13+ Sample Project Concept Proposal

What is a Project Concept Proposal?

A project concept proposal is a compelling and well-structured document that presents a statement which provides a program or project its main idea, direction, depth and meaning and it is used to inform prospective clients and stakeholders about the project concept. It is an effective project management tool to sell a project and guide the clients and stakeholders in proper planning, thinking, reasoning, problem solving and decision making. Additionally, it includes a visual presentation of conceptual networks which involves the knowledge and connections of concepts.

Project managers and organizations merged different methodologies into hybrid approaches which are unique to the necessities of their specific project or industry. Project leaders and managers need to be more conscious of their current design thinking practice. According to a recent survey report, more than 50% of the polled manufacturers use a combination of different methodologies, indicating that those who utilize a hybrid approach also appear to be the most satisfied with their project management practices. Thus, if you are currently developing a certain project concept for your company or organization, the first thing you need to do is prepare an effective project concept proposal for your unique design project.

Different Types of Project Concept Proposals

Through their descriptive abilities and as building-blocks of theory for various projects, concepts serve integral functions in science, art, design and other fields. That’s why concept development is considered as a crucial scientific and design activity for many professionals in many companies and organizations. Berthold explained: “Because knowledge is continually developing, new concepts are being introduced, and accepted concepts continually being investigated and refined, concepts exist at various levels of development.” You need to consider what type of project concept proposal that you will use for the clients or stakeholders of your company or organization.  However, there are varying forms of project concepts around us in diverse aspects of fields and industries. Below are different types of project concept proposals:

1. Book Project Concept Proposal

A 2015 survey report showed that 47% of respondents had read books in the mystery/thriller/crime category that year. Then from 2017, nonfiction self-help books increased the most over the previous year by 18% while craft and hobby books decrease the most at 29%.  Today, many publishing agents and editors are determined to look for book projects that are high concept. What is a high concept? High concept is a story that can be pitched with a straight-to-the-point premise that draws high interests from literary agents, editors, and readers. Some of the qualities that high-concept book projects share are originality and uniqueness, super fascinating, emotionally focused, visual aesthetic, and audience interest. Authors and story writers need to do their best in developing high-concept ideas for their book projects by bringing out new characters with out-of-the-box background concepts, turning the plot with a unique bit of a twist which is never done before. Still, they have to write inspiring and meaningful stories and characters that evoke a wide array of emotions to the audience. So, it does not mean that writers should focus on out-of-this-world concepts but they can also develop concepts that are easy to communicate so that readers can clearly understand and get excited about what they are about to read in their stories. If you are an aspiring book author or published story writer, developing an effective concept proposal for your book project is one of the essential ways that you should be skilled in order to get your book or story approved and published by a media publishing firm. 

2. Fashion Collection Seasonal Project Concept Proposal

Gabriela Hearst said: “My commitment is to make a strong and modern collection without compromising my ethics and key values, taking into consideration where materials come from and who is making them—luxury with a conscience, or in other words, honest luxury.” Most fashion businesses produce seasonal fashion collections based on the annual cycle of selling seasons from spring/summer to autumn/winter. But due to the advances in supply chain management and rapid design systems utilized by fast fashion, there is a rise of inter-seasonal collections and pre-collections. Pre-collections are inter-season lines of ready-to-wear clothing like a resort wear collection or cruise collection that are designed and delivered to stores ahead of the mainline designer collections. The good thing about these collections is that buyers can buy wearable and affordable lines but not presented as part of the mainline fashion week runway presentations. John Hopkins wrote in the book Fashion Design: The Complete Guide that the process and cycle of designing a collection will depend on a company’s business model and market position. Many fashion companies produce wholesale collections while some produce retail collections. There are also more exclusive brands that will sometimes offer limited edition collections which are clothing or fashion products offered in limited quantities that can also generate marketing publicity for a brand. It is essential that you also create an appealing proposal for your fashion collection seasonal project so that your project may get an approval from the clothing manufacturer, and make them understand the overall flow of the fashion design process.

3. Forest Project Description and Concept Proposal

There are many forest projects being developed since last year with the purpose of restoring critical habitat for a range of threatened species. For example, there are organizations and foundations in Australia which have begun planting 200,000 trees on public and private land. That forest project aims to support local nurseries so that they are able to reconstruct infrastructure and support their communities in areas that have been damaged by the 2019/2020 bushfires. There’s also another forest project in Scotland as they began planting 116,400 trees which will be beneficial in restoring native woodlands to an area where deforestation happened many hundreds of years ago. Doing this will provide a wonderful habitat for animals, birds and plants. If you are a project manager for environmental preservation projects or someone who wants to lead a reforestation project in a certain area or location, it is important that you create a compelling forest project description and concept proposal in order to make the project come true.

4. Music Artist Project Concept Proposal

Are you working as a brand and concept designer and music producer for musical artists, bands, and other musicians in a music and entertainment label? If you want to form a unique band or group for a music label, you need to show your abilities in managing new artists and guiding them in their journey towards producing inspiring and sophisticated music that will definitely entice the public. Thus, writing down your ideas, concepts and vision about launching a new music artist project through a project concept proposal is crucial in laying the foundation for your goals, objectives and desired outcomes.

