Basics of planning
BASICS OF PLANNING - (OPTIONAL / National and Higher Intermediate level)
Purpose: / To provide participants with basic knowledge on general planning principles and how to use Gantt charts for planning and monitoringModule Time: / 45 minutes
Learning objectives: / At the end of this module, participants will be able to:
· Name essentials that make the project work successfully
· Use Gantt charts for planning EQA activities
Module Overview
Step / Time / Activity/Method / Content / Resources
Needed
1 / 20 min / Presentation / Planning principles / Slides 3 - 11
2 / 20 min / Presentation / Gantt charts / Slides 12-16
3 / 5 min / Summary / Key messages / Slide 17
Material/Equipment Checklists
§ PowerPoint slides
§ Computer w/LCD projector
§ Handouts:
§ The example master plan of action for a smear microscopy EQA project (the electronic version and / or paper-based copies)
§ Flipchart
Teaching Guide
1. / Module: Basics of Planning
DISPLAY this slide before you begin the module. Ensure that participants are aware of the transition into a new module.
2.
Flipchart
/ Content Overview
(Suggested technique for presentation)
WRITE the content outline before beginning this session.
EXPLAIN that these are the topics that will be covered in this module.
3. / Characteristics of Planning
STATE that planning involves a series of steps. This is the future-oriented process that determines the development goals (desirable situations to be achieved) and develops the necessary objectives and actions to achieve those goals.
EMPHASIZE that a plan without action is useless. A common failure is that the plan is only written, but never implemented. It is important to regularly review implementation of the plan, assess if goals are being achieved or not and if required resources are available, etc., and adjust plans accordingly.
4. / What Will Make a Project Work (1)?
STATE the message on the slide.
STRESS that a project is considered successful when the objectives of the project have been achieved to the full satisfaction of the parties concerned. The right mix of planning, monitoring and controlling can make the difference in completing the project on time, on budget, and with high quality results.
5. / What will Make a Project Work (2) ?
STATE that plans should specify the timeframe for completion of each result and who is responsible for achieving each result.
NOTE that the important, but often missing step is acknowledgement of results. Regular analysis of the situation and acknowledgement of success would be highly motivating.
6. / Why Evaluate?
STATE that the project evaluation is a process of collecting, recording and organizing information about project results, including immediate results of activities or project deliverables, and immediate and longer-term project outcomes. Evaluation is needed to recognize actual changes and progress made, to identify factors of success and challenges, the need for improvement.
ADD that effective evaluation needs commitment, establishment of baselines at the beginning of the project, identification of indicators, allocation of appropriate time to do evaluation, and provision of feedback.
7. / Planning Cycle
STATE that to ensure effective planning process it is necessary to consider it in all aspects, specifying:
1) Where are you now? What is the current situation? What problems do you want to address?
2) Where do you want to go? What would you want the situation to be? Convert problems into objectives.
3) How would you arrive there? What do you need to do in order to achieve that? Plan activities, analyze problems, identify causes, and formulate solutions.
4) How do you know that you arrived? Plan assessment, monitoring and evaluation.
8. / Laboratory Network
STATE during planning it is necessary to refer to an overall purpose or the mission that should be achieved. Goals are specific to accomplishments that must be carried out in order to achieve this larger overall result (the mission).
PRESENT the ideas on how the Mission and the Goal could be formulated in relation to laboratory services. (STATE the message on the slide.)
9. / Possible Objectives
STRESS that objectives are specific “milestones” that must be accomplished to achieve the goals in the plans.
The objectives should be specific, measurable and realistic, with a timeframe. It is necessary to state exactly what you want to have achieved at the end of the year, for which standards you are aiming.
GIVE different examples of objectives’ formulation. (STATE the message on the slide.)
10. / Possible Objectives (2)
STATE the message on the slide.
11.
Flipchart
/ How to Reach Those Objectives?
STATE the message on the slide
EXPLAIN that the activities are the methods or processes required to achieve the goals/objectives.
GIVE an example, such as the one below, and/or INVITE participants to discuss/brainstorm (OPTIONAL). USE the flipchart to record objectives, activities and sub-activities.
Objective: To ensure availability of functioning equipment and supplies in all peripheral smear microscopy centers of the district.
Activity 1: To ensure availability of good functioning microscopes in all peripheral labs.
Sub-activities:
1. Conduct a situational analysis on the availability and status of current microscopes and identify needs for new microscopes.
