Project (in management activities ( English project from Lat. Projectus - thrown forward, speaking, outstanding forward ) - time enterprise, aimed at creating a unique product, service or result ( PMBOK ) [1] .
Other definitions of this concept from international standards [2] :
- A project is an enterprise (undertaking) with defined start and end dates undertaken to create a product or service (service) in accordance with specified resources and requirements (ISO / IEC / IEEE 15288: 2008); IEC 15939: 2007 Systems and software engineering - Measurement process).
- A project is an enterprise (undertaking) with predetermined goals, scope and duration (ISO / IEC 2382-20: 1990 Information technology - Vocabulary - Part 20: System development).
- A project is a set of activities for developing a new product or improving an existing product (ISO / IEC 26514).
The German project management standard DIN 69901 gives the following definition: a project is an enterprise (intention), which is largely characterized by uniqueness of conditions in their entirety, for example:
- goal setting;
- temporary, financial, human and other restrictions;
- distinctions from other intentions;
- project-specific organization of its implementation.
Content
Project Characteristics
The project has a number of inherent characteristics, defining which, it is possible to say for sure whether the type of activity analyzed is a project.
- Temporality - any project has a clear time frame (this does not apply to its results); if such a framework is not available, the activity is called an operation and can last indefinitely.
- Unique products, services , results - a project must generate unique results, achievements, products; otherwise, such an enterprise becomes a mass production .
- Sequential development - any project develops in time, passing through previously defined stages or steps, but the drafting of project specifications is strictly limited to the content established at the beginning stage.
Despite the fact that the final result of the project should be unique, it has several characteristics in common with the production:
- Performed by people
- Limited by availability of resources
- Planned , executed and managed .
Project Environment
Each project develops in a specific environment. And no matter what domain it belongs to, this environment directly affects the project. All impacts are divided into several categories.
- Socio-cultural environment (morals and customs of the area, ethical considerations of project activities, etc.)
- International political environment (political situation in the territory, economic influence, resource intensity of the area, etc.)
- Environment (environmental parameters, availability of natural resources, etc.)
The environment of a project may change during its execution, changing its influence on it. Such changes are both positive and negative. Change management deals with the relevant section of project management discipline.
Project life cycle
A project can be broken down ( decomposed ) both into subprojects and into phases. The set of time phases is the life cycle of the project .
General Information
Due to its uniqueness, the project activity is associated with many risks , the work with which is highlighted in a separate area - risk management . There is a separate discipline in management - project management ( eng. Project management ).
Signs that activity is not a project:
- the goal does not meet the SMART criteria: not initially defined, not specific, not attainable, etc. However, a change in the project goal / scope may be regulated in the project scope management plan; The simplest case is that the project costs limit is specified in the project under which work is possible on additional. agreements to the contract);
- restrictions of activity are not initially defined or not achievable (time, resources, time, quality, acceptable risk level), for example, the activity is not manageable, that is, external dependencies exceed the potential impact on the activity (control actions do not allow to achieve goals with acceptable risk levels );
- the result is not unique, for example, mass production.
Also in some standards ( ISO 21500 ), projects do not include typical, repetitive activity, even if it leads to unique results. .
Unlike the process , the project is finite and has certain sustainable goals and limitations. Distinguish between design and process (functional) business organization.
See also
- Technical project
- Project management
- Program management
- Project portfolio
- Project's budget
- Project Management Institute
- Project Management Software
- Project Portfolio Management Software
Notes
- β PMBOK, 2013 .
- β ISO 24765, 2010 .
Literature
- ISO / IEC / IEEE 24765: 2010 Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary. - 2010.
- Project Management Knowledge Body Guide (PMBOK Guide) - Fifth Edition. - Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013.