Various Definition Of A project In Different Organization

Project Management / By

A project manager should not define a project based on budget, size or duration. A good definition of a project is that it is a temporary work effort made over a finite period of time to create a unique product, service or result. The work effort is also a series of interconnected dependent activities with a start and end date. This definition stands for all projects and all organizations. Any organizations using a definition that is significantly different from this, is using an improper definition. It is worthwhile to assign a project manager, a team and follow a methodology to complete the work.
An initiative which involves multiple people (i.e. a team, even if it is only 2 people) and has an anticipated completion date, it is a project. In that sense, one’s wedding can be managed as a project. If there is no anticipated end date, then it is an ongoing operation, regardless of how many people are involved or how complex it is. If it is a simple initiative, short-term (less than 2-3 weeks estimated completion) and can be done by one person without needing PM guidance, then it is not treated as a project even though it actually is one. If it is a relatively short-term and relatively simple project, we would use a simplified project management methodology to manage it, but it would have both a Project Sponsor and a Project Manager. A Project Request and a Business Case would be required (with standard, online templates filled out, usually less than two pages each). The Project manager would then build a project plan/schedule and go from there.

For large projects (6 months or longer, involving 5-50 people), the project manager should use a more comprehensive PM methodology requiring more project artifacts such as Project Charter, automated progress reporting dashboards and reports, a formalized WBS (Work Breakdown structure), workflow management for Sponsor or Stakeholder approvals. However, using a PM methodology can be costly and for that reason many organizations use a specific set of criteria to decide when is necessary and cost effective for an effort/initiative/capital investment to be called, and treated, as a project. Everything below the defined threshold was usually treated as operational efforts and be subjected to a simpler (and less expensive) control scheme.

Small projects are often managed locally and in a very informal manner, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t projects. Or putting in another way, it doesn’t mean that they are standard operational activities.

A project is typically a piece of work which requires such focus, that it cannot be done as part of the normal operations activities. It generally involves a set time for delivering the required outcomes and a specific resource skill set in order to achieve the desired outcomes. There is no magic formula as far as quality, cost and scope is concerned. If an organization can’t define what a project is, they are in serious troubles, mostly because top-management isn’t fit for their work. So, this question is the last of their problems.

 

About Aditi Malhotra

Aditi Malhotra is the Content Marketing Manager at Whizlabs. Having a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, she helps businesses stop playing around with Content Marketing and start seeing tangible ROI. A writer by day and a reader by night, she is a fine blend of both reality and fantasy. Apart from her professional commitments, she is also endearing to publish a book authored by her very soon.

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