OPM’s extensive experience of managing and implementing projects in various sectors has enabled us to develop a project management approach that is flexible yet robust. We attach great importance to clearly defining these structures and processes to ensure that responsibilities are known from the outset and the best possible support is provided to the achievement of project objectives. Our project management approach consists of the following:

A flexible and innovative approach to implementation
Successful support to project implementation requires the introduction, testing and adaptation of ideas appropriate to the local agenda, within a clear project framework. We are flexible to changing circumstances and conditions, taking advantage of new opportunities as they arise, whilst also recommending adjustments to reform activities when there is inadequate support or preparedness.

Maximising counterpart and stakeholder involvement
We endeavour to ensure local ownership at all stages. This can include developing a comprehensive and locally agreed approach to capacity building within the project to maximise skill transfer.

Professional project management
We have a strong track record of managing major multi-faceted projects. We provide a combination of professional project management methods to ensure that all deliverables, milestones, and quality requirements are properly addressed.

Formal and informal feedback and monitoring mechanisms
We understand that projects often need to balance a wide array of stakeholder interests to ensure sensitivity to local culture, values and concerns, whilst meeting the deliverables required by the donor organisation.

Access to reform experience
Our specialised research has provided us with an extensive database of legislation, policy documents, comparative studies, and other materials including access to information, organisational reviews and performance management best practice literature.

Worldwide network of contacts and information
The combined experience of our staff provides access to a network of high-level practitioners, officials, consultants and academics who can share information and ideas.

Our project management approach is also driven by a continual consideration of the following elements of successful project implementation:

Team
The successful execution of any project requires the appropriate human resources to be in place and functioning effectively. We monitor and manage this closely, including counterpart team members.

Schedule
We manage against detailed work plans and identify critical interdependencies with other initiatives and programmes.

Scope
We ensure the work undertaken is confined to that planned and approved in the work plans, and take particular care that all activities are consistent with project priorities and goals. 

Work and delivery
We manage the inputs and activities in any initiative and the associated deliverables.

Risks
We put in place a process that reviews our performance in the previous elements and promptly identifies any issues adversely affecting them. If those issues cannot be mitigated and are becoming critical risks, the process ensures they are elevated for decision-making at the appropriate level.