As it can be seen, quality is an important feature from the early phases of the project - see
identification in the above table, QSG Quality Support Group being able to assist since then.
“The Quality Support Group (QSG) has been established to oversee the ongoing development and
management of the quality support and assessment process, its objectives being to:
• Support improvements in the quality of programme /project ideas and documentation;
• Ensure screening is carried out in a harmonised way using a set of consistent quality criteria and
standards;
• Ensure appropriate reporting and follow-up; and
• Identify and exchange best practices and innovative approaches.” (PCM Guidelines 2004, p.21)
Quality requirements imply following characteristics of the projects:
• “Are more clearly consistent with the policy framework;
• Integrate with and support local planning/budgeting, management, financing and monitoring
systems (rather than creating parallel systems);
• Are better coordinated with other donors;
• Build local capacity and rely less on expatriate technical assistance;
• Take a longer-term (and more realistic) perspective of the process of change; and
• Allow greater flexibility during implementation.”
Consequently, the needed changes to fulfil these requirements should occur in: (i) attitudes and
values; (ii) roles and responsibilities; (iii) skills; and (iv) procedures (PCM Guidelines 2004, p.14).
A very important approach, contributing to the proper organisation of the activities is logical
framework approach. “The Logical Framework Matrix (or more briefly the Logframe) consists of a
matrix with four columns and four (or more) rows, which summarise the key elements of a project
plan, namely:
• The project’s hierarchy of objectives (Project Description or Intervention Logic);
• The key external factors critical to the project’s success (Assumptions); and
• How the project’s achievements will be monitored and evaluated (Indicators and Sources of
Verification)” (PCM Guidelines 2004, p.57)
The Logical Framework started to be used in the late 1960’s by USAID (United States Agency of
International Development) and later on, in 1993, European Commission included it as a tool sub-
sequent to the Project Cycle Management. In practice, Logframe is used either as an independent
tool to organise the activities needed in preparation or implementation of a project, or as an
important support of PCM procedures. Sometimes, interlocking logical frames are used to detail
certain aspects of the projects or to connect different financial stages of the project.
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