PORTFOLIO OF EVIDENC
ADVANCE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
BONGUMUSA DUMISANI MELKEZEDECK
2/16/24 AMDP
DANIEL NGOBESE
ADVANCED MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Module 1
Due Date: 15 January 2024
Dr BDMD Ngobese
1.1
- The vision of the department is "to improve the quality of health and well-being of
all people in the providing needs based, people centred, equitable health care
delivery system through an integrated network of health care services provided by a
cadre of dedicated and well skilled Health Workers (Mpumalanga Department of
Health)."⁵
- The mission of the department is "to provide optimal health services for all persons
in Mpumalanga province in a caring and humane manner (Mpumalanga Department
of Health)."⁵
- The strategic objectives (Department of Health) of the department which are
aligned with the national health priorities and the provincial development plan. They
include:
- Improving access to quality health care services
- Strengthening health system governance and leadership
- Enhancing human resources for health
- Promoting health and wellness
- Reducing the burden of disease and improving health outcomes
- Strengthening health information systems and research
- Improving financial management and accountability
- Enhancing intersectoral collaboration and social mobilization (South African
Legislative Sector)³
- The constitutional mandate of the department is derived from Section 27 of the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Which states that "everyone has the
right to have access to health care services, including reproductive health care;
sufficient food and water; and social security, including, if they are unable to support
themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance (Department of
Social Development)."⁸ The department also has to comply with the national and
provincial legislation and policies that regulate the health sector, such as the National
Health Act, the Public Finance Management Act, the Mpumalanga Health Care Act,
and the Mpumalanga Health Care Amendment Act (South African Legislative
Sector)³.
References
(1) Department of Health. [Link]
%[Link].
(2) Strategic Plan - Department of Health.
[Link]
(3) Constitutional Mandate | South African Legislative Sector.
[Link]
(4) Department of Health. [Link]
(5) Department of Health. [Link]
(6) Department of Health. [Link]
%[Link].
(7) About the Legislature - Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature - [Link].
[Link]
(8) Department of Social Development. [Link]
1.2
To communicate the Mpumalanga department of health strategy to the lower
division, I can use the following steps:
1. Prepare to plan by analysing the stakeholder involvement in the planning
process. Identify who are the key stakeholders for Ir division and how they can
participate effectively and contribute to the planning. Explain the purpose and
benefits of the planning process and get their commitment.
2. Set objectives for Ir division that are aligned with the vision, mission and strategic
objectives of the department. Make sure the objectives are SMART (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). Communicate the objectives
clearly and get feedback from the stakeholders.
3. Develop premises by making assumptions about the future conditions that may
affect the planning. Consider both internal and external factors, such as resources,
policies, technology, environment, etc. Use forecasts, existing plans, past policies,
etc. as sources of information. Make the premises consistent and realistic.
4. Identify alternatives by brainstorming different ways to achieve the objectives.
Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative and how they fit with the
premises. Be creative and innovative in generating alternatives.
5. Evaluate alternatives by comparing them in terms of their feasibility, suitability,
acceptability, and desirability. Use criteria such as costs, benefits, risks,
opportunities, etc. to assess each alternative. Rank the alternatives according to
their scores.
6. Choose an alternative by selecting the best one based on the evaluation. Justify
Ir choice with evidence and logic. Explain how the chosen alternative will help
achieve the objectives and address the premises. Get approval from the
stakeholders and the department.
7. Formulate supporting plans by breaking down the chosen alternative into
smaller and more detailed plans. Specify the activities, tasks, responsibilities,
resources, timelines, etc. for each plan. Assign roles and responsibilities to the staff
and stakeholders. Coordinate the plans with other divisions and the department.
8. Establish sequence of activities by arranging the plans in a logical order. Use
tools such as Gantt charts, network diagrams, etc. to show the sequence and
interdependence of the activities. Identify the critical path and the milestones.
Monitor and control the progress of the activities.
References
(1) Planning Process: 8 Important Steps of Planning, Videos and Examples.
[Link]
(2) Section 3: How to use the basic planning steps.
[Link]
(3) 8 Main Steps Involved in Planning Process - Business Management Ideas.
[Link]
planning-process/3408.
(4) Planning Process: 8 Steps To Create an Effective Plan - iEduNote.
[Link]
1.3
Project planning for the Mpumalanga health sub directorate.
To align the Mpumalanga health sub directorate with the department's strategy, I will
need to follow the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), which is a results-based
method for planning and analysing interventions in international development¹. The
LFA consists of four main steps: stakeholder analysis, problem analysis, objective
analysis, and strategy analysis. In each step, I will need to involve the participation of
the sub directorate staff, the department officials, the provincial and national
authorities, the beneficiaries, and the partners.
The operational plan is a document that describes how the project will be
implemented, monitored, and evaluated. It links the strategic objectives of the project
with the sub directorate goals and objectives, and specifies the activities, resources,
responsibilities, and timeframes for each result. The operational plan should be
based on the project planning matrix, which is a summary of the project design and
logic.
To ensure participation using the LFA, I will need to conduct participatory workshops,
meetings, consultations, and surveys with the different stakeholders at each step of
the project planning. I will also need to use participatory tools and techniques, such
as brainstorming, problem tree, objective tree, SWOT analysis, stakeholder
mapping, etc. I will need to document the process and the outcomes of the
participation, and share them with the stakeholders for feedback and validation.
Some of the planned activities to ensure participation are:
- Conduct a stakeholder analysis workshop to identify and analyse the interests,
expectations, and roles of the stakeholders in relation to the project.
- Conduct a problem analysis workshop to identify and prioritise the main problems
and causes that affect the health sector in Mpumalanga, and the sub directorate in
particular.
- Conduct an objective analysis workshop to formulate and rank the objectives that
the project aims to achieve, based on the problem analysis.
- Conduct a strategy analysis workshop to select the best strategy to achieve the
objectives, and to define the results, activities, indicators, and assumptions of the
project.
- Conduct a project planning matrix workshop to summarise the project design and
logic in a matrix format, and to assign the responsibilities and resources for each
result and activity.
- Conduct a monitoring and evaluation workshop to define the indicators, sources of
verification, and methods for measuring and reporting the progress and impact of the
project.
- Conduct regular follow-up meetings and consultations with the stakeholders to
monitor and review the implementation of the project, and to address any issues or
challenges that may arise.
- Conduct a final evaluation workshop to assess the achievements and lessons
learned from the project, and to provide recommendations for future actions.
To identify the training needs for the business unit to provide support for the strategy,
I will need to conduct a training needs assessment (TNA), which is a systematic
process of identifying and analysing the gaps between the current and desired
knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the sub directorate staff. The TNA should be
based on the objectives and requirements of the project, as well as the performance
and competencies of the staff.
Some of the steps to conduct a TNA are:
- Define the purpose and scope of the TNA, and the target group of the staff who
need the training.
- Collect and analyse data on the current and desired performance and
competencies of the staff, using methods such as interviews, questionnaires,
observations, tests, etc.
- Identify and prioritise the training needs and gaps, and the causes and
consequences of the gaps.
- Design and propose the training objectives, content, methods, and resources,
based on the training needs and gaps, and the available resources and
opportunities.
- Evaluate and revise the training proposal, and present it to the stakeholders for
approval and support.
References
(1) What is the logical framework approach? - tools4dev.
[Link]
(2) Logical Framework Approach Project Planning - DFFE.
[Link]
proach_projectplanning.pdf.
(3) Logical Framework Approach - Wikipedia.
[Link]