Question

What are the two major shortcomings of using the Checklist approach to project selection?

Answer 1

The Checklist approach to project selection often falls short by not facilitating long-term need assessments and lacking systems for long-term follow-up evaluations, leading to projects that may not be sustainably planned or thoroughly supported by evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The two major shortcomings of using the Checklist approach to project selection include, first, the challenge in conducting long-term need and asset assessments which are crucial for planning sustainable programing and ensuring lasting impact. Many checklists are designed for short-term evaluations and may not have the mechanisms in place to assess the long-term viability and success of a project. Secondly, the Checklist approach often lacks the necessary systems to conduct long-term follow-up evaluations. This can lead to insufficient evidence to support the initial premises of the project, resulting in a lack of specific and substantiated facts, and sometimes unclear or unfocused project claims.

Without long-term evaluative measures, it becomes nearly impossible to quantify the perpetuity of a project's impact, leaving stakeholders with a superficial understanding of a project's true effectiveness. Additionally, a checklist might encourage a too general approach, not taking into account the unique aspects of each project, thereby making it difficult to adapt to unexpected challenges or changing environments.

Answer 2

The two major shortcomings of using the Checklist approach to project selection include the potential for oversimplification, where complex projects may be inadequately assessed, and subjectivity, as different individuals may interpret checklist criteria differently, leading to inconsistent project evaluations.

Step-by-step explanation:

While the Checklist approach offers a structured method for project selection, it has notable limitations. Firstly, the potential for oversimplification arises as complex projects may involve numerous factors that cannot be adequately captured by a checklist. Some critical aspects might be overlooked, leading to incomplete assessments and suboptimal project choices. Secondly, subjectivity becomes a concern as individuals involved in the project selection process may interpret checklist criteria differently. This subjectivity can result in inconsistent evaluations, where different stakeholders assign varying weights or importance to checklist items, impacting the overall objectivity and reliability of the selection process.