Work Packages (WPs), an essential component of Horizon Europe projects, provide a concrete roadmap for implementing the activities planned throughout a project. Their structure must therefore be designed to be optimal, operational, and consistent with sound project management principles.
In this article, Euronovia shares its tips for drafting a credible and convincing Implementation section for evaluators.
Before you begin, always keep in mind the concepts outlined in the methodology, but remember that WPs should explain the “what,” while the “how” and “why” are better addressed in the Excellence section.
Take the time to define the objectives of the WPs
The objectives of the Work Package must be defined in a clear and structured manner to ensure the effectiveness of the work to be carried out. They must be SMART:
• Specific, to clearly define the problem or need that the WP addresses;
• Measurable, to enable the evaluation and monitoring of progress toward the desired outcomes;
• Achievable, meaning realistic given the available resources, skills, and deadlines;
• Relevant to ensure consistency with the project’s specific objectives;
• Time-bound with precise deadlines to enable effective planning of actions and tracking of their progress.
💡Euronovia’s tips: Thinking through your objectives is a crucial step; it requires time and careful consideration. Even after drafting an initial version, allow yourself to change the structure, order, or duration of the WPs to create a Work Plan that aligns with the call for proposals.
Describe your work in a clear and organized manner
Each work package (WP) consists of numbered tasks that must include:
• A clear title
• A task lead: designate a leader, then identify the partners involved
• A specific duration (start and end months). Once your first draft is finalized, take a step back and review all the tasks, verifying the consistency of durations and their sequence. The Gantt chart is an excellent tool for visualizing the progress of the work plan, identifying potential overlaps or “gaps” in the schedule, and ensuring that key milestones align with reporting periods
• A consistent number of person-months (PM) per task
• A concrete description of the activities performed, noting interdependencies with other tasks and WPs
Generally speaking, 3 to 5 tasks are sufficient to effectively describe a WP. Adding too many tasks reduces clarity. Finally, be sure to build balanced and coherent Work Packages: a significant disparity in workload, for example, one WP requiring 80 PM versus another at 5 PM, can undermine the proposal’s credibility.
💡Euronovia’s tips: Prioritize action verbs: “design, develop, validate, test, operate, model, analyze…” They allow the evaluator to immediately identify the concrete nature of the proposed work.
Don’t overlook deliverables and milestones
There is often confusion between deliverables and milestones. Deliverables mark the completion of a project phase and must be tangible (report, product, software, database). Milestones are key checkpoints that correspond to verifiable success criteria.
Go back to your Gantt chart and plot your deliverables and milestones on it. This visualization allows you to quickly verify that the announced dates align with the actual duration of tasks: a deliverable should logically be completed at the end (or at a key stage) of the task it represents, and a milestone should correspond to a realistic decision or validation point given the planned progress. In practice, this check helps ensure that deliverables do not fall behind the reverse schedule and enhances the credibility of your work plan.
💡Euronovia’s tips : Avoid an excessive number of deliverables and milestones. The primary goal is to demonstrate the overall consistency of the implementation. Some tasks may legitimately have neither a deliverable nor a milestone.
Anticipate risks and identify mitigation measures
For each WP, it is also essential to:
- Identify the main technical and organizational risks
- Assess their probability and impact
- Propose credible mitigation measures
This analysis strengthens the project’s robustness and reassures evaluators regarding its operational feasibility.
In conclusion, Euronovia recommends paying particular attention to the development of the work plan. Once finalized, it provides a clear vision of the project and facilitates informed participation by partners in the project’s implementation. Find our writing tips for the final section of the Implementation (Section 3.2): How to build a winning consortium for Horizon Europe projects – Euronovia Conseil.
Lump Sum specificity: A long-term work package (e.g. “management” or “communication”) can be broken down by reporting period to allow for interim payments rather than a single payment at the end of the project. This helps to spread out funding throughout the project.
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