Evaluating proposals - some useful questions

All proposals are naturally about achieving a better future and are usually presented as "good ideas". Business regularly does due diligence before undertaking major projects. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for education. Before proceeding with any significant initiative it could be worth considering following

Sample Questions

1. What differences will we notice if this proposal is successful?
2. What small scale evidence supports the proposal?
3. What is necessary for the proposal to succeed?
4. What is sufficient for the proposal to succeed?
5. How does the proposal integrate with our key purposes, processes, the present culture, and other historical, current and future initiatives?
6. Where is it already happening?
7. What will be the costs of any failure?
8. Will it be safe to fail? 
9. What responses will be made to those situations where the proposal does not work? 
10. Can the proposal be easily reversed or abandoned at any stage? 
11. What is the expected cost of implementing the proposal? (Costs mat include include losses and waste in terms of finance, time, energy, expertise, disruption, deterioration, resources, expertise, social capital,….)
12. Will the outcomes be sustainable ? Will they require substantial ongoing support and maintenance?
13. Are we ready, at this time, to undertake this proposal?
14. Is there a better, cheaper, less disruptive and safer way to achieve the same outcomes?

Three Key Questions
Working through the above (or similar questions) collaboratively will enable consensus to be reached on three key questions:

1. Is it desirable (and for whom)?
2. Is it possible (and by what method)?
3. Is it feasible (and in what time frame)?