Author: John

Series 2.2: Design & Innovation – Step 2: Design – Stage 2: Method

Posted on by John

In Stage 1, we learned it’s important to approach God in Prayers and Fasting to receive proper guidance on the design process. We also discovered the Faith Entrepreneur can confidently adopt Project Management (PM) techniques to design Social Projects to obtain good results and high impact.

 

In stage 2, we’ll discover the basic PM Tools every Faith Entrepreneur engaged in Social Projects should know. These include;

 

1. The Task List & Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

 

At this stage, you know the project you want to implement and have prayed for divine guidance. The Task List of your project contains all its tasks in an organized manner. It typically consists of the name of the task, its ID, predecessor task and durations. Below is the task list of our tree planting project (WCTPP) in Woteva Village;

 

 

But it’s important to note the Faith Entrepreneur may not identify all tasks from the onset especially if the project is complex. That’s why we plan projects with some degree of flexibility. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) shows the tasks in a Tree-Decomposition structure. Below is the WBS of the WCTPP.

 

 

Another great tool to show the decomposition of your tasks involved in the whole project is the Gantt Chart. It’s a much more complete tool showing the tasks, predecessors, start and finish times as well as a picture of the general project progress. The picture below shows the Gantt Chart of the WCTPP.

 

 

2. Critical Path Method (CPM) & Project Evaluation And Review Technique (PERT)

 

These are more advanced techniques which analyse Uncertainties associated with the tasks of the project. With the PERT, it’s possible to estimate the Optimistic Time, Most Likely task duration and Pessimistic Time. It also involves calculating Variances, Probabilistic Times and Slacks. The CPM gives the Faith Entrepreneur an idea of the minimum time required to implement the whole project in an Efficient manner. For the sake of simplicity, Treff-End doesn’t encourage the use of these sophisticated methods in social projects, especially when developing social innovations in remote communities. A Gantt Chart is enough to have a structured overview of a community project. However, below is an example showing  the PERT and CP of the WCTPP;

 

 

3. Project Budget

 

Projects are implemented with financial and material resources. Budgeting involves generating Realistic Estimates of the Costs of each task on the WBS. It requires a careful analysis of Human and Material Resources required to implement the project and how to obtain them. It also involves analysing Risks and Contingency Reserves. In Social Projects, we can limit Budgeting to realistic estimates of resources required to implement all the tasks of the project. But it’s also important to analyse where to obtain finances and how to implement the project with limited resources. This might require a Stakeholder and Resource-Based Analysis. Below is an example of the Budget for the WCTPP.

 

 

4. Risk Management

 

A vital skill in life is how to access and manage risks. We all make minor or big decisions in life based on the risks associated with what we want to accomplish. Risks aren’t absent in Social Projects. Moreover, each project has its context and associated risks. The Risk Analysis tool in the PM technique helps you identify the most important Risks, analyse their Probability, assess their Impact and generate effective Mitigation plans. Below are examples of risk types, probability and impact estimates from which we generated mitigation plans for the WCTPP.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Organizational Structure (OBS)

 

To successfully implement a project, the main Stakeholders must be Delegated with Well-Defined Responsibilities and Resources they need to accomplish their work. Here comes the importance of an OBS showing who occupies what position and does what. Although an OBS typically shows the person’s position, his or her tasks are well-defined in the Job Description. Below is the OBS of the WCTPP;

 

 

As a conclusion, PM Techniques are very effective when rightly used. Depending on your context, these basic tools help you generate well-structured design patterns to implement your idea or project. Treff-End is currently developing the God-Centered Design and Innovation Tool to assist Faith Entrepreneurs in the field especially in remote communities.

 

In the next stage of Series 2, we will discover how to come up with a Prototype of your Project or Idea.

 

Please, share the information with Faith Entrepreneurs in your community

 

Stay tuned!

Series 2.1: Design & Innovation – Step 2: Design – Stage 1: Pray & Fast

Posted on by John

In Series 1, we went through five steps which enable the Faith Entrepreneur to generate a specific project or solution idea to a specific problem.

 

The process starts by approaching God in prayer and fasting followed by identification of challenges. After identifying problems, the Faith Entrepreneur analyses their root-causes and proceed to generate solutions which address them. But it’s important to prioritize those problems and concentrate on one at a time.

 

In the final step, the project idea is tested with the TCLR-test to ensure it’s compatible with God’s Word, the context to which it will be implemented and availability of resources.

 

In this Series, we’ll deal with Step 2 of the God-Centered Design And Innovation Methodology known as Design.

 

The Design step is where the Faith Entrepreneur beaks down the selected project idea into Axiomatic Tasks and analyses every aspect of it to prepare it for implementation in the field. Many entrepreneurs rush to implement projects without proper design and as a consequence, have little impact in the field.

