Step 5 - Structure Your Project

Overview

In this stage you will draw together everything you found out so far in order to develop the framework of your project.

Why is this step important?

Structuring the planning of your project helps ensure clarity of what you do, and that everything relates to each other and creates a cohesive project. Having a structure also helps to justify your desired activities to potential funders and any concerned stakeholders. It is also very useful when you come to evaluate the impact of what you did.

The structure of structure

Structuring your project essentially involves three distinct stages; Vision, Aims and Objectives. These may at first sound similar but each plays a different role in the structure of a project, and you need to consider all three in an effective plan.

Consider them a pyramid. A vision, which is at the top of the pyramid is the most general statement then as you work your way down the statements get more and more specific until the objectives explain what the project will actually do.

Planning for the future

Although you will draw on the views and research you have so far in order to undertake this stage, at this point it is also worth taking into consideration how future project stages will pan out.

Writing an effective structure allows you to easily assess how far you have gone towards meeting these goals, so take time to consider your evaluation process whilst you are planning the structure of the project.
Click here to review stage 10 - Evaluation >>

It is also worth considering how you intend to market and promote your destination when you formulate the structure of the project, as who and how you market to will affect your vision, aims & objectives.
Click here to review stage 9 - Marketing >>

The process

Vision
In the context of community tourism, a vision is a statement about what your destination wants to become. All stakeholders should be able to identify with it and it should help them feel proud, excited, and part of something much bigger than themselves. A vision gives shape and direction to the destination’s future.

Visions range in length from a couple of words to several pages; the shorter it is, the easier it is to remember. Effective vision statements are clear, concise, catchy and memorable.

An example vision could be: “To maintain and support the economy of the village and ensure it remains a welcoming and vibrant place where people want to live, work and visit.”

The best way to develop a vision is through a visioning exercise. Visioning is a simple technique used to help groups think about what they want to achieve, by imagining their ideal future. It can help draw ideas from people in an imaginative way and identify your group’s main goal.

Aims
Aims are your overarching goals in undertaking the project. Aims are: broad, general, and cannot be directly measured. Aims define the general direction and form of the project, they take your vision and relate it to what you are actually intending to do.

An example aim could be: “To increase length of visitor stay, thereby bringing more money into the local economy”.

To compile your aims (and you may have several in any given project), simply look at what your research and data is telling you and write statement that covers the issues raised. Make sure the Aim relates to the vision, keep them short and simple. Finally it is worth noting the more aims you have the broader your evaluation will need to be down the line.

Objectives
Objectives are measurable targets you set, that enable you to translate your aims into specific activities. They illustrate specific targets and strategies that your project will follow, providing not only a measurable indicator of success but also lay out clearly what you need to do.

However, in order to effective and Objective needs to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time based).

An example objective could be: ‘“Increase the number of visitors staying for 1 night or more in the village by 50% by end of year 2.”

Objectives are best written considering the measurable element first, think about how much you want something to change by, then look at whether that can be achieved, then start to consider whether you have the resources. Once you define these three elements, then look at refining the statement so anyone can understand exactly what needs to be done. Finally place a deadline on completion of the objective.

Once you have your Vision, aims and objectives mapped out, it should make the process of deciding what activities to undertake very straightforward.

Where can I get more information?

For help on how to undertake visioning see:

www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/management/international/pdfs/visioning.pdf >>

Information on setting aims and objectives can be found in the HBSE Evaluation guide:

Download the HBSE Evaluation Toolkit as PDF (1.1mb) >>

A brief outline on aims and ‘SMART’ objectives is available at :

www.jisc.ac.uk/fundingopportunities/projectmanagement/planning/aims >>

Information on visioning can also be found in:

Tourism Guidance for Market Towns by Tourism South East (pdf file 4mb) >>

Downloads & More Help

If you require advice or guidance on any stage, why not consider working with Hidden Britain?

Go to Contact Form >>

Move onto the next stage

Click here to go to stage 6 >>

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