Software for Project Cycle Management

The Project Facilitator package is a tool for recording, managing and analysing the whole project development process, in a participative and integrated way, from initial programme plans to final project evaluations.

Specifically designed for participative project management in the development sector, the Project Facilitator package has been developed from the results of many years’ of action research with Neighbourhood Renewal and Development Programmes and Community Enterprises.

Project Facilitator provides a fully interactive user interface which will guide you through the process of recording information at each stage of the Project Cycle. It also produces a complete set of Project Cycle Management template reports in Word format.  Each stage of the cycle can be used independently, or as an integrated part of the overall process.

  Facilities

·     Instant and easy navigation

·     Enables programmes and funders to set standard procedures and standardise documents

·     Saves many weeks’ administration time each year

·     Easily used and comprehensive data entry forms

·     Records, files and monitors project outputs, activities and budgets

·     Automatically transfers data to all relevant templates and documents

·     Generates all templates and project documents in Word format

·     Enables stakeholder engagement  through secure and controlled password access

·     In-built quality assurance and project appraisal system

·     Data analysis: financial ratios, problems and objectives, stakeholders, impact

·     An aid to participatory workshop and training events

·     Communicates project information in a clear and simple way

·     Audit trails of plans and changes to plans

·     A network system  - teams can work on the same project at the same time

·     Establishes a clear link between programmes and projects

·     Downloadable and regularly upgraded 

  Features

Programme and Funders: Programme and funding managers can customise the Project Facilitator to establish standard formats for data collection, structure standard documents to compare and analyse different projects results, and establish standard procedures to minimise transaction costs for project managers and their organisations.

Participative and Transparent: Project managers are able to use Project Facilitator to record and manage information as they design projects with other stakeholders.  It is an accessible, easy to use technology which facilitates the gathering and recording of information by stakeholders, creating ownership over project design and decision-making. This information can be viewed at any time by anyone with a password: creating trust and confidence.

Records and Documents: Project Facilitator contains seventeen templates based on good practice. Data only needs to be entered once: information is automatically transferred to all other relevant templates and documents. Documents are easy to generate, edit, save and print as they are produced in Word format.  Some of the templates, such as budget and stakeholder records can be customised to fit into existing procedures and coding systems.  The documents generated by Project Facilitator or are: Pre-feasibility Study, Project Proposal, Appraisal Report, Inception Report, Monitoring Reports, Budget Reports and Evaluation Report. Templates can be used as a workshop exercise to set the agenda, record the proceedings, summarise the conclusions and communicate the results.

Monitors and Analyses:  Project objectives, targets and milestones, are automatically transferred to the monitoring templates: actual results are then input against planned targets and are analysed for variance.  Financial data is analysed for best value using ratios.  A full audit trail is created and changes to plans are recorded.

Quality Assurance:  Quality assurance is built in through the system of customised self-check and independent appraisal with aggregated scoring creating a best practice model for democratic and open decision making. This can be used as the social accounting for an organisational Social Audit.

A  Project Development and Training Aid:  Used within an action learning workshop the results of training and development exercises can be recorded as they occur, saved and printed, and participants can receive copies of their work at the end of the session. 

  General information

We are constantly developing and improving Project Facilitator: an installation can be regularly upgraded without losing data. This forms part of the licence cost. We will provide any necessary technical support or training required by users and organisations.

The initial version of Project Facilitator (Version 1.x) has been designed for integrated use with the Microsoft Office range of products in a LAN environment and can be used within any Windows platform after and including 2kPro.  Version 2.x is currently under development and will initially be provided for the Windows platform in the second quarter of 2006, although a cross-platform release is planned for the fourth quarter of 2006.  Version 2.x features fully distributed secure operation across open networks, allowing online user groups and will provide new and additional features. Clients using Version 1.x can upgrade to Version 2.x without losing data.

We recognise the need of many organisations to be able to customise the structure of some templates, especially in the area of Budget Planning and Quality Assurance. These features are built into the existing package and are accessible via the administrative section. We can also offer a custom development service to those clients who need more extensive reporting variations or interfaces to existing packages.

For organisations or workshop facilitators who are interested in reviewing the software, a fourteen day demonstration copy of Project Facilitator can be downloaded from our site HERE. Project Facilitator comes with a clear User Guide and a Project Cycle Management Toolkit.  

  Pricing

Our price structure is based on an annual licence per project. It is possible to license any number of project within the same installation.

For organisations which need many project licenses, we are happy to negotiate on price, and customise the software to suit individual requirements.

Standard charges are:

£150 + VAT (€220)     1 to 5 licences each

£130 + VAT (€190)     6 to 10 licences each

£100 + VAT (€146)    11 to 20 licences each        

Negotiable                   21 to + licences