 

Every project has a unique Cost, Time, Scope and Context in which it will be implemented. Hence, projects are designed and implemented differently.

 

Project Management (PM) design techniques work well for most projects, especially when dealing with Social Challenges. Treff-End encourages Faith Entrepreneurs engaged in Social Innovations to adopt basic PM techniques in designing their projects. You’ll learn more about these techniques in Stage 2.

 

In Stage 1 of the Design Step, the Faith Entrepreneur approaches God in prayers and fasting.

 

Design involves splitting the main projects into specific tasks which will be implemented sequentially in the field. Many projects fail because they’re poorly designed. A good design takes every aspect of the project into consideration. Aspects to be considered in most social projects include Budget, Material and Financial Resources, Stakeholders, Time, Scope, Risks, etc. Bust some technical projects may involve product development, product design, marketing, sales, etc.

 

Prayer and Fasting help the Faith Entrepreneur to prepare the design process. We need wisdom from God to help us design projects which match our contexts and available resources. We’ve already established without God we can’t achieve much. If science was sufficient, the world would be a better place. But it isn’t. True success and fulfilment involve setting scientific innovations in their right spiritual contexts. That’s why the Faith Entrepreneur begins the design process with Prayers and Fasting.

 

In Stage 2, we’ll discover the basic tools of Project management Techniques which the Faith Entrepreneur uses in designing the project to achieve a high impact.

 

Don’t forget to share this information with your friends and entrepreneurs in your community.

Series 1.6: Design & Innovation – Step 1: Reveal – Stage 5: Apply The TCLR-Test

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In Series 1.5, we learned appropriate inclusive Communication & Discussions & Prioritization is necessary to help the Faith Entrepreneur determine which project(s) or idea(s) best suits the context from the list of recorded ideas. We also discovered appropriate communication and prioritization educates important Stakeholders about your project/idea and helps solicit the inputs and implication of interested ones.

 

Today, we’ll deal with the last stage of the Reveal Step known as Test. But this is only an introduction of the Testing Methodology the Faith Entrepreneur adopts to determine whether he or she is in the right direction. A special Series will get into details of the Testing Methodology.

 

Many people have great ideas and projects. But sad to say, most of these ideas aren’t God-breathed. Consequently, they have little impact in terms of building people’s Spiritual and Physical Capacities. Often times, entrepreneurs only want to become materially rich. True riches, however, aren’t determined by finances and material possessions. Rather by how much we serve one another and impact each other for the Kingdom sake.

 

As Faith Entrepreneurs (believers who desire to live God’s purpose), we’ve opted for the TCLR-Test developed by Treff-End. In this test:

 

  • T stands for Trustworthy (A test of the Authenticity and Integrity of the Project/Idea). In other words, it determines whether the idea is God-Breathed or not.

 

  • C stands for Compatible (Project/Ideas generated by Faith Entrepreneurs as well as the Implementation Methods should be compatible with God’s Words and the Context).

 

  • L stands for Lifechanging (Faith Entrepreneurs develop projects which meet the Spiritual and Physical needs of people especially believers in the Mission Field). In other words, the Impact of any project should be visible in the lives of the people it is meant for.

 

  • R stands for Resources (Projects/Ideas require People, Finances and Material Things) to realize them successfully. The Resource Test helps you determine whether you have the Minimum Resources Required to successfully achieve your objectives.

 

To successfully apply each part of the TCLR-Test, the Faith Entrepreneur answers a series of Questions. The answers to those questions will determine your Position and Strength.

 

Please find out more about the TCLR-Test in Series 5.

 

In Series 2, we’ll start with Step 2 of the God-Centered Design and Innovation Methodology known as Design.

 

In the Design Series, you’ll learn how to prepare your project or idea for effective and efficient implementation in the field.

 

Don’t forget to share this information with friends and entrepreneurs in your community.

 

Series 1.5: Design & Innovation – Step 1: Reveal – Stage 4: Communicate & Prioritize

Posted on by John

In Series 1.4, we discovered by listening to the Holy Spirit after a careful Root Cause Analysis, the Faith Entrepreneur obtains and records possible Primary Solution Ideas/Projects. The ideas generated on this stage aren’t the final solutions. But it’s important to record as many solution ideas as possible.

 

In this Series, we’ll deal with Stage 4 of the Reveal Step known as Communicate & Prioritize

 

For every problem, there’s at least one solution. But for most problems, there’re many possible solutions. Some solutions are cheap. Others are costly. But the cost of a solution doesn’t always determine its efficacy. Neither is choosing the most economical guarantee a good impact. For these reasons, we need a good balance between cost and efficacy when choosing projects and design patterns.

