A project is an activity, limited in time and means, to create something. It is distinguished by its one-off character of a program or process. A project is usually carried out in collaboration with different people and organizations. The project is usually recorded in a project plan and arranged by project management.

General

The term project can be defined in different ways:

• Duration: A project is therefore temporary. The duration of a project can vary from a few weeks to a number of years, but will never run indefinitely. A project always has an end date. It is possible that the end date cannot be determined when planning a project for the first time, due to uncertainties regarding the duration of a number of intermediate steps. Even if the end date of a project is not immediately fixed in time, the end phase is still very concrete in the project.
• Resources: Working out a project requires an effort. Within a project one does not speak of efforts but of resources. Resources means all means that are used within the project. This can be both human efforts and materials. Both forms of resources entail a certain cost and thus determine the total cost of the project. Within a project, the aim is to record and estimate the resources to be used at the start of the project.
• Product / result: On the end date, the project must result in a final product. This means that a project is set up to develop a new item or new service. Serial and routine production of products therefore does not fall within the goals of a project.
• Management: A project also requires a specific management environment. Within that unique framework, the project can be fully written out and, during the course of the project, the budgets for the various resources and deadlines can be monitored.

Project phases

In general, a project is divided into a preliminary research, a start-up, a realization and a final phase. After the project has been completed, the evaluation phase is also carried out.

Prince 2 has at least 2 project phases: an initiation phase and one or more implementation phases. Which process phases are used depends on the Industry, the type and the size of the project. Often standardized process steps are used. This is discussed in detail in PRINCE2, a project management method for a project in a controlled project environment. Below is a summary of a possible number of project phases. This summary is purely illustrative.

Starting up a project

• The client and the project leader are appointed, including their job description.
• The Project Management Team is composed and appointed.
• Making and approving a project proposal with the background of the project, the goal, the scope / boundaries of the project (scope) are determined, the most important results, the main features of the business case, the quality expectations of the customer and the risks.
• Project approach with how the result is achieved, new construction or renovation, standard or custom work, own staff or hiring, fixed price or subsequent calculation.
• Phase plan how the project is cut with a rough timetable.

When all this is ready and approved, the next phase can be started.

The initiative

• The Quality Plan determines the quality and the assessment thereof.
• Subproject plans indicate when, what and by whom business is done.
• The risks are examined.
• The feasibility and wishes are further elaborated in the Business case.
• Project management describes how the project is managed.
• The Project file is made with a logbook and learning points.
• In a Project Initiation document the whole is recorded and submitted to the steering committee for approval.

The realization / implementation

• Kickoff
• Phase by phase is completed with a planning for each phase, the issue of work packages, the monitoring of progress and quality, the updating of the business case and the assessment of the risks. For each phase, it is also decided on the basis of the business case whether to continue or to stop.
• Product description is made. Project members sometimes brainstorm, sometimes they prototype the product and they make a design.

Closing

• The products must be delivered
• The delivered products must be tested and accepted by the user organization.
• Possibly training users
• implementation, commissioning of the products by the users.
• conversion, transition from the old situation to the new situation.
• A management organization must be present or set up as part of the assurance.
• Project files are closed and transferred to the management organization.
• Outstanding project issues are transferred to the management organization.
• A final evaluation is held.
• Data for a post project review is recorded.
• A project final report is drawn up and handed over to the Steering Committee
• The project organization is dissolved, and the project staff and the project leader are thanked.