Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management

4.2. A Variety of Answers

I went to the flip chart and turned over a fresh page. "What is a project?" I asked the group.

No one responded because they were all busy arguing. They started to quiet down when they saw me standing there.

"What was your question, Will?" Amanda asked.

"What is a project?" I repeated. "What is the definition of a project?"

"No offense, Will, but what does this have to do with anything?" Mark asked.

"Look," I said, "I think this will help. What is a project?"

"It's some work that has a goal," Amanda volunteered.

I nodded and wrote that on the flip chart. "That's not exactly it," said Mark. "It also has a beginning and an end and a lifecycle," I added that to the chart.

"It has a budget and a schedule," said Alice.

"It has resources assigned," added Leslie.

"It's a one-time activity," Luigi said. "You never do it again. It's unique."

"It's a bunch of tasks that achieve a goal," Mark said. I frantically scribbled all of this on the flip chart.

Then Al said: "A project is any undertaking which has a defined start and end point and which sets specific objectives to be accomplished. Projects are unique, time-limited, goal-oriented, major undertakings, and require a commitment of varied skills and resources." Without even pausing for breath he continued, "Project management is the discipline that has developed a set of tools, methodologies, and a process to manage projects. Specifically, project management is the art of directing and coordinating human and ...