- Construction Projects
The project produces an artifact. The value generated by the project is embedded in the artifact. The artifacts may be a complex system with human and mechanical components.
Examples:
- Warship
- Jubilee line extension
- Millennium dome
- Customer call centre
- Method guidebook
- IT system
- Research Projects
The project produces knowledge. The knowledge may be formally represented as models, patterns or patents. Or the knowledge may be embedded in a working process or artifact.
Examples:
- Business modelling
- Developing a model of the UK economy
- Developing a new species of wheat
- Developing novel approaches to project management.
- Military intelligence/ codebreaking.
- The analysis, testing, QA or evaluation portions of a larger project.
- Reengineering Projects
The project produces a desired change in some system or process.
Examples:
- Taking sterling into the Euro
- Renumbering the UK telephone system
- Implementing PRINCE project management practices into a large organization.
- Designing and installing an Intranet.
- Procurement Projects
The project produces a business relationship contractually based with a selected supplier for a defined product or service based on a fixed specification and/or a defined specification process
Examples:
- Outsourcing a specific construction or research project
- Outsourcing a complete business function (such as IT).
- Imposing new rules and measures on a regulated industry.
- Business Implementation Projects
The project produces an operationally effective process. The value generated by the project is embedded in the process.
- Developing a new business process to repackage and exploit existing assets.
- Installing e-commerce
Some projects are difficult to classify under this scheme.
(i) National symbolic programmes
- Putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade
- Mitterand’s Grandes Projects
- New Labour
(ii) Large medical programmes
- Creating an artificial heart
- Mass inoculation programmes
(iii) Other hybrid or interdisciplinary projects
- Pilot projects
- Moving offices
2 thoughts on “Types of Project”