CARE's Project Design Handbook

This guide introduces a conceptual framework, or roadmap, to program and project planning. It is designed to help development practitioners understand the process of design specifically as it relates to development assistance promoted by CARE. The terminology and stages of design that will be presented are consistent with CARE’s Impact Evaluation Initiative Guidelines and the CI Project Standards that offer norms and practices that will help programmers design projects for impact using CARE frameworks.

The rationale for this guide to project design is simple. CARE wants to place more of the responsibility for project design into the hands of its own personnel, partners and participants, rather than relying too heavily on outside consultants. Well-designed projects are crucial to the operation of development organizations and must be carefully crafted in such a way that the desired beneficiaries realize the intended effects and impacts.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with a general understanding of project design procedures and with several new skills that can improve the quality of the programs and projects that you take part in designing. The skills and knowledge gained by using this handbook should also help you better understand the projects and programs you are currently implementing or evaluating, thus contributing to overall program quality and effectiveness.