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Enhancing Project Management with P3.express at World Vision Sri Lanka
Contributor: Kesavan Sreeharan
This case study explores why and how World Vision Sri Lanka is adopting the P3.express project management methodology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its development programs.
Commitment to Impact
World Vision Sri Lanka, a branch of the global child-focused NGO, has been dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable children, families, and communities in Sri Lanka since 1977. Operating in 27 locations across 14 districts, World Vision Sri Lanka serves nearly 100,000 children, advocating for their well-being through various programs that span health and nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), economic development, and child protection. With a strong commitment to addressing poverty and injustice, the organization continues to evolve its strategies to maximize its impact.
The organization oversees approximately 450 projects, divided across 30 long-term area programs, supported by 450 internal employees and around 500 external staff. As part of this ongoing effort, effective project management plays a critical role in helping World Vision Sri Lanka meet its ambitious goals. Recognizing the need for efficient, adaptive systems to streamline project processes, the organization sought a solution that would simplify project management while maintaining high levels of accountability and communication. This led to the introduction of P3.express within several of their ongoing initiatives.
Approach to Development
World Vision Sri Lanka’s work is centred around addressing the challenges faced by vulnerable communities, incorporating essential elements such as environmental stewardship, gender equity, disability inclusion, and social cohesion into every program.
A critical aspect of World Vision Sri Lanka’s operations is collaborating with external donors to finance every project. Stringent guidelines require no more than 10% of the budget to be allocated to management activities, making efficient project management essential. This financial constraint necessitates an approach that maximizes resources while maintaining the high standards donors and stakeholders expect.
Given the complexity and evolving nature of community needs, as well as the limited budget for management activities, the organization’s approach to development is inherently dynamic. As such, project management methodologies must be flexible enough to adapt to the shifting contexts of the regions served. P3.express, with its straightforward and streamlined processes, proved to be an ideal choice to meet this need, offering a structured yet adaptable approach to managing projects.
The decision to implement P3.express was driven by World Vision Sri Lanka’s desire for a simplified project management methodology that could enhance communication and coordination across diverse teams and stakeholders. As Kesavan Sreeharan shared, “We needed a system that could bring clarity to our project teams and stakeholders without overwhelming them with complexity. P3.express offered the right balance of structure and flexibility.”
The initial adoption of P3.express began with a pilot phase, focusing on select projects to test and evaluate the methodology’s effectiveness. Teams, including key stakeholders from local NGO partners, participated in training sessions to familiarize themselves with the framework. As Kesavan noted, “The early-stage adoption allows us to integrate the methodology gradually, making adjustments as we go along. It gives us the confidence to scale its use across more projects.”
Key Benefits of P3.express for NGOs
Managing projects in an NGO setting often involves navigating challenges such as coordinating multiple stakeholders, managing limited resources, and adapting to changing external conditions. P3.express addresses these challenges by offering a simplified, step-by-step approach to project management.
The framework’s four key artefacts—Project Description, Deliverables Map, Follow-Up Register, and Health Register—provide a clear roadmap for managing project scope, timelines, and stakeholder engagement. As Kesavan Sreeharan pointed out, “The clarity that comes with using P3.express has allowed us to focus on the most critical aspects of project execution while remaining agile enough to respond to unforeseen changes.”
One of the primary benefits of adopting P3.express for World Vision Sri Lanka has been improved communication. The methodology encourages regular stakeholder meetings and proactive risk management, which has enhanced internal coordination and engagement with external partners. According to the project manager, “The focused communication and reminders of daily risk management have improved transparency and decision-making. We’re now more proactive in identifying issues before they escalate.”
Additionally, P3.express has enabled World Vision Sri Lanka to maintain greater agility in project execution. By breaking projects into manageable phases and focusing on key deliverables, teams can pivot more easily when unforeseen challenges arise, whether related to funding, local conditions, or shifting priorities.
Scaling the Success of P3.express for Long-Term Impact
The early success of P3.express in select projects has demonstrated its potential for broader application across World Vision Sri Lanka’s ongoing initiatives. As the organization continues to refine its project management practices, the scalability of P3.express offers significant promise for expanding its use across additional projects.
“The adoption of P3.express is part of our commitment to continuously improving how we deliver projects. It’s helping us to be more efficient and effective in achieving our mission to support vulnerable children and families across Sri Lanka,” concluded Kesavan Sreeharan.