A. MANAGING SHORT TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Effective technical assistance leads to positive changes and action. Info rmation on managing technical assistance is crucial to make sure that problems associated with short-term consultancies are avoided and that organizations obtain the maximum return on their investment in TA. Some of the common problems identified with the planning and management of technical assistance or short-term consultancies include:

• Unclear terms of reference (ToR)
• Poor assignment preparation
• Poorly defined objectives and work-plans
• Inefficient assignment tracking and overall weak monitoring

These problems often undermine the objectives of the project which can be costly in terms of time and money.

B. STEPS TO EFFECTIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MANAGEMENT

The TSF Southern African promotes a four step approach to effective assignment management. The TSF offers services to both clients and consultants that ensure that the four stages of assignment management are complete thus laying the basis for assignment success. The TSF Southern Africa four steps to assignment management are:

Step 1: Preparing for short term technical assistance

Completing this step correctly will make a huge difference to the likely success of an assignment. It includes thinking ahead about your objectives and needs for technical assistance, ensuring ownership by key stakeholders and preparing realistic terms of reference.

Step 2: Matching the assignment with a consultant

This step involves how to select and quality-assure consultants, and the importance of a good contract.

Step 3: Managing the assignment

The TSF provides checklists to assignment managers to help with all aspects of assignment management. This includes preparatory work prior to the consultant arriving on assignment and monitoring when a consultant is on assignment.

Step 4: Reviewing output and implications for the way forward

Step 4 should be part of the planning that will take place in Step 1! It is essential that a process is in place to take forward the output of an assignment. It is very frustrating for both the client and the consultant when recommendations or other changes fail to happen.

Each of these steps comprises of a set of important activities. These important activities are discussed in our publications "A Guide to short term technical assistance for consultants working in the HIV and AIDS environment" written for consultants and "A Guide To Short- Term Technical Assistance Management For HIV And AIDS Programmes Written For Project Managers And Organisations Using The Services Of Consultants" written for country partners and clients of the TSF Southern Africa. In these guides there are user-friendly checklists to ensure that you have completed all the essential tasks.

To find out about a TSF orientation workshop discussing these steps to assignment management happening in your country then click here.