What Is a Project?

Published: 2009-03-08
Last updated: 2022-03-19

What is a project? ... Here is what we find in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary.

"Project:

1. a specific plan or design
2. (obsolete) idea
3. a planned undertaking
4. a definitely formulated piece of research
5. a large usually government-supported undertaking
6. a task or problem engaged in usually by a group of students to supplement and apply classroom studies
7. a group of houses or apartments built and arranged according to a single plan

Taking this definition, it surprises us why we still encounter so many projects that do not have sufficient plans, sometimes none at all. However, definitions 3 and 4 indicate that a project is a planned undertaking.

Let us see what we find in a more business-oriented context: what is a project?

Definition of "Project"

"A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result",

quoted from Project Management Institute (PMI): A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Third Edition (PMBoK® Guide), 2004.

"A project is a time and cost constrained operation to realize a set of defined deliverables (the scope to fulfill the project's objectives) up to quality standards and requirements",

quoted from International Project Management Association (IPMA): IPMA Competence Baseline, Version 3.0 (ICB 3.0), 2006.

These quotes give us the answer to our question: what is a project? A project is an endeavor

• that produces a clearly specified product, service, or result
• in a limited period of time
• within a limited budget.

We consider this being virtually the same as the definition we are using throughout this web site: a project is an endeavor unique in scope, schedule, and budget.

Triple Constraint of Project Management

After answering the question, what is a project, we ask: What is project management? ... We try again Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. First, we look up the term "management" and find

"Management:

1. the act or art of managing: the conducting or supervising of something (as a business)
2. judicious use of means to accomplish an end
3. (...)
4. (...)"

Then, we combine this with the definition of the term "project" and obtain: "Project management" is conducting or supervising a project, by judicious use of means to accomplish an end of that project. This definition comes quite close to what we find in a more business-oriented context.

Definition of "Project Management"

"Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements",

quoted from PMI: PMBoK® Guide, Third Edition, 2004.

The PMBoK® Guide gives us then a process-oriented view of project management:
initiating – planning – executing / monitoring / controlling – closing

On this web site, we define project management - in a similar way - as a process that consists of 4 basic process phases. These four phases are:

1. definition phase
2. planning phase
3. implementation phase
4. closure phase

Project Management Process

Coming back to our opening question: what is a project? – Here is our example: The initial construction of this web site is a project.

Construct a web site around the subject "Project Management Know-how" that explains the basics of project management, offers tools, templates, information, and tips for successful project management, with at least 75 major elements (i.e. pages, white papers, templates, demos).

Schedule:

Project start date is January 01, 2009; project completion date is August 31, 2009.

"Budget":

under 600 working hours.

Current Status, as of July 27, 2009:

Current Status, as of August 09, 2009:

Current Status, as of September 03, 2009:

Final Status Report, as of October 31, 2009:

35+ templates, tools, and checklists in one set

To save you time in your daily work as a project manager, I packaged more than 35 project management templates, tools, and checklists into one zip file.

• You un-zip it, and you get all items in formats you can edit to your requirements.
• They strictly contain only standard functionality and no macros or other code.
• You are allowed to use your logo.

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