Launch of the New Directive Process

2010-01-29 Today, David and I are very pleased to announce that Management Board has approved the first major rollout of the Business Modernization Initiative: the Agencys new Directive Project Business Process. We are formally committing to adopt a significantly simpler, faster and smarter approach to the initiation, design and contracting of all directive projects. This new process aims to ensure that funds are available sooner to undertake critical development projects and that CIDA staff are enabled to direct their energies on more productive work. In the coming weeks, further information, including schedules for training and skills enhancement, will be posted on Entre Nous. We are already seeing the results of the new process. The first prototype, the Jordan School and Directorate Improvement Project, has just been approved by the Minister and will soon be posted on MERX. This project took 12 months from initiation to approval by the Minister. Three more prototypes are well advanced. The launch of the new directive process is a critical building block in the Agencys strategic priority of excellence in management and program delivery. The new process replaces the long and cumbersome approach that has evolved over the years, with a streamlined and more effective process that is: faster: it reduces the average time to develop and launch a directive project from 43 months to 9 -15 months; smarter: it is based on a team approach that involves the right people at the right time, and maximizes the use of CIDAs talented staff ; and better: it embeds quality assurance throughout the process. All new directive projects, from all Branches, will use this new process effective April 1, 2010. This also applies to existing projects that are still early in the project concept stage. For example, the Geographic Programs Branchs Business Investment Review Committee will review all directive projects currently under development to determine which should switch to the new process to save time and improve quality. The new directive process is also another step in moving towards a new way of working between HQ and the field. It will involve a heightened level of real-time, simultaneous collaboration between field and headquarters based on enhanced communications and IM/IT infrastructure. It is built on a team-based approach, with members drawn from across the Agency, including corporate branches, according to competencies and relevant accountabilities required. The team is accountable for project development and process due diligence; the program director is accountable for the project; and directors-general and vice-presidents are accountable for setting the strategic direction in country and thematic frameworks. We would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the Geographic Process Secretariat team for their excellent work in driving this initiative and to members of the corporate branches who have participated in and facilitated this initiative. We look forward to a whole new generation of directive projects that will reflect our vision of being among the most effective, efficient and accountable development agencies in the world.