Project Milestones

1
Project Milestones project budgeting
Morning session
2
What is a milestone?

• Mark critical points in completion of the
  contracted work.
• A significant development, event or
  accomplishment in your plan of attack
• Achievements that help verify that the project is
  on track and on schedule
• An essential component of good project management
• Note
• Milestones should be closely related to the
  anticipated project outcome/s, objectives and
  project budget

3
Milestones are used to

• Measure progress management tool
• Provide the basis for review reporting
• Give SFF confidence that the project is on track
  is well managed.

4
Getting started

• Define what you hope to achieve from the project.
  The milestones should always relate back to your
  objectives.
• Brainstorm ideas what are the different tasks,
  steps that you will need to do to get to an end
  result?
• List all the things you are going to do for each
  year of your 3 year programme break these into
  definable chunks.
• Identify the critical points, the key markers.
  These are your milestones.

5
Milestones need to include

• What will be achieved
• Specific criteria (If the milestone can be
  interpreted in more than one way it is not
  specific)
• Quality measures (These are particularly
  important if you have contracted someone else to
  do the work.)
• Target date
• Milestones also need to be realistic do you
  have the capacity ( and people) to achieve them?

6
Some examples

• Submitted milestone
• Focus farm network operational. Target date Nov
  2004.
• Revised milestone
• Focus farm network involving 14 properties spread
  throughout NZ operational. (Farms, community
  groups facilitators selected work programme
  agreed). Target date Nov 2004.

Example 1
7
Some examples

• Submitted milestone
• Commence literature search. Target date Feb
  2005.
• Revised milestone
• Literature review of community attitudes to
  landscape planning completed according to agreed
  terms of reference. Target date Feb 2005.

Example 2
8
Some examples

• Submitted milestone
• First workshop undertaken Target date Feb 2003.
• Revised milestone
• First workshop on organic farming techniques
  undertaken. (At least 20 participants in
  attendance) Target date Feb 2003
• Just because you have held a workshop doesnt
  mean that you have made progress. You might have
  been better to spend the money on something else.
  e.g. newspaper articles)

Example 3
9
Some examples

• Submitted milestone
• Nitrogen treatments applied, trial regime and
  measurement site decided for year 2, soils chosen
  for characterisation from other growing regions,
  gold spatial data collected from Zespri and soil
  data from EBOP, fruit softening data collected
  from Zespri and corresponding fertiliser data
  from suppliers, presentation in Zespri Kiwi-tech
  seminars completed on progress to date.(Target
  August 2005)

Example 4
10
Check!

• Ask yourself the question will your milestones
  get you to where you want to go?
• Are all the milestones/tasks absolutely
  necessary? ie. If you leave this step out will it
  make a difference to the project?
• Are there milestones missing? Are there steps or
  tasks that you need to include that you havent
  listed?
• Are your milestones specific measurable?

11
Milestones project budget

• Use the milestones as the basis for preparing
  your budget.
• Cost out each milestone using the categories in
  the SFF budget sheet.
• You must be able to justify the figures that you
  include in your budget.
• Dont forget to include budget provision for
  project management.
• Confirm cash contributions (Other than SFF)
• Assess in-kind contributions

12
In-kind

• In-kind expenses are those which are incurred
  during the running of a project and are
  contributed on a no payment basis. They can
  include virtually anything which can be deemed a
  legitimate cost to the project.
• In-kind contributions provide an indication of
  the level of community/group/industry support for
  the project and also provide the leverage to
  access funding.
• You will need a reliable system for recording
  in-kind contributions. Costs included must be
  realistic and be able to be verified.
• Recording in-kind contributions is an essential
  part of project management but how you do it is
  up to you.

13
Assessing in-kind

• Step 1 List all the different parties who
  potentially are contributors to the project and
  the contribution they are likely to make.
• Step 2 Assign the contributions to the
  categories as set out in the SFF claim form and
  draw up an in-kind budget. This will help you
  track progress overtime
• Step 3 Devise a system for recording the
  individual contributions. Develop a system that
  works for you.
• Step 4 Keep regular checks on how things are
  going. Ask your contributors to return an update
  each quarter of their in-kind expenses.
• Remember Recording in-kind contributions is a
  matter of horses for courses. Its a matter of
  finding an approach that works for you and your
  group.

14
(No Transcript)
15
Setting up your project for success
Afternoon session
16
(No Transcript)
17
Key areas

• Management setup (i.e Committee, chairperson,
  project manager, finance manager)
• Contracts with providers
• Communication within and outside of the project
  group group
• Monitoring review (i.e. Having the right
  systems that enable you to assess how well you
  are doing)
• Reporting (e.g 1/4 reports) to SFF Mgt
  committee
• Capacity does your group have the people with
  the skills and the time to manage the project?

18
Management Committee role

• Governance/oversight
• Carry overall responsibility for the project
• Set and approve policies / operating procedures
  etc
• Approve delegations
• Approve budget/budget variations
• Approve accounts for payment
• Act as link with different stakeholders

19
Chairpersons role

• Uphold the rules/constitution of the group
• Ensure the milestones are being achieved
• Act as chair at meetings
• Ensure that office bearers are for filling their
  roles
• Represent the organisation to the outside world
• Have co-responsibility for sign-off of financial
  reports/media releases
• To act on behalf of group in interval between
  meetings

20
Project Manager's role

• Research development of initial project
• Set milestones prepare timeline
• Set up project/systems etc
• Source and contract suitable contractors
• Manage contracts
• Organise oversee works programme
• Monitor progress
• Monitor budget in association with Finance
  Manager
• Project communication/liaison
• Project reporting
• Authorise all accounts co sign-off
• Keep management committee informed

21
Finance Managers role

• Control of bank account
• Budget preparation
• Pay accounts for approved expenditure
• Operate accurate cash book
• To be aware of current financial position
• To keep Project Manager management team
  informed on financial matters
• GST returns
• Produce a set of annual accounts

22
Contracts

• Why do you need them?
• Gives you control over your project
• They clearly define what you expect of your
  contractors/consultants
• Give you a mechanism for negotiation on price.
• Basis of dispute resolution

23
Communications strategy

• Why do you need one?
• To ensure that the projects key aims and messages
  are delivered are consistent understood by
  all parties
• To build awareness of the project among a wider
  audience and user group
• To secure commitment of key stakeholders to the
  project aims
• To influence specific policies policy makers
• To encourage participation among researchers and
  partner bodies
• Communication principles
• To produce honest, succinct, credible cost
  effective communications
• To ensure that all communication is planned,
  timely and consistent with key message
• To ensure all project communication is approved
  by the appropriate person

24
Monitoring review

• For effective monitoring review you must have
  the right systems in place.
• It can take a while to set up right systems up
  but when you do the advantages will out way the
  disadvantages.
• Good systems enable you to maintain control of
  your project make adjustments where necessary.
• Good systems give your project credibility

25
Reporting

• Your management group requires good information
  to be able to make the right decisions and
  effectively manage the project.
• SFF need to know that their funds are being used
  well
• That the work contracted will be delivered within
  the timeframe, quality promised.
• If work is not on track the right actions are
  undertaken to rectify the problem.
• If contract variation is required it is not a
  surprise.

26
The ¼ Report

• The ¼ report should include
• Milestone progress
• Additional results
• Proposed activities next ¼
• Milestone variations
• Financial update
• Other
• Management group feedback
• Stakeholder liaison
• Linkages with other projects
• Information dissemination
• Upcoming events

27
Capacity

• Does your group have the necessary expertise or
  people with time to manage the project??