What is a project?
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Definitions
Let's start with something simple:
- A project is a coordinated effort to deliver specific results.
How about this slightly more elaborate take:
- A project is a dedicated and coordinated effort that is limited in time and scope, to deliver specific predefined results.
Another approach: A project...
- Has a start and an end - It's limited in time
- Has a dedicated team and organisation
- Requires efforts, focus, communication, organisation, budget and maybe other resources
- Is aimed to result in a specific and usually unique outcome or a collection of outcomes - change. These desired ourcomes are to a certain degree defined before the project, but are often updated as part of the project.
Example: Project management book Delft
During my studies at Delft, I had to read a book about project management. I think it started with an example where something new and out-of-the-ordinary had to be done within a company (product the annual reports? Organise a company picknick before summer?). Several folks within that company had an idea about how to go about:
- Treat it as regular work within a certain department (HR?)
- Someone will do it ad-hoc somewhere on the side
- Treat it as a project.
Why?
→ Why do something as a project?