INGREDIENTS FOR AN

EFFECTIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL

NIGEL A.L. BROOKS

THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Article reprint
 INGREDIENTS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL

Successful consultants, executives, and salespeople know the essential

ingredients for a project proposal that gets results. They include the ability
to articulate a clear understanding of the problem, including needs and
requirements, a solution that with features and benefits, and a persuasive
approach with a call to action.

The contents of an effective project proposal that gets results include:

Understanding of the problem:

● Situation - this is the "status"

● What complicates the situation in terms of strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats - this is a further elaboration of the "status"

● Clear statement of the problem including needs and requirements -

this is the "what"

● Solution hypothesis - "going in" position including potential features

and benefits - this is the "why" - with an explanation as to the
advantages over other alternatives

Scope, objectives, and goals:

The scope of the project is a general statement to address the problem and
the solution hypothesis. The scope statement establishes boundaries - what
the solution hypothesis is and what it is not. The project may be
subdivided into phases, such as planning, analysis, design, construction,
implementation, enhancements, and maintenance. Hence the scope may
define the entire project and/or a phase within it.

The objectives are general statements of direction and the goals are
specific results to be achieved by the project. In general, there should be
no less than three and no more than seven objectives.

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Approach:

The approach is a written narrative supported by a work plan that explains

how the objectives and goals are to be accomplished.

The work plan consists of a breakdown of activities into phases, segments,

and tasks, with supporting work day, schedule, and resource estimates.
The resource estimates include human, materials and supplies, facilities,
and equipment. The work plan is supported by assumptions for availability
of resources, quality assurance reviews, and signoffs. Activities can be
loaded, schedules can be laid-out over time in milestones, and the critical
path can be determined from the work plan.

The approach should be supported by facts, statistics, and metrics.

Deliverables and expected results:

The end-deliverable and results at intermediate milestones should be

defined with clear statements of features, benefits, and standards for
quality.

If the project is a phase of a larger program, one deliverable should be the

plan for the next phase of work.

Expected results other than the deliverables should also be defined.

Examples include the learning and experience gained by the project team,
and the goodwill to the enterprise as a whole.

Governance:

The structure of the project, and the roles and responsibilities should be
defined including the sponsors, the beneficiaries, the advocates, the project
manager, the steering committee, and the organization of the team.

The approach to progress reporting, quality assurance reviews, audits,

approvals, and signoffs should be defined.

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Costs:

Based upon the approach, deliverables, and governance, the project costs
should be presented, ideally with an allowance for contingency for
unplanned activities and performance variances. Costs should be presented
as estimates based upon the assumptions stated in the approach.

If costs are presented for downstream phases of work, they should be

described as approximations subject to refinement based upon future
work.

Call for action:

A description of next steps, schedule, and responsibilities in the context of

the "status", the "what," and the "why." The benefits of the solution and
the approach should be clearly explained, and why they address the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified in the problem
statement. The proposal should end with a memorable statement about the
benefits of the proposed solution and approach, and what the audience
should do next. It is important to stress that time is of the essence to
achieve the benefits.

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Notes:

● If the audience is "bottom-line" oriented, recommendations should be

presented first based upon conclusions based upon facts; if the
audience is "analytically" oriented, findings should be presented first
that lead to conclusions and recommendations.

● On large projects, it may be necessary to perform a certain amount of

analysis and design work before a detailed cost/benefit analysis can
be performed. Prior to the cost/benefit analysis, costs are
approximated, and then estimated thereafter. The cost/benefit analysis
is the basis of a "go/no go" decision for further work because
implementation costs are usually a multiple of those for planning,
analysis, and design.

● Once the proposal has been approved, the work breakdown structure
should be decomposed into a work program (in days or hours) and
budget (in monetary terms) that shows each activity loaded with the
appropriate resources based upon skill levels over time.

● Intermediate deliverables should be produced on a regular basis to

maintain project momentum and to ensure that the work is on track.

Effective proposal development is an enterpriship (entrepreneurship,

leadership, and management) competency.

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For more information...

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About Nigel A.L Brooks...

Nigel A.L Brooks is a management consultant to entrepreneurs, business

enterprise owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they
serve. He specializes in developing the entrepreneurial, leadership, and
managerial competencies that build sustainable advantage from vision to
value. He is an author and a frequent speaker.

He obtained his professional experience as a partner at Andersen

Consulting (now Accenture, Ltd.), as a vice president at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. (now Booz and Company), as a senior vice president at the
American Express Company, as president of Javazona Cafes, Inc., and as
president of The Business Leadership Development Corporation. He has
been a contributing editor for the Bank Administration Institute magazine,
and has served on boards of entrepreneurial networks. He was educated at
the University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom.

His clients are in the financial services, food services, high-tech,

manufacturing and distribution, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, professional
services, retail and wholesale, transportation, and government industries.

He has experience in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

www.nigelalbrooks.com

About The Business Leadership Development Corporation (BLD)...

The Business Leadership Development Corporation is a professional

services firm that works with entrepreneurs, lifestyle business enterprise
owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they serve.

BLD develops entrepreneurial, leadership, and managerial competencies

that achieve performance excellence by building sustainable advantage
from vision to value through:

 Strategic Management Consulting

 Executive Coaching and Mentoring
 Professional Training via The Center For Business Leadership
Development (CBLD)
 Motivational Speaking

www.bldsolutions.com

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 THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85032 USA
www.bldsolutions.com
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