PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Introduction
Before we can continue to look into project identification and selection, recall the definition of a
project. “A project is a set of task which are performed to accomplish some objectives within a
specific period of time”. These objectives could be individual or family objectives/needs,
Organizational objectives/needs, National or global objectives etc.
Motivation of a project.
Projects are a means to accomplish;-
- Individual or family objectives.
- Organizational Objectives
- National or global objectives.
A project takes birth as a result of the needs to solve these needs. It is only when we are clear
about a specific needs when we can identify a project. Project identification begins in response to
the specific need or the objectives.
Examples of Objectives/Needs
i. To increase profits.
ii. To minimize threats of losses.
iii. To become more competitive.
iv. To provide help after a disaster.
v. To train people in a new area.
vi. To reduce pollution in Uganda.
vii. To become a successful entrepreneur.
Every project begins with identification of the objectives/Needs which needs to be solved. Once a
need has been identified, project managers has to brainstorm themselves on the various
projects/ideas on how to solve a specific need/objectives.
Example:
Let’s say, you as a project manager identified the need “To Reduce pollution in Uganda”.
Definitely, you will need to come up with ideas on how to reduce pollution in Uganda. The figure
below illustrates the different ideas that can be generated.

Idea One Idea Two

Grow more trees Ban Diesel run
and green belt vehicle on road

OBJECTIVES/NEEDS

“To reduce Pollution

in Uganda”

Idea Three Idea Four

Enforce emission Ban vehicle with
restriction laws age of 10 & above
The ideas listed above are what shall constitute a project. But what is an idea? And what are the
sources of new product/Service Ideas?
An idea is a suggestion or plan of doing something.
SOURCES OF NEW PRODUCT/BUSINESS IDEAS

Marketing and Sales Research and

Department development

Top Management SOURCES OF NEW Competitors

IDEAS

Production
Consumers
Department

a) Marketing and Sales department; The Marketing and sales department are always in
constant contact with the consumers/customers. They know what the customer demands
and can suggest the new features and products that consumers wants.
b) Research and Development; This department has the mission of developing new products
and services. It is within their duties and responsibilities to come up with new products and
services. They are responsible for generating the ideas.
c) Top Management; Top management are always concerned with the success of the business.
They invested their money into the business and would like to make sure that the money does
well. They are therefore responsible for coming with new ideas regarding products and
services which can make their businesses do well.
d) Production department; those in the production department are responsible for coming up
with ideas on new products especially on product simplification, substituting materials,
making products which are simple to manufacture.
e) Consumers; Another source of business/product ideas is the consumers. They sometimes say
what they want, the sometimes complaints.
f) Competitors; By observation of the competitors product, a business can come up with new
ideas majorly on how to improve the product features.
WAYS OF GENERATING BUSINESS IDEAS
1- By reading newspapers.
2- By reading magazine articles.
3- Through exploiting hobbies.
4- Attending trade shows and exhibition.
5- By carrying out survey i.e. formal (e.g. using questionnaire) and informal (e.g. observation).
6- Asking for customer’s opinion.
7- Through Brainstorming
BRAINSTORMING AS A MEAN OF GENERATING BUSINESS IDEA
Brainstorming is a good mean to generate new project ideas where people in a group comes up
with different ideas on how to solve a specific problem. These ideas are then subjected to
screening and evaluating subsequently.
RULES FOLLOWED IN BRAINSTORMING PROCESS
a) Don’t criticize another person’s idea.
b) Encourage freewheeling; i.e. the wider the range of ideas, the better.
c) Try for quantity i.e. the larger the number of ideas, the better the chances are of getting good
ones.
d) Combine and improve i.e. group members should state their own ideas.