 

Appropriate Communication, Discussions and Prioritization help Faith Entrepreneurs decide the best project ideas to the problem and context. In most cases, these should be inclusive discussions, especially when dealing with social projects.

 

Communicating & Prioritizing help the faith entrepreneur in the following ways:

 

  • To choose the most feasible solution idea(s) to the problem and context from the list of proposed solutions.
  • Eliminate solution ideas which are complicated and hard to achieve with available resources.
  • Select the solution idea(s) with the most impact.
  • Educate important stakeholders of the importance of the project.
  • Identify stakeholders who may be interested in the idea/project and solicit their inputs.
  • Learn more about the proposed solution(s) and possible implementation barriers.

 

In order to encourage the development of social innovations in Woteva village, we organized a workshop. Villagers were able to interact in groups to generate many specific and cost-effective projects which can be implemented in the village.

 

But we also discussed the importance of planting Cedrela tree species among local species as a group. We organized a field trip to the Cedrela Demonstration Farms. Villagers could evaluate the project and provide valuable inputs on how to proceed with its implementation. In this way, they participate in generating solutions to the problems in their community.

 

Good Communication and Prioritization can be achieved in diverse ways. But it also depends on the context, location, settings and available resources.

 

Brainstorming Techniques will probably achieve better results with Community Development Projects. The Capacities of Young Entrepreneurs and Innovators can best be evaluated and strengthened in Workshops and Forums. Meetings, Conferences, Seminars, Chats Groups, Expert Consultation and Targeted Education shouldn’t be neglected.

 

A good solution to a Social Problem consists of Four Important Components:

 

  • It should be achievable within the limits of available resources.
  • It should be realistic and feasible.
  • It should be cost-effective.
  • It should have a high impact.

 

Communicate & Prioritization help the faith entrepreneur identify the Best Solution Idea/project to the Problem. That’s the main goal of the Reveal Step. Once you know the appropriate project to implement, part of the problem is solved.

 

In Series 1.6, we’ll talk about Testing your project idea to ensure it stays in line with God’s Standards and Principles.

 

Please Stay In Touch

 

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Series 1.4: Design & Innovation – Step 1: Reveal – Stage 3: Listen & Record

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In Series 1.3, we learned Identifying Root Causes is indispensable to understand the Context in order to Generate Solutions which are Adapted to it. We also discovered when trying to solve problems, many people neglect a Root Cause Analysis. Hence, they generate Superficial Solutions.

 

In this Series,  we will deal with Stage 3 of the Reveal Step known as Listen & Record.

 

After carefully conducting a Root Cause Analysis, the next step is to Listen and Record all the possible Primary Solution Ideas which emerge. A Root Cause Analysis enables Four main things:

 

  • It reveals the General Context of a problem.
  • It exposes Limitations and Loopholes.
  • It enables the Faith Entrepreneur to begin identifying Possible Solution Design Patterns.
  • It forces the Faith Entrepreneur to Pay Attention To Details.

 

When in search of relief, it’s a common thing for many to implement any solution that comes to mind. Most people aren’t patient. They never take the time to generate the best solution for the problem they’re trying to solve. The probability to derive lasting solutions in such cases is, therefore, very low.

 

Faith Entrepreneurs don’t operate haphazardly. They’re not in a haste. They always adopt a Targeted Scientific Approach to solve problems and rely on the Holy Spirit for Specific Revelations.

 

Listening involves diligently collecting Possible Specific Solution Ideas from the Holy Spirit to solve the Problem. These possible solutions ideas are derived from the Root Causes Analysis Information.

 

Recording involves writing everything the Holy Spirit Reveals to you. Whether an Individual or Group Project, Listen & Record as many Solution Ideas as possible.

 

During our Lean Six Sigma Project to improve the performances of students of the LifeWayLight Schools in Tanzania, we did two things after conducting a Root Cause Analysis:

 

  • First, we extracted possible causes we discovered were the main problems to poor performances.
  • Second, for each problem, we diligently proposed possible solution ideas and approaches.

 

This enabled us to generate appropriate solutions patterns to each of the problems we identified. No doubt the performances of the students increased considerably after we implemented the recommendations.

 

Listening to the Holy Spirit and Recording His Revelations helps to specify the problem and possible solutions. It also helps to identify possible Matrices the Faith Entrepreneur uses to measure the Effectiveness of the solution methods and possible Improvement Options after the methods have been implemented.

 

Note: Listen & Record is only a preliminary step to designing concrete solution patterns. The ideas you derive in this stage are not the Definitive Solution. This stage enables you to collect all Possible Solutions by the Help of the Holy Spirit. These possible solution patterns will be categorized, re-designed and re-organized on Stage 4 (Communicate & Prioritize) to obtain final solutions.

