ATTRIBUTES OF A PROJECT

1. Every project has a main objective or objectives. A project has a fixed set of
objectives no more than one project will have a similar objective. Hence these
objectives must be achieved before the proposal ceases to exist.
2. Life span. Every project is given a specific time frame and has either a fixed
beginning and end or a fixed duration. A project cannot continue endlessly. It has to
come to an end and what presents the end would normally spelt out in the set
objectives.
3. Every project has a structured system of activities and outcomes.
4. Every project needs certain resources. Resources can be divided into human
resources, financial resources, infrastructure, etc. Depending on a project, there can be
additional attributes.
5. The funding institution (or customer). The customer will usually determine the
main features of the project outcome and formulate the main requirements (for
example, quality requirements).
6. Every project is a unique undertaking and therefore has a certain level of uncertainty
and risks. Even if the project team already run a similar project before, in the
meantime changes occurred in the work environment and with technical and software
tools; the team composition or legal regulations may cause additional uncertainty.
7. Single Entity. A project is one entity and is normally entrusted to one responsibility
center while the participants in the project are many.
8. Life cycle. A project has a life cycle reflected by growth, maturity, and decay.
9. Successive principle. Activities in the project follow each other though some may be
carried out concurrently. They follow stages and what is going to happen during the
life cycle of the project is not fully known at any stage. The details were finalized
successfully with time.
10. Risk and uncertainties. Every project has risks and uncertainties associated with it.
The degree of risks and uncertainty will depend on how a project has passed through
its various life cycle phases. This is based on certain assumptions and estimates the
project budget, schedules, and work scope.
NOTE; Activities in the project involve a commitment of scares
resources within a time frame to achieve certain goals and objectives. Resources

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 can be financial or human and goals may be making commodities or providing
services.

Exercises.
1. Can the composition of the thesis be considered a project?
2. Bring an example of a project-like undertaking that will not qualify as a project.
What are the main differences between projects and programs?

CONSTRAINTS.
The successful accomplishment of the project objective is usually constrained by four factors,
scope, cost, schedule, and customer satisfaction.
A. THE SCOPE OF PROJECT. Also known as the project scope or work scope is all the work
that must be done to satisfy the customer that the deliverables (tangible products or
items to be provided) meet the requirements or acceptance criteria agreed upon at the
onset of the project.
B. The cost of the project is the amount the customer has agreed to pay for acceptable
project deliverables. The project cost is based on the budget that includes an estimate of
the cost associated with various resources that will be used to accomplish the project.
C. The schedule for the project is the timetable that specifies when each activity should
start and finish. The project objective usually states the time by which the project scope
must be completed in terms of a specific date agreed upon by the customer and the
individual or organization performing the work.
D. The objective of any project is to complete the scope within budget by a certain time to
customer satisfaction. To help ensure the achievement of this objective, it is important
to develop a plan before the start of the project; this plan should include work tasks,
associated costs, and estimates of the time necessary to complete them.

LIFE CYCLE OF A PROJECT

Projects are born when a need is identified by the customer. As the project moves
through its life cycle, different organizations, individuals, and resources play
dominant roles. Project life cycles vary in length from weeks to several years,
depending on the content, complexity, and magnitude of the project. Not all projects
formally go through all four phases of the project life cycle.

The life cycle of a project consists of all activities from the very beginning of formulating the
idea of the project until the formal completion of the project, normally divided into four
groups. These groups of activities are to a great extent linearly ordered and are called stages
A . Initiation, B. Planning, C. Execution, D. Closing

Project management is an integrated undertaking that deals with different types of activities.
All activities have certain common features: they should be initiated, planned, executed,
controlled, and closed. These features are applicable for different levels, starting from a
single action up to encompassing the whole project.

