Project Appraisals and Impact Evaluations Course

IntroductionThis course will provide you with the essential knowledge and skills to effectively appraise and analyse projects. It provides you with the latest tools and techniques to manage project risks and uncertainties to ensure profit margins and sustainability in uncertain times. It will in more advanced level cover econometric impact evaluation theory and empirical methods for measuring the impact of development programs (including randomization, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity, and propensity score matching). It will combine theory and practice. The primary objectives of the course is to provide participants with the skills to understand the value and practice of impact evaluation within development economics, design and implement impact evaluations and act as critical consumers of impact evaluations. Duration 10 Days Course Objective:    o Undertake, Technical, Economic, Financial & Risk Analysis to select Projects to meet National and Organisational Objectives o Undertake Financial Analysis using Payback, NPV & IRR o Identifying & Measuring Risk & Uncertainties o Evaluate and Manage Risks using the latest tools & techniques o Manage Uncertainties using Decisions Trees, Programming Techniques – Gannt Charts, Network & Critical Path Analysis, Manpower Planning, Contingency Planning & Earned o Identifying if project is working or not, impact evaluation will assist accountability function. This course is aligned with results based management and monitoring. Who should attend? This course targets Project Management Officials from NGO’s, National Statistics Offices, Education Researchers, Government ministries, National Institutes and Planning Ministries, Central banks, and University Researchers among others. The Course Content Module One: Project Appraisal & Analysis   o The Investment Criteria & The Investment Planning Process o Identifying Technical, Logistical & Environmental Risks o Economic Risk Analysis o Market Risk Analysis o Selecting Projects to meet Organisational Objectives Module Two: Financial Analysis   o Estimating Income, Cashflows & Durations o Identifying Risks from the Projected Cashflow o Calculating the Cost of Finance – WACC, CAPM & Arbitrage Pricing o Capital Investment Appraisal Techniques - Payback; ARR, NPV, IRR etc. o Financial Appraisal using Spreadsheet Skills Module Three: Project Risk & Uncertainties   o Measuring Risk & Uncertainties o Project Constraints o Balancing Scope, Time, Quality & Cost o Evaluating the Risks & Uncertainties – Their Likelihood & Impact o Risk Response Planning & Reporting Module Four: Risk Management  o The Risk Management Process at various levels of an organization and throughout the Project Life Cycle o The Project Manager’s Roles and Responsibilities o Qualitative & Quantitative Risk Analysis o Financial Risk Management & Derivatives o Sensitivity Analysis & Monte Carlo Simulation Analysis Module Five: Managing Uncertainties   o Decisions Trees to Manage Uncertainties and make Strategic Decisions o Programming Techniques – Gannt Charts, Network & Critical Path Analysis o Manpower Planning and Resource Smoothing & Levelling o Project Contingency Planning o Earned Value Analysis – Controlling Cost & Schedule Variances Module Six: Cost benefit analysis   o The effect on decision-making of more intangible benefits o Cost benefit analysis o Ensuring costs are genuine o Measuring intangible benefits o Environmental issues o Consideration of intangible benefits in the appraisal decision-making process Module Seven: Developing appropriate models   o Developing models – examples of spreadsheet models and measures for many different situations o Modelling investment opportunities – summarising outcomes o Sensitivity analysis – identifying, quantifying and taking out risk Module Eight: Developing an appraisal process   o The process – managing risk from the outset o Using the process in risk management, negotiating and project management o Take out risk by thoroughly knowing your project – developing your own process Module Nine: Introduction to impact evaluation   o Introduction o Counterfactual o Purpose of impact evaluation o When to undertake impact evaluation Module Ten: Evaluation Design   o Establishing the program theory o Selecting the evaluation approach o Designing the baseline survey o Options when there is no baseline o Impact evaluation using secondary data o The role of qualitative information o Triangulation o Generalizations from specific impact evaluations Module Eleven: Managing and Implementing Impact Evaluation   o Terms of reference o Data sources o Time and cost