SWOT ANALYSIS
While trying to generate the different ideas on how to solve a particular problem, one must
identify their own/organizational strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and threats.
SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. By definition,
Strength(S) and Weaknesses (W) are considered to be internal factors over which you have some
measure of control. Also, by definition, Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) are considered to be
external factors over which you have essentially no control.
SWOT Analysis is the most renowned tool for Audit and analysis of the overall strategic position
of the business and its environment. Its key purpose is to identify the strategies that will create a
firm specific business model that will best align an organization’s resources and capabilities to
the requirements in which the business operates/will operate.
An overview of the four factor (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) is given below;-
1. Strengths; Strengths are the qualities that enables us to accomplish the organization’s
mission. Strengths are the beneficial aspect of the organization or the capabilities of an
organization which includes;- Human competencies, process capabilities, financial
resources, products and services, customer goodwill and brand loyalty.
Examples of organizational Strengths are;-
a) Huge financial resources.
b) Broad product line.
c) No debt.
d) Committed employees.
e) Capital raising ability
f) Industrial contact (Networks of friends)
2. Weaknesses; Weaknesses are the qualities that prevents us from accomplishing our
mission and achieving our full potential. These weaknesses deteriates organizational groth
and success.
 Examples of Organizational Weaknesses are;-
a) Newer unfamiliar technology.
b) Inability to raise huge capital.
c) Lack of experience.
d) Lack of trained personnel.
e) Inability to forecast market trends.
f) Poor decision making.
g) Narrow product range.
h) High employee turnover.
Weaknesses are controllable. They must be minimized and eliminated for instance to
overcome obsolete machinery, new machinery can be purchased.
3. Opportunities
Opportunities are presented by the environment in which our organization operates.
These arise when an organization can take benefits of conditions in its environment to
plan and execute strategies that enable it to become more profitable. Organization can
gain competitive advantage by making use of opportunities;-

Opportunities may arise from;-

a) Emergence of new technology.
b) New products with new markets e.g. mobile phones.
c) New process with better features (efficiency, output etc.)
d) Special financing scheme.
e) Government and other incentives.
4. Threats
Threats arise when conditions in external environment jeopardize the reliability and
profitability of the organization’s business. Threats are uncontrollable. When a threat
comes, the stability and survival can be at stakes.
Examples of Threats
a) Competitors.
b) Poor state of the economy (low buying power/capacity of consumers)
c) Outdated technology.
d) Unprofessional management skills.
e) New product and services.
f) Unrest among employees.
Before a project can be selected. The following steps needs to be followed.

Step One Needs identification

Step two Project identification

Step three Project Appraisal

Step four Project Selection

 GROUP WORK
Assuming the government has an objective of “Reducing Vehicular Pollution in
Uganda by 2020. Brainstorm on the different projects/ ideas of how the above
objective can be solved.

Solution.
Objective/Needs; To reduce vehicular pollution in Uganda by 2020.
PROJECTS/IDEAS WHICH COULD BE UNDERTAKEN TO SOLVE THE NEED.
Project One; Restrict registration of new Vehicles.
Project two; Enforce strict emission regulations for vehicles.
Project three: Ban diesel run vehicles on roads.
Project four: Introduce Mass Rapid Transportation System for the Country.
Project five: Encourage use of Car Pools.
Project Six: Grow more trees and green belts in the city.
Project Seven: Declaring no traffic Zones in the city
Project Eight: Ban Vehicles with the age of 10 years and above from the roads.

PROJECT APPRAISAL
Project Screening
Once the projects has been brainstormed. Screening has to be done on all the Projects. To help
ease the screening process, a screening criteria has to be developed. For example, the above
projects can be screened based on the following Criteria;-
a) Effectiveness of the idea to achieve objective.
b) Costs of the proposal
c) Ease of Implementation.
d) Time needed.
These lists of Criteria are not exhaustive. You can develop your own criteria for screening the
project ideas.
Note: Screening can be compared with the Interview Process where Applications are called for
openly (Same as Idea generation), then Candidates are shortlisted based on certain
selection criteria (Screening). The selected candidates are then subjected to an Interview
(Detailed Appraisal).
Scale of Evaluation
Once the different screening Criteria are developed, A scale has to be developed upon which each
project shall be screened.
For Example; A Scale where