Are you involved in projects? If the answer is yes, this article is for you. Even if the answer is no, this article is still a good read and might help you achieve your goals and objectives. The logical framework method is a way to make sure short term objectives ties down to the long term objectives.

Why is it needed?

Despite sounding like a simple process, even with a solid strategy in place for your organization or even your own work, it's still difficult to support the strategy when thinking about short term objectives, which are mainly carried out through projects and/or operations. Somewhere along the line, someone drops a baton, and a computer vendor could end up selling ice cream. Such a business venture, although a worthy cause (who doesn't like ice cream?) will not help their long term strategies.

Another example. I've a long term vision of becoming a writer and making a relatively favourable revenue off of it. My short term objectives should be things such as writing blogs, reading other articles and so on. But somewhere along the line, I could end up writing programming code or try my hands at graphics designing, but ultimately, my writing will not improve. (Both those things happened, by the way).

Logical framework method

That right there, in all of it's glory is the logical framework method. Its two step brainstorming process that includes a forward pass from left to right and a backward pass for verification purposes. It's a good idea to use this method during the project formulation stage, just to be sure that projects are not standalone ideas that doesn't help the organization in the long run

The logical framework method starts by assuming that there are strategic objectives that are needed to be supported by projects. Once a strategy of importance is identified, the benefits required should be identified to support the strategic objective. Once benefits are identified, the next step is to identify the deliverables of achieving this benefit. The next step is identifying what needs to be done to achieve these deliverables. At the end a number of viable projects can be listed to support a strategic objective of the organization

This isn’t the last step of the LFM. The forward pass is now complete and now it’s time to make sure that these projects really align to the strategic objective. The first step of the backward pass in LFM is to ask why projects are needed. Identifying the deliverables, the next step is to identify why these deliverables are needed. Once the benefits are fully understood, the last step is to ask why these benefits are needed. If the strategic alignment initially foreseen for these projects is still identifiable, as far as LFM is concerned, these are all viable projects

It is usually a good idea to involve different people in the forward and backward pass and to involve different people. LFM is a great tool in assisting a sometimes vague notion of project formulation and initiation.

Note: Parts of this article are sourced from this article, written by me for my website