Lesson 1: What is a Project?
Definition of a Project 1: Temporary
Let’s take a look at the first idea that leaps out of the definition of a project: a project is temporary.
What does temporary mean when specifically applied to the definition of a project? With help from James P. Lewis, we know that it means this:
A Project is something that has a specific start date and a specific end date. This start and end date must be understood, and accepted, by the people in charge of the project.
If I were you, I'd immediately wonder this: hey, that seems nice….IN THEORY, but in reality, things aren’t that neat and tidy. A lot of things that are referred to as projects have a general start date, and a general end date. And sometimes they just kind of blur together into what seems like an endless array of little projects.
If this sounds like something you’re thinking, then don't get mad at me (yet). I understand completely. I often face the same challenge.
But even though we may sometimes (or often) work in a project-world where things don’t have a conveniently stated start and end date, your job (if you choose to accept it) as a Project Manager is to strive for this kind of organizational control. It may take a great deal of effort for you to actually accomplish the deceptively simple task to determine the start and end dates of your project, but as a Project Manager, that is one of your biggest tasks. So file the concept of temporary under “U” for useful or “N” for necessary, and refer to it often.
In other words, the next time you're asked to manage a project, work hard to persuade the person asking you to admit what the start and end dates are going to be. Or better yet, if at all possible, tell that person that you'll tell them what the start and end dates should be once you've learned more about what the project is trying to accomplish. Wouldn't that be nicer?
References used in this section (these books are available for order via the Resources link above):
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, by the Project Management Institute. Chapter 1.
The Project Manager’s Desk Reference, by James P. Lewis. Chapter 1.
