A project is a temporary organization that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to an agreed Business Case.
Project Management
The planning, delegating, monitoring and control of all aspects of the project, and the motivation of those involved, to achieve the project objectives within the expected performance targets for time, cost, quality, scope, benefits and risks.
The description below is based on the project method PRINCE2 where the six aspects of project performance to be managed are: Cost, Timescales, Quality, Scope, Risk and Benefits
Use a project when:
- A temporary team is needed to deliver a defined output of a size that needs planning and a business justification.
- Context is complex: Many stakeholders, many interfaces, low matching competency
- There is a degree of uncertainty: Unclarity in scope, low stakeholder risk apatite, technology is not well understood
Explore the project method theory:
- Create a Project
- Create a Project Brief
- Create Highlight Reports (reporting on progress)
- Manage and Report Risk
- Manage and Report on changes and other issues
- Create a Project Plan and Stage Plans
- Create a Project Initiation Document
- Manage Exceptions
- Close a project
PRICNCE2 High Level Description
In PRINCE2 projects sets of rules (called “approaches”) are set to define how to coordinate people and activities, how to design and supervise product delivery, and what to do if products and therefore the scope of the project has to be adjusted.
In the PRINCE2 method, each PRINCE2 process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with specific goals and activities to be carried out to deliver a project's outcomes as defined by its Business Case. This allows for continuous assessment and adjustment when deviation from the Business Case is required.
PRINCE2 provides a common language for all participants in the project. The governance framework of PRINCE2 – its roles and responsibilities – are fully described and require tailoring to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the organization.
PRINCE2 is based on seven principles (continued business justification, learn from experience, defined roles and responsibilities, manage by stages, manage by exception, focus on products and tailored to suit the project environment), seven themes (business case, organization, quality, plans, risk, change and progress) and seven processes.
PRINCE2 is an acronym for Projects IN Controlled Environments. The six aspects of project performance to be managed are: Cost, Timescales, Quality, Scope, Risk and Benefits. In PRINCE2, the Project Manager’s role is to plan, delegate, monitor and control all of these six aspects of project performance.
PRINCE2 offers two different levels of training and certification: PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Practitioner.