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 A. Initiating processes.
These are processes that start the project and each phase, activity, or action. Even project
closing needs to be initiated: the activities should be started to prove that the outcome
satisfies the needs of the customers, that the necessary project documentation is present, etc.
Project initiation (determination of the main objective of the project and forming a clear
understanding of the necessity and suitability of the project; this stage should answer the
questions what? and why?):
This is normally the first phase of the project life cycle which involves the identification of
the need, problem, or opportunity and can result in the customer requesting to address the
identified need or solve the problem.
1. Identification and initial analysis of business needs. The needs and requirements are
usually written up by the customer in a document called a Request for Proposal (RFP).
Through the RFP, the customer asks individual or internal or external contractors to submit
proposals on how they might solve the problem along with the associated cost and schedule.
2. Determination of the main objective(s).
3. Resource analysis (people, equipment, financial; needs, and availability).
4. Composition of the project charter.

B. Project planning.
The determination of an optimal algorithm for project execution defines the stage on how to
answer the question? Planning processes are processes that are necessary for performing
executing processes. Planning processes include scope planning, activity definition and
sequencing, schedule composition, resource planning, cost estimation, budgeting, etc.
This is normally the second phase of the project life cycle where the development of a
proposed solution to the need or problem
5. Needs analysis. This phase results in the submission of the proposal to the customer by
one or more individuals or organizations (contractors).

C. Executing processes
These are processes that coordinate people and other resources to carry out the plan. Project
execution (achieving project objectives without violating the constraints of the project): The
third phase referred to as performing the project; involves doing the detailed planning for
the project and then implementing that plan to accomplish the project objective. During the
course of performing the project, different types of resources will be utilized.
Controlling processes are monitoring and measuring processes ensuring that project
objectives are met and corrective actions are taken when necessary.
This phase results in the accomplishment of the project objective.
9. Starting up the execution.
10. Day-to-day management.
11. Change management and reporting.

D. Closing processes .
These are processes that lead a project or its phase to an orderly end. In general, initiating
processes are performed before planning processes, planning processes before executing

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processes, and executing processes before closing processes. Controlling processes usually
cover the whole time scale of the undertaking. However, the processes related to a fixed
undertaking can have smaller or bigger overlap.
Closing the project. The formal completion of the project should follow-up the signed
activities. The final phase of the project is terminating the project.
When a project is completed, certain close-out activities need to be performed such as
confirming that all the deliverables have been collected and that all invoices have been paid.
An important task during this phase is evaluating the performance of the project to learn what
could be improved if a similar project were to be carried out in the future.
This phase should include obtaining feedback from the customer.
12. Product acceptance and implementation/application activities.
13. Composition of the final report and Lessons Learned document.
14. Planning follow-up activities (including PR activities).
15. Filing and archiving the project documentation.
There are always some project-related activities that are performed after project
completion. For example, a final auditing of the project, the correction of errors or
support for the customers, etc.

Project Management Maturity Model

The model differentiates five levels of maturity: 1. Common language, 2. Common processes,
3. Singular methodology, 4. Benchmarking, and 5. Continuous improvement.
Each level has indicators (characteristics), main obstacles to reaching the level, and basic
activities for reaching the next level. These levels are not strongly ordered (meaning that not
all criteria of the lower level should be satisfied before reaching some criterion of the next
level). However, a higher level can only be reached after the lower level has been reached.
In the following, we present a short description of each level.
1) Common language. The organization recognizes the importance of project management
and the need for common terminology and basic knowledge in project management. At the
same time, project management is not practiced and the high-level officers avoid changes in
management and do not make any investments to introduce project management. The fact
that the managers do not understand the necessity to use project management is the main
obstacle to reaching level 1.
2) Common processes. The organization understands the need for the determination of
common processes so that the success of one project can be repeated in subsequent projects.
3) Singular methodology. The organization understands the synergy that emerges through
the development of a singular project management methodology.
4) Benchmarking. Benchmarking is based on the understanding that enhancing processes is
necessary for competitiveness. For this purpose, the project management practices will be
compared and assessed with the world leaders in the field (for example, laureates of the
Malcolm Baldridge Award).
5) Continuous improvement. The organization analyses the information collected and
applies it to improve the methodology.

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