Transcription
What is a project? Sometimes an organization requires to develop a new product to bring it to market, or it may occur that an organization commits to create a new service for a client. To achieve this, an organization must plan and execute a project. In this lesson, we will learn a little more about the terminology and concepts that answer the questions about what a project is. Projects are initiated and organized for all sorts of different reasons. They may be commissioned to fulfill a business need, achieve a strategic objective, or meet a market demand. A project is a temporary endeavor whose purpose is to create something unique, whether it be a product, a service, or a result. When we say that a project is unique, we mean that it has not been previously implemented by the organization undertaking it. When we say that a project is temporary, it does not necessarily imply that it is short-lived. All projects have an end, and usually the intention is that their result will transcend with a lasting impact. For example, if the objective of the project is to build a bridge, this project will be finished when the bridge is completed, but the bridge is expected to last for several years. Projects are planned from beginning to end, and the tasks required to complete them are usually performed sequentially, meaning they are performed one after another in a logical and coherent order, with prior planning. The results and achievements of the project are referred to in project management terminology as "deliverables." The term "deliverable" is used to refer to the product, service, or result that will be delivered at the end of the project. There is a big difference between a project and an operation. The important thing to remember is that a project has a beginning and an end, and that its duration is not indefinite. Another important difference is that the project has goals and constraints. It must adhere to time limits, a budget or associated costs that are finite, and it has parameters that it must respect. This is part of the project's scope. Operations are the repetitive activities that an organization must undertake, such as payroll, accounting, treasury, etc. Operations are the daily activities that an organization must undertake to sustain itself and do not have an explicitly limited duration. Operations follow their usual cycle until the need to change or update them is identified. In any case, remember that the most important differentiating factor between an operation and a project is that the latter has a finite duration. A large project usually requires the collaboration of many people called "the project team," while a small project can be managed by a single person. Truly large projects can be executed by multiple groups of people in different organizations across the world. Thanks to the adoption of the internet, it is not uncommon to find large-scale projects involving people in different geographical locations. Sometimes a project may have elements in common with other projects carried out previously, but the fact that it has different external or internal circumstances makes it a completely new project in itself with a unique outcome. For example, a company that successfully built a bridge in one city may be hired to build the same bridge in another city. The fact that the materials, the team of engineers, and even the project manager, along with the same processes used in the completed bridge, do not imply that it is the same project, since the fact that the location, climate, and even the idiosyncrasy make the project unique and different. A successful project does not depend solely on a project manager; it also requires a leader capable of identifying objectives, managing professionals with different skills, and outlining the criteria that allow for evaluating the project's success.