2. Make a plan on how to purchase microscopes, including calculating the required budget.
3. Procure microscopes.
Activity 2: To develop the maintenance system for microscopy equipment.
Sub-activities:
2.1. Provide documentation for requirements and maintenance of equipment.
2.2. Conduct refresher workshop for users on care of microscopes.
2.3 Make contract with suppliers for service and emergencies.
Activity 3: To ensure uninterrupted provision of appropriate supplies.
Sub-activities:
3.1. Calculate required supplies for each district with specifications.
3.2. Purchase and distribute required supplies.
3.3. Monitor adequateness of supplies every quarter.
12. / Gantt Charts
STATE that a Gantt chart is a popular type of a bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. A Gantt chart is a useful tool for planning and monitoring activities. It allows users to see the duration of the project and lays out the order in which tasks need to be carried out. It can also contain the budget lines or store more information for example about resources, individuals assigned to specific tasks and notes about activities. For monitoring a project it allows to see what should have been achieved at a point of time. Charts may be adjusted frequently to reflect the actual status of the project.
13. / An example of a Gantt Chart
REFER to the example on the slide. DEFINE WBS as work breakdown structure.
14. / A Template for Gantt Chart
REFER to the example on the slide.
EXPLAIN that this is an example of a simple Gantt chart that can be compiled using MS Excel or just on paper.
15. / How to use Gantt Charts?
STATE the message on the slide.
16. / How to use Gantt Charts? – cont.
STATE the message on the slide.
REFER to the draft master plan of action for a smear microscopy EQA project. Be sure you refer to the file’s sheets one after another, as follows:
1) Action Plan – Objectives and Activities
2) Action Plan – Timeline
3) Action Plan – Monitoring
17. / Key Messages
STATE the message on the slide.
ANSWER any questions the participants may have.
NOTES TO: “The draft master plan of action for a smear microscopy EQA project”:
The idea of “The draft master plan of action for a smear microscopy EQA project” is to demonstrate the use of a Gantt chart as applied to the topic of planning EQA activities for smear microscopy. The drafted master plan of action consists of three consecutive MS Excel sheets named: 1) Action Plan – Objectives and Activities; 2) Action Plan – Timeline; and 3) Action Plan – Monitoring. It is advisable to follow the above said order in presenting materials to adhere to the logic of the planning steps.
The use of this Appendix can be twofold – simply to demonstrate the Gantt chart format as applied to the topic that is generally familiar to the audience, or, in addition, to use the drafted master plan of action for the detailed consideration of planning steps and timeline aspects with regard to EQA for AFB smear microscopy. For the second purpose, Modules “The Overview of the External Quality Assessment” and “Planning and Organizing External Quality Assessment Scheme” must be studied first. As a result, the Trainer may want to return to the draft master plan exercise at the end of the course after appropriate modules are studied to consolidate participants’ knowledge on EQA issues and to further develop their planning skills.
The given example of the EQA master plan contains specific details of EQA activities; therefore, the planning steps as proposed in the master plan are mostly applicable to the upper national level audience, who have good working knowledge of the subject. With that in mind, the Appendix can then be turned into the group exercise to discuss the suggested steps, timeframe, etc. The draft master plan may be either customized to follow the country-specific situation or be presented as it is to let trainees express their opinion on feasibility of the proposed plan on introduction of EQA activities in an area. Thus, trainees might note that the master plan is set for one year and, considering the nature of EQA activities contained in the plan, it may be difficult to accomplish them within a period of only one year and the timeframe may largely depend on the area or the country situation. Trainees are encouraged to reconsider sequencing of activities in the given example. For instance, development of guidelines, algorithms and checklists for panel testing, blinded rechecking and supervision in the form of a manual could be given due priority before any training preparation is done as the contents would determine the training materials needed. Additionally, the training of NRL staff would likewise be given the utmost priority since NRL staff should be involved in the preparation of training materials for the lower levels especially on more technical aspects of the training.NRL staff should have acquired proficiency in preparing panel slide sets by the time of training preparation for the lower level as reliable sets of slides would be needed for training.
As a group discussion, this exercise would take at least an additional 45 minutes, including allocating 15 minutes – for the introduction and familiarization with the contents; 20 minutes for discussion and 10 minutes for conclusions. Another option is to create small groups and ask participants to share their ideas once the materials are discussed within the small groups.
AFB Smear Microscopy EQA WIB TRAINER’S GUIDE
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