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Sauder Unlimited. MABAL:
A Project Management Tool
Finding the right starting point for any project can be overwhelming and is often a point where
common mistakes can be made. Taking even a small amount of time before you dive in and
making thoughtful and intentional choices will ensure you deliver a project that meets your
organizations needs, but also is as stress free as possible.
A successful project (both in terms of impact and execution) has the right “fit” of with the
organization’s goals, and participants/members/stake holder’s expectations.
In addition successful projects also identify barriers that may inhibit participation and
ultimately success. The MABAL model is a five-step project management tool that can be used
from beginning to end of a project. Compliment it with the Onion, Foot stepping and RACI to
ensure clarity of responsibility for all logistical needs.
M ission - What do you want to achieve by programming?
Audience – Who are you working towards impacting?
Barriers - What will stand in your way?
Action Pan - What you will actually do?
Logistics - How you actually do it?
M : M ission
The mission you work with serves two purposes. It acts as both a starting point when you are
planning and an evaluation tool. Your mission keeps you on track and make sure you are
accomplishing what your goals.
A: Audience
Audience is anyone who will be impacted by your project that might include attendees to an
event, community stakeholders, potential sponsors, members, volunteers etc. Each
stakeholder that you impact has different and unique needs. To effectively anticipate these
needs will help position yourself in advance with the focus on others’ and thus building buy in,
a feeling of value and ideally satisfaction with your work.
B: Barriers
Barriers are the elements that stand in your way and place limits on your programming
options. There are two types of barriers:
1. Hard Barriers
Tangible elements you cannot change and apply equally to all attendees. You are
usually aware of hard barriers during your planning process.
Examples include: Regulations, Location, Capacity, Cost, Time and Support
(equipment, staff, resources, volunteers).
2. Soft Barriers
These are unique to attendees and are not always visible or tangible, but must be
considered during the planning process.
Sauder Unlimited. Examples include: Sexuality, Culture, Past Experiences, Physical Ability, Age, Maturity,
Language, Expectations and Other Invisible Boundaries.
A: Action Plan
The first three stages ‘MAB’, Mission, Attendees, and Barriers are the groundwork. Once you
reach the action plan stage you are ready to begin brainstorming and choose the approach that
best meets your ‘MAB’. Use the objective chart below to determine which option is the best
one to choose based on your MAB.
L: Logistics
This is the final piece of the puzzle. And the actual doing. Once you have selected your
approach and option, you now need to operationalize your action plan. The logistics are all
the steps from beginning to end of any project. Logistics include all elements of the process,
from setting up meetings to determining and assigning to-do assignments. With every project
or event there are literally layers of complexity to work through. Use the Onion Method, and
Foot stepping to ensure a seamless project experience.
Seldom do you do anything in isolation so be sure to clarify roles and responsibilities using the
RACI model.
45 of the 1 million things to consider when event planning
1. Facility Layout – have a map
2. Movement of people to, at and from the
event
3. How the event runs
4. Communicating event details to participants
5. Audio Visual requirements
6. Back up for Audio Visual
7. Rain Alternative
8. Emergency Plans
9. Fire Exits and Evacuation
10. Food and Water availability
11. Set up Plan & Take down plan
12. Equipment pick up, storage, return + set up
13. Leader training prior to the event
14. Leader assignment – who will be doing what
15. Leader responsibility at the event
16. Leader rotation at the event
17. Leader plans in the event leaders do not
show up
18. Plans if an activity doesn’t work
19. Plan if activity is boring
20. Event Details – the what and the why
21. Critical Paths developed
22. Creativity within the event
23. Media invites
24. Guest Appearances
25. Inviting Administration
26. Incorporating your theme
27. Maintaining Budget
28. Signage at the Event
29. Directions to the event
30. Traffic Concerns
31. Site Check prior to the event
32. Meetings with the facility manager
33. Confirming equipment and facility
34. Approval of advisors
35. Sponsorship requirements
36. Electrical needs – extension cords, outlets,
etc
37. Music at the event
38. Photographing and video taping the event
39. Decorating, signage, directions
40. Refreshments
41. Prizes and contests, Scoring and wrap up
42. Food alternatives – something for everyone
43. Backup plans
44. Backup plans for your backup plans
45. Finally - backup plans for the backup plans
of the
backup plans
(adapted from University of Waterloo and University of Calgary, 2001 )
Sauder Unlimited. The Objective Chart
W hat is it?
The Objective Chart is a tool which assists in the decision making process. By individually
ranking possible activities against a weighted set of criteria, the project manager can develop
an understanding of what approach will best meet their goals.
How to create a Objective Chart
1. Revisit your MAB – (Mission, Audience, and Barriers)
2. Create a list of 10 questions that will be consistent with areas you have identified in
your mission?
a. Example: Will the activity meet the mission?
b. Will the activity be appealing to the attendees?
c. Can it be implemented for less than $300? – addressing the cost barrier
d. Can it be adapted to be physically inclusive? – addressing the physical
disability soft barrier
3. Rank you questions in order of importance – 10 being the most important, 1 being the
lease important.
4. Look at each event in terms of each question individually and rank the event on a scale
of (-3 to + 3)
a. Example Question – Can the event be implemented for $300?
• Score of –3 would indicate that it would cost much more than $300 to plan
the event
• Score of 0 would indicate that it could be implemented for approximately
$300
• Score of 3 would indicate the event could be implemented for much less than
$300
5. Multiply the score of each question by the question rank.
6. Total the scores for each question for each option.
7. The option or approach with the highest score is your winner. If you events are tied –
take the event that has received higher scores in the more important questions.
(Modified by Alyson Woloshyn, Special Events/Orientation Coordinator, University of Waterloo.
Original source Recreation and Leisure Studies 220 Program Management and Evaluation).
Sauder Unlimited. Sample Objective Chart:
Objectives:
Options:
Rank
A:
Score
Total
B:
Score
Total
C:
Score
Will this activity
meet the mission?
Will it be
implemented within
budget?
Has it been adapted
to meet our soft
barriers?
Is the location
suitable?
Are there any
conflicts on the date
we chose?
Can equipment be
secured?
Is the event
inclusive?
Will this sell out?
TOTAL
1.
Rank each objective, using the value once, based on its importance in your event
planning where 10 is the highest and 1 is the lowest priority.
2. Score each event in its ability to meet the objective where (-3) does not meet objective
(0) meets objective (3) surpasses objective. Use any value
3. Multiply the score of each question by the question rank.
4. Total the scores for each question for each option.
Total