Basic Components of a Project Concept Proposal 

In this section, you will learn how to craft a proficiently-written project concept proposal so that you are able to catch the attention of your prospective clients and stakeholders. However, a proposal has different components. Include the following elements for you to create an impressive document:

Title: One of the significant elements of a project concept proposal is the title. It is an engaging line of the document which highlights the main topic, or subject of the project concept proposal, as well as to capture the the client, collaborator or stakeholder’s attention to read and accept the proposal. It is usually set in a size larger than other remaining text elements in the page.Description of Project Concept Goals and Objectives: Describe the project concept goals, objectives and desired outcomes that are integral in order to accomplish the overall project. Explain how your project management team will achieve the project goals and objectives. Executive Summary or Project Overview: This part is the fundamental section of your project concept proposal. It gives a brief and cohesive summary of the project concept methods, and strategies that will be executed while working on a particular project. Use some visual representations to depict the essence and flow of the project concept development process. Another aspect to incorporate in this section is the significance, implications and other contributions of the project concept. A Comprehensive Timeline of Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production Stages of the Project Concept: Construct a clear and detailed timeline of the activities, and methods based on their time period of the pre-production, production and post-production phases of the project concept. Use some graphs, tables, and other visual diagrams to illustrate the status and performance of the project. Accuracy, Conciseness and Precision: Aim on the priorities of your project concept. Write concisely and precisely with the inclusion of both short words and short sentences. Keep it as brief and specific as possible. Be accurate in your proposal writing.

How to Create a Project Concept Proposal 

Henry Price and Richard Rorty said that a concept is in a continuous state of tentativeness, whose significance, employment and application of a concept are always in flux. Its significance and evaluation of its importance are reflected in the clarity of its usage and in the depth of its application in several projects. So, concept development in project management is essential as it ensures a continuous process of analysis, redefinition and reinforcement. The conceptual stage in a project guides the reviewer of a proposal and the reader of a project report about the dimensions of knowledge concerning the overall project. A project concept proposal can effectively outline these important dimensions and elements. In this matter, we suggest that you follow the simple steps below while freely using one of our free project concept proposal templates in this article:

Step 1: Define Concept Goals, and Objectives

Bill Price said: “Goals produce focus. Without a goal, there is no reason to focus on anything. Think of a goal as a target.” Know about the needs and preferences of your clients so that you are able to define concept goals and objectives for the project.  Think carefully about the things you and your client greatly prioritize in the project, as well as the vision in achieving the project goals and objectives. In this way, you and your project team can focus on reaching your target.

Step 2: Construct a Simple Project Overview

Your project proposal should include a simple overview of your project. Describe your concept ideas through an interesting story as you detail the goals, objectives, steps and anticipated outcomes of your project. Be considerate to your clients or stakeholders. While outlining the project schedule, budget, resources and status.

Step 3: Showcase Solutions and Methodology

Discuss with your project team as you brainstorm and exchange opinions and concept ideas about innovative solutions and methodology to assess issues linked to your project. Then, include these details in your project concept proposal.

Step 4: Set the Project Timeline and Budget

Ask your clients and stakeholders the project requirements, especially their needs and preferences. Using those details, set an estimate of the financial budget of the project that you need in order to start the production and execution of the project. 

Step 5: Highlight the Significant Value

Point out the significant value of your project concept and why it is exceptional to other projects. Reiterate the part on how your creative project will immensely influence your clients and others while supporting their needs and preferences with the culmination of your project.  This is a crucial aspect for many associations, foundations, companies, institutions, and organizations as they opt for having partnerships with project managers who can really influence the people through a worthwhile project concept.

Step 6: Prepare the Final Draft

Put together all the important points as you are preparing the final draft of your project concept proposal. Attach any supporting documents for the project. Schedule a meeting with the members of your project team and/or the prospective client or company/organization who will have your project concept proposal. Then, proofread and revise your document so that you can submit your project concept proposal fully well.

FAQs

What are some effective ways to explain a concept?

In order to understand what is the definition of a concept, think of concepts as mental presentations, where concepts are entities that exist in the mind like mental objects. Also, concepts can be related to abilities as they are abilities unique to cognitive agents.

What are the 7 steps of project planning?

The 7 steps of project planning are considering the project plan as a roadmap for clients and stakeholders, disintegrating the project into a list of deliverables, having a careful and thorough discussion or meeting with the project development team, determining risks, creating a realistic budget, adding milestones, and setting progress reporting guidelines.

How to write a project description in a concept paper?

First, you need to create a summary of the project by writing a one- or two-paragraph explanation of what the project aims to achieve. Second, define the issue or opportunity and how the project will solve it. Third, identify clear goals and realistic project objectives. Lastly, explain your methodology in a brief and structured manner. 

What are some examples of project concept proposals?

Some examples of project concept proposals are book project concept proposal, fashion collection seasonal project concept proposal, forest project description and concept proposal, music and artist project concept proposal, event film and video production project concept proposal, animation video project concept proposal, room interior design project proposal, mobile app project concept proposal, product design project concept proposal, and many more. 

Similar to a mission and vision statement, a project concept outlines the purpose of a project and paints a clear picture of the project’s future. As an element of project branding, a project concept helps project managers, concept developers and their clients, collaborators and/or stakeholders to gain knowledge and insight of the project. So, writing a clear and striking project concept proposal is an impressive tool to entice and inform your readers about the project concept and its process. We suggest that you follow the aforementioned tips and steps here so that you are able to craft an exceptionally-written project concept proposal. Plus, download our free project concept  proposal samples here today including business development project proposal templates, product concept project proposal templates, project concept funding proposal templates, technology concept project proposal templates  and more!