process is critical in order to achieve good results.

PCM or project cycle management is constantly evolving. In collaboration with its clients South Research monitors developments in the use of PCM and contributes to its innovation. The knowledge acquired during this process is made available to other interested parties via the PCM portal site (commissioned by ATOL).

Conditions for success
Changes in the management of projects and programmes cannot be separated from changes within organisations. The successful integration of PCM in an organisation must be based on a desire to improve the quality of the organisation’s work. Only a decision at the policy level to improve quality standards can ensure continuity, sufficient resources (time and money) as well as support at every level within the organisation is required for this to be successful.