Definition of a project

project People often say to a job at hand that they will make a special project out of it. But sometimes the job that has to be done doesn't really qualify as a project. The problem could be that those kind of self proclaimed 'projects' are never really ending and can go on and on and on in an organisation. Project management is not a label you have to put on all kinds of workprocesses, to just get people fully behind it. The main focus of a project has to have a specific goal or result you want to reach. The road to this result is reasonably know, but has to have more elements in it than just a routine job.

The charactaristics of a project

If you want to check if the job your about to start really needs projectmanagement for the best result, you really should check if it is in line with the main charastaristics of a project, whitch are as follow:

It has to be temporary (no on going proces)
It has a defined startpoint
It has a defined endpoint
It serves a specific goal
It focusus on specific results
It has a client or topmanager who gives the order for the project
It has a specific budget
It contains multiple disiplines of work

If one or a few of the above definitions are not present at your 'project', you should reevaluate if the job really is a project in the first place.

Speaking the same language

It is very important in an organisation to speak the same language as it comes to project management. The understanding of the elements of a project is the first step, but all other project management subjects should be shared with project-teams and supporting personel. There are many teachings on projectmanagement. Sometimes with a different angle and different language, but the essense of projectmanagement is the same for the most part of these teachings.

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