Glossary of terms for Development Management

O

Note: Within each definition, terms for which there are definitions elsewhere are highlighted.

see indicators

Objectives

Desired and realistically achievable conditions which people strive for with respect to a problem under discussion. Objectives of different groups of people, organisations and institutions vary because of the multiple realities in which they live or perceive themselves. In the project planning matrix (PPM) objectives appear in the first column as the intervention strategy and are also known as strategic objectives.

see also Hierarchy of objectives

Objectives analysis

An objectives analysis in a wide sense is a procedure for systematically identifying, categorising, specifying and - if required - balancing out objectives of all parties involved in a specific situation (for which those objectives apply). The expected outcome of such analysis is a set of objectives for the issue under analysis, which represents the position of all relevant parties, and which is accepted by the responsible decision-makers and also is consistent in itself. It is useful to distinguish the analysis of contextual objectives from the process of strategic planning (=design of development interventions). A lesser-used term for objectives analysis is aspirations analysis.

Objectives-oriented (project) planning

A method of objectives oriented planning, with roots in the Management by Objectives (MBO) approach. Objectives oriented planning is used in development to separate and specify the objectives of an intervention according to different levels of system, namely beneficiaries (goal objective), users (purpose objective), intervention agency / project (outputs / results and activities). The arrangement of these objectives in a matrix-based planning document relate this to the logical framework approach (LFA) to planning. Objectives oriented planning addresses the planning function in the process of managing a development project through its life cycle, namely in project cycle management (PCM). Its use may include additional analytical elements (participants analysis, problem analysis, objectives analysis, alternatives analysis), and features of genuine stakeholder participation and visualisation/documentation (Metaplan method). The approach centres around the compilation of a project planning matrix (PPM) in a workshop environment.

see also Zielorientierte Projektplanung (ZOPP)

Operational planning

see Plan of operations

Organisational analysis

Analysis of institutions / organisations affected by a particular development project or -programme, typically conducted as part of the situation analysis. The purposes of an organisational analysis are (1) identification of appropriate implementing agencies for development measures either of service providers / support agencies or of self-help groups and (2) identification of requirements for organisational support/promotion. The prerequisite for an organisational analysis is a tentative decision on general development objectives and measures (e.g. from a situation- and a target group analysis), as the suitability of organisations can only be assessed with respect to defined tasks. Different to the organisation-focussed OD approach, organisational analyses carried out from a socio-economic development stance are focussed on the suitability of an organisation or a network of organisations for societal development. The organisational analysis will enter into intervention planning (e.g.LogFrame). The instrument of the organisational analysis can be applied with any organisation. Organisational analyses can be carried out by external specialists as well as through a self-analysis or by a combination of both (facilitated participatory organisational analysis); in organisations which primarily operate for the interest of their members, self-analysis will be more conducive; organisations which are charged with public duties will be unable to avoid external diagnosis. Organisational analysis is based on documented research, interviews and discussion, and typically covers strengths and weaknesses, potentials, affiliations, social characteristics, structure, status. The results of organisational analyses are often politically sensitive.

see also Organisations, Institutional analysis

Organisational development (OD)

Organisational development seeks to improve an organisation as an entity with regard to identified shortcomings, for example in the organisational structure, performance, etc. OD can also be applied for a group of organisations that network in order to fulfil a specific task, be they existing organisations or new organisations (government agencies, non-governmental organisations, self help organisations, private enterprises) which are to be initiated or established. The focus for state agencies is not on increasing their capacities, but on measures to increase their effectiveness / impact at given levels of capacity (because of limited state budgets and structural limitations of the state service system); that is, to concentrate on more effect, with reduced current cost and without increasing the workload. Promotion focuses on identified problems and is not guided by model solutions derived from ideas about optimum-functioning organisations.

see also Organisations, Institutional development

Organisations

Organisations are informal or formalised groups of several persons with a common purpose. Examples of organisations are: government agencies, sectoral service organisations, para-statal organisations, private enterprises, "third sector" organisations.

see also Organisational development

Outputs/ results

Statements in the intervention strategy of a LogFrame plan which describe the facilities, services and products/goods provided by a development project or -programme. These are the 'deliverables' of a project or programme, produced by its management for which it is responsible. Outputs or results must express the nature, scope and intensity of support of the solution being sought. This may include: (1) provision of information on support/solution, (2) compatibility of support/solution with prevailing frame conditions, (3) access to support/solution by specific target-groups, including gender-aspects, (4) availability of support/solution and (5) capacity building of agency/agencies which provide support/solution.