Development Cooperation Handbook/Checklists/List of things to do in order to illustrate a project

List of things to do in order to illustrate a project

⇒ Remember: To communicate is to share knowledge. First gain it, then pass it on.
⇒ The basic approach is : First learn (do research) then teach (communicate)

Research edit

What to do in order to obtain information about a project
What to ask in order to obtain information about a project

Communicate edit

What to say in order to provide information about a project
How to build trust and provide a solid support for your reports

Describe your reactions to the project edit

Make your public aware of your subjectivity ⇒ What did you learn from observing the project and meeting the stakeholders?
⇒ What do you want to say to your public of what you learned?


In order to build the suspense and explain the challenges remember that the project does not achieve its objective directly! The activities that the action team will carry out will produce the outputs that will empower beneficiaries to better interact with their communities and utilise project deliverables to achieve the project outcomes. These outcomes will enable the stakeholders to tackle the problems identified and produce changes in the factors generating these problems, thereby contributing to the achievement of the project objectives.


When we think about development projects we think of objectives and achievements. So many hospitals built … so many teachers trained … so many villages electrified … and so on, so forth. Achieving objectives is, of course, important. But there is something else we need to say. It is the human story, the passion that drives cooperation workers, the joy - or frustration – they feel when they succeed - or fail - to bring more justice to the excluded.

We need to reveal the challenges. How are local communities utilizing infrastructures created for them? Do they agree with the information they receive? Was, what donors gave away, really what receivers wanted?

While collecting stories of the work in progress for the Millennium Goals, we learned that no-one can bring freedom to others. Empowerment cannot be "given". Like we cannot “deliver” education. Nor can we “buy” participation.

Each one has to lead one's potential out of oneself. But, in order to recognize and express our potential, we need a society that does not marginalize and exclude. We need a healthy communication climate, where differences are respected and valued. We need freedom from mistrust and indifference.

Only then, can we act in a reciprocally empowering process: because we acknowledge that, in order to fully realize ourselves, we need the self realization of the others.



Other tools edit

Templates edit

  Tasks implementation report form
  Template - Project Status Snapshot
  Template - Project status summary
  Template - Project Status Report

Guidelines edit

  How team members can improve overall project communication

See also edit

  Project Communication Management
  Project information distribution
  The video resources linked to this handbook
  Syria 6 – Training Syrian journalists