On 7–8 October, a two-day training course “From Project Idea to Concept: Working on the KROKUS Platform” will be held in Lviv for representatives of regional development agencies.

The participants will work on their own project ideas: from identifying the problem and its causes to preparing a comprehensive project concept, a timeframe, and an indicative budget. At the end of the training, the agencies will present the project concepts they have developed.

KROKUS IT training platform was created by the Swiss-Ukrainian “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development” (UCORD) Project. The project is implemented with the support of Switzerland, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, by NIRAS Sweden AB.

The platform provides users with a step-by-step guide to developing a project idea and concept. It helps users to structure their concept and consider the links between the problem, target groups, objectives, planned actions and expected outcomes. It also helps them to take into account risks and the necessary resources. An AI assistant provides support throughout the process, and the final document can be downloaded in Word or PDF format.

The quality of project solutions is of fundamental importance for regional development. Through projects, the strategic priorities of the regions can be transformed into tangible changes: economic and employment growth, infrastructure regeneration, accessible services, and support for people, and territories. Hence, it is important that project concepts meet the region’s needs, follow a clear logic, and have a realistic path to implementation.

‘A high-quality project is part of a comprehensive regional development system. A strong regional development project is not merely a response to a specific problem or need of the area. It is important to understand how the proposed solution contributes to achieving the region’s strategic goals, who should be partners in its implementation, what resources are required, and where funding can be attracted. We want regional development agencies to become centres where communities can receive not just a template for drafting a project, but professional support every step of the way – from the initial idea to a well-planned, collaborative, and financially viable project. KROKUS provides a common framework and a practical tool for this, but most importantly, it helps to develop strategic thinking: to see the connection between the needs of the territory, the region’s priorities, partnerships, resources, and concrete outcomes for people,’ said Maryna Bryl, UCORD Project Leader.

One of the objectives of the training is to strengthen the capacity of regional development agencies (RDAs) to act as centres of expertise in their respective regions. Upon completion of the training, the participants will be able not only to develop project concepts independently, but also to pass on this knowledge to community representatives and other regional stakeholders.

‘Regional development agencies should be the driving force behind a strategic approach to project work in the regions. It is important for the region that every project idea stems from strategic priorities, is based on real data, and clearly explains what impact it will have on people, communities, and the local economy. Therefore, during the training, we will focus not only on the technical aspects of using the platform, but also on the content: how to distinguish a problem from a lack of a solution, how to correctly identify target groups, how to avoid weaknesses in the concept and prepare it for the next step – drafting a project proposal and seeking funding,’ said Olena Nyzhnyk, Head of UCORD Component 1 “Regional Development”.

The programme will cover working with project logic, stakeholder analysis, a tree of problems and objectives, a logical framework matrix, performance indicators, risks, and the budget. Special attention will be paid to the peer review of the concepts developed and the exchange of views on the experience gained during the testing of the KROKUS platform.

‘The platform does not create a project instead of a person, nor does it relieve anyone of responsibility for its content. Its value lies in the fact that it prevents users from skipping over the most important questions: what exactly is the problem, what are its causes, who will be affected by the changes, and how to verify that these changes have actually taken place. The AI assistant asks clarifying questions, explains terms in plain language, and helps maintain a logical connection between problems, objectives, actions, and results. However, the best results are achieved when the user consciously works through each point and understands what they are doing, for whom and why,’ emphasised Viacheslav Toporov, a national expert on content development and quality assurance of the KROKUS platform.

Representatives of regional development agencies from all over Ukraine will take part in the training. The trainers and facilitators will be experts from UCORD and representatives of the regional development agencies of Rivne and Sumy regions.

The event is intended to be the next step in building a network of experts capable of developing competitive project concepts that align with the strategic development priorities of the regions and can become the basis for full project proposals and attracting funding.