Project
Introduction
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The temporary nature of projects indicates a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the project's objectives have been achieved, or when the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met, or when the need for the project no longer exists Project Management Institute.
Definition
The term "project" comes from the Latin word projectum from the Latin verb proicere, "before an action" which in turn comes from pro-, which denotes priority, something that comes before something else in time (paralleling the Greek πρό) and iacere, "to do". The word "project" thus originally meant "before an action".
Project Characteristics
Projects are separate to business-as-usual activities and require people to come together temporarily to focus on specific project objectives. As a result, effective teamwork is central to successful projects. Project management is concerned with managing discrete packages of work to achieve objectives. The way the work is managed depends upon a wide variety of factors.
The project characteristics can be categorized into the following:
Temporality
A project is a temporary endeavor, having a defined beginning and end (usually constrained by date, but can be by funding or deliverables), undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, usually to bring about beneficial change or added value. This temporary nature of projects stands in contrast with business as usual (or operations), which are repetitive, permanent or semi-permanent functional activities to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of separate management philosophy, which is the subject of project management.
Uniqueness
The unique nature of projects stands in contrast with business as usual (or operations), which are repetitive, permanent, or semi-permanent functional activities to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of separate management philosophy.
Objectives
The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in a user or project manual, which is created at the beginning of the development process. The primary constraints are scope, time, quality and budget. The secondary — and more ambitious — challenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and apply them to meet pre-defined objectives.
Project Stages
There are five important characteristics of a project.
Initiation
The initiation phase is the beginning of the project. In this phase, the idea for the project is explored and elaborated. The goal of this phase is to examine the feasibility of the project. In addition, decisions are made concerning who is to carry out the project, which party (or parties) will be involved and whether the project has an adequate base of support among those who are involved.
Planning and Design
The second phase is the planning and design phase. This phase includes the actual detailed design of the project and it is the step where you lay out the plans for how you will carry out the project. This is also the stage where you will draw up the construction schedules and select the construction methods to be used.
Execution and Construction
This phase involves the construction of the actual project result. Programmers are occupied with encoding, designers are involved in developing graphic material, contractors are building, the actual reorganisation takes place.
Monitoring and Controlling
Processes are the means by which the project objectives are achieved. They are the tools and techniques that are used to bring order to the project and to keep it on track. They include all of the processes that are used to complete the project as defined in the project plan.
Closing
The final phase is the closure phase. This is when the final deliverables are given to the customer or sponsor. This is also when the project is evaluated to see if the goals and objectives have been met. The closure phase is also a time for recognition of the project team for their efforts.
Project Management
Project management is the process of controlling the achievement of the project objectives. Utilizing the existing organizational structures and resources, it seeks to manage the project by applying a collection of tools and techniques, without adversely disturbing the routine operation of the company. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals and objectives while honoring the preconceived constraints. Typical constraints are scope, time, and budget. The secondary—and more ambitious—challenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and apply them to meet pre-defined objectives.