My experience with large projects has been more unfavorable than favorable. They often suffer from delays due to staffing issues, poor coordination, and slow decision-making. This leads to underspending, under-delivery, and potential time extensions (more staff and overhead costs) which impacts the project’s cost efficiency. Additionally, I often see project leads in large projects too invested in telling what they are doing (publicity of project activities - social media, workshops, etc.), aiming to appease donors for future funding, rather than focusing on the project's ultimate outcomes. While this occurs in many projects, large ones have more resources for such distractions. I agree with others that large projects often take a top-down approach, making them less responsive to local needs. While large projects attract political attention, I've seen political interests derail project approval and implementation.
While the term "large project" is relative, depending on duration, size, and beneficiary distribution, I find large projects problematic when they involve too many components, leading to a lack of focus. In contrast, a modest project with a clear focus and a limited set of complementary interventions, I think is often more effective.
Finally, as development funding becomes scarcer under the current aid landscape, it is crucial to incorporate cost-effectiveness analysis into impact evaluations—an often overlooked element.
United States of America
SHRINIWAS GAUTAM
Research Scientist
Pulte Institute for Global Development
Posted on 09/04/2025
My experience with large projects has been more unfavorable than favorable. They often suffer from delays due to staffing issues, poor coordination, and slow decision-making. This leads to underspending, under-delivery, and potential time extensions (more staff and overhead costs) which impacts the project’s cost efficiency. Additionally, I often see project leads in large projects too invested in telling what they are doing (publicity of project activities - social media, workshops, etc.), aiming to appease donors for future funding, rather than focusing on the project's ultimate outcomes. While this occurs in many projects, large ones have more resources for such distractions. I agree with others that large projects often take a top-down approach, making them less responsive to local needs. While large projects attract political attention, I've seen political interests derail project approval and implementation.
While the term "large project" is relative, depending on duration, size, and beneficiary distribution, I find large projects problematic when they involve too many components, leading to a lack of focus. In contrast, a modest project with a clear focus and a limited set of complementary interventions, I think is often more effective.
Finally, as development funding becomes scarcer under the current aid landscape, it is crucial to incorporate cost-effectiveness analysis into impact evaluations—an often overlooked element.