International Development Project Management: Principles of Best Practice

The Principles of Best Practice for Program Management were developed by the Bond Project Management Group.

It is a living document which functions as a self-assessment tool for organisations or teams running international development projects to review their project management practices. It can also be used to help design new project management toolkits, training or guidance.

The principles were designed as a high level reference guide, specifically with international development projects in mind, to ensure maintenance of best practice and quality throughout the project life cycle and to increase chances of project success.

The principles are methodology and tool agnostic and can be applied to any project. They can be used by new project managers who are in the early planning stages of their project and are looking to establish the project framework and processes; or they can be used by experienced project managers as a checklist reminder for establishing all the essential criteria required for best project management practice.

This tool is also useful as a checklist throughout your project to ensure that there is continuity of process and project quality for the duration of the project. The table lists all the criteria that the Bond Project Management Group have identified as essential to best practice project management, grouped into six categories.