Ten Project Types

How does one categorise projects? Well, one way is according to the product the project is producing.

Here are some project types, based on the product type:

1. Administrative Projects
   E.g. – Updating a client contact database
2. Construction Projects
   E.g. – Constructing a road, building or railroad
3. Computer Software Development
   E.g. – Designing and coding a new computer or smartphone application
4. Design Projects
   E.g. – Architectural or Engineering designs
5. Equipment or System Implementation Projects
   E.g. – Implementing a new factory machine or computer software application
6. Event Projects
   E.g. – Planning and executing a successful event such as a world cup final or music concert
7. Maintenance Projects
   E.g. – Chemical plant maintenance shut-down
8. Product Development Projects
   E.g. – Development of new products such as a new electronic gadget or fabrication tool
9. Research Project
   E.g. – Research of a new technology or medicine
10. Implementation Projects
    E.g. – Implementation of a new computer application or business process
11. Other…
    Feel free to add some we have missed, or sending us some examples of interesting projects.

  I get asked this question often: What is PRINCE2 Project Management?

Here is a quick breakdown of what PRINCE2 is.

PRINCE2 stands for: PRojects IN a Controlled Environment and the “2” says that is it the second edition published.

PRINCE2 is a structured project management methodology which is based on the experience of thousands of project managers on thousands of projects. It defines project management as follows:

“Project management is the planning, delegating, monitoring and control of all aspects of the project, and the motivation of those [people & stakeholders] involved, to achieve the project objectives with the expected performance targets for time, cost quality, scope, benefits and risk.”

The PRINCE2 method of managing projects is based on integrating four primary elements, namely: Principles, Themes, Processes and the ability to Tailor the process for any project. Let us briefly look at these.

1. The PRINCE2 Principles

According to the PRINCE2, the following principles are proposed as guiding obligations and good practices to use in the management of projects:

A continued business, or strategic, justification for the project; Learn from experience; Define roles and responsibilities; Manage by stages; Manage by exception; Focus on products;  and Tailor to suit the project environment you are working in.

2. The PRINCE2 Themes

Themes within the PRINCE2 environment are aspects within the project management environment which must be addressed continually and in parallel throughout the project. The seven PRINCE2 themes are:

1. The business case, or strategic driver for projects (asking the “why?” question);
2. The organization and the project management roles and responsibilities (asking the “who?” question);
3. The quality and attributes of the product delivered by the project (asking the “what?” question);
4. The plans, or describing the steps required to develop the plans (asking the “How, How much and When?” questions);
5. The risks, or how project management deals with uncertainties  (asking the “What is if?” question);
6. The changes in the project management environment (asking the “What is the impact?” question); and
7. The progress of the project (asking the “Where are we now, where are we going and should we carry on?” questions).

3. The PRINCE2 Processes

The processes within PRINCE2 describe a step-wise progression through the project lifecycle, from getting started to the project close-out. The PRINCE2 processes are:

Starting a project; Directing a project; Initiating a project; Controlling a stage; Managing product delivery; Managing a stage boundary; and Closing a project.

4. Tailoring PRINCE2

The last element of the PRINCE2 methodology is captured by the fact that the PRINCE2 method must, or rather must, be tailored specifically for the project you are taking on. In other words, the PRINCE2 way of managing project is not a “one size fits all” approach, but that the methods of PRINCE2 can be applied to any project to any size.

 

I hope this shed a bit more light on what the PRINCE2 methodology entail. Please let me know what you think of PRINCE2 by leaving a comment.

 

After starting my journey with Project Management and the training thereof, I get asked this question quite often:

“Now, what is Project Management really…?”

And although the answer can be very complex and technical, I believe that at the core, it can be explained quite simply with the following video:

We know that projects don’t just happen.

It is, and should always be, the result of some strategic direction the organisation wishes to pursue. If the strategic reason, or ‘business case’ for any given project is no longer valid then the project should be stopped.

However, let us say that the business strategy is in place and that the project is in line with the ‘business case’. Then the project can fit into the following two main categories:

1. Projects to Add Sales or Increase Business Activities

These projects are put in place to satisfy the improvement strategy currently on the table. In other words it is to create future value for the organisation. Improvement strategy brings either incremental change, or transformational change.

Incremental change is to incrementally improve products though projects. A good example over here is the development of the new iPhone, say iPhone 6, by Apple. It is only an improvement of the previous model, but still the same model. The same goes for the development of the new BMW 316i model.

Transformational change brings breakthrough products and new initiatives with projects. A good example over here is the development of the first iPad or the new Apple Watch. When the first iPad was launched it was the first of its kind with transformational consequences to both the organization and the industry.

2. Projects to Become More Competitive by the Improvement of Operations

These are the type of projects that create business advantage through better business operations. A good example is projects involving business process re-engineering. This could be as simple as replacing existing product assembly lines or improving the existing customer relations management system for the organization.

By knowing this, we can now make better decisions in terms of what projects our organization should be launching in order to reach the ultimate strategic direction the organization wishes to achieve. It is also valuable to assist us with deciding on the project strategy when launching a new project.

Ever witnessed someone setting up a Work Breakdown Structure, in less than a minute?

Have a look at this!