 

As a conclusion, Listen & Record is a very important stage you shouldn’t miss when in search for concrete solutions. Moreover, the process of listening and recording is engineered by the Holy Spirit. He reveals what solutions are appropriate for the problem. The Faith Entrepreneur listens diligently to Him and records everything. Most importantly, these preliminary solutions are derived from the information you obtain after conducting a Root Cause Analysis.

 

In the next Series (Series 1.5), we will deal with how the Faith Entrepreneur develops the final draft of solutions through effective communication techniques and group discussions methods.

 

Stay in touch!

 

Please Share This Information With Your Family And Friends.

Series 1.3: Design And Innovation – Step 1: Reveal – Stage 2: Identify Challenges & Root Causes

Posted on by John

In Series 1.2, we learned that in the Reveal Step, the Faith Entrepreneur approaches God to obtain a Specific Revelation (solution, idea or project) that will be implemented to benefit people. We discovered there are Five main Stages the Faith Entrepreneur(s) goes through to receive this revelation. These include Pray/Fast, Identify Root Causes, Listen & Record, Communicate & Discuss and Apply The TCLR-Test.

 

We started with Stage 1 (Pray/Fast) and discovered most people are only in pursuit of their personal interests. As a result, many of their endeavours don’t bring fulfilment. We also discovered God wants us to accomplish Specific Projects which He wants in order to advance His Kingdom. Prayer and Fasting help the Faith Entrepreneur’s revelations to align with God’s will.

 

In this Series, we will focus on Stage 2 of the Reveal Step – Identify Challenges & Root Causes.

 

Many solution ideas in the world are only at a Superficial Level. For instance, in trying to solve the problem of poverty, many so-called rich countries propose humanitarian aid as the solution. A more effective solution, however, is eliminating economic disequilibrium and unselfishly sharing technological discoveries while placing more emphasis on Local Capacity Building initiatives. Another example is spending billions of dollars in conflict resolutions while continuously encouraging the development and propagation of sophisticated weapons. The last example is having a willingness to promote social and technological inventions but neglecting backing up the propaganda with concrete and adapted research centres.

 

It’s important to do a Root-Cause Analysis to discover the main challenges and their root-causes. This knowledge will, in turn, help to generate projects, ideas or solutions which are adapted to the context and to tackle them from their roots, not superficially. Superficial solutions are like covering a wound with a bandage.

 

In 2016, we conducted a Lean Six Sigma project to improve the performances of students and teachers of the LifeWayLight Schools in Tanzania. Many students did not perform well in most science subjects and English language. Looking at the problem from a superficial level, many quickly assumed teaching methods were inefficient. Most of the bad performances of students were, therefore, attributed to poor teaching methodologies.

 

When we (Treff-End) looked deeper into the problem by conducting a Root Cause Analysis, we discovered there were a number of factors which cause poor performances and teaching methods were only one of them. A few of the most pertinent were:

  • Students didn’t obtain help from their parents at home mainly because most parents were illiterate.
  • Teachers weren’t usually paid in time. This caused a number of grievances, frustrations and lack of motivation which, in turn, affected their teaching performances.
  • Lastly, the school premises was devoid of study materials and attractive settings to motivate students to learn.

 

After addressing some of these root causes, the performances of the students improved greatly in 2018. Among the primary schools with less than 40 people which registered for the official examinations, the LifeWayLight Schools came 2nd out of 59 in the district, 4th out of 323 in the region and 77th out of 6726 primary institutions in the country.

 

We can never solve problems effectively if we don’t deal with them from their Root Causes. We also cannot generate appropriate solution ideas or projects if we fail to do an appropriate Root Cause Analysis. Analysing Root Causes helps us to understand the context and origin of the challenges we are facing.

 

If you cut the roots of a tree, the whole tree dies. But if you cut only its branches, the tree germinates and flourishes again because it is still connected to its source of life. In the same way, if we handle problems from their roots, we cut off their source of propagation. But if we handle them superficially as in the case of conflict resolutions which don’t target limiting arm production and ownership, we simple pave the way for more complicated troubles to handle in the future.

 

Root Causes are appropriate to identify at this stage especially because in Stage 1 we commit everything to God and invite Him to reveal His will to us. When Identifying Root causes, the Faith Entrepreneur analysis and understands the context in the process. Once this contextual understanding is complete, the people can generate appropriate project ideas and solutions to overcome those challenges they are facing in their community.

 

In the next series (Series 1.4), we’ll deal specifically with how we generate concrete and adapted project ideas or solutions from Root-Causes.

 

Stay tuned and make sure you share the information with your family and friends.