Projects Vs operations

This blog explains the difference between project and operations. According to PMBOK (2008) ,project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a new product , service or result.  Project should have the following characteristics to call it as a project. They are:

Should have definite start and end- every project has a start which happens in initiation stage and end that is reached once the objectives of the project are met or when the need for the project no longer exist.

Temporary- projects has a definitive start and definitive end, thus it is a temporary endeavor. Temporary does not mean, the duration of a project is short. For example, project can start in this century and can also finish in next century.

Unique- every project is different from one another, even though project contains repetitive and same tasks of other projects, they are unique from other project. For example, if we build same and identical house in different place, still those two projects are unique as they are built in different locations.

There is also another character of project in addition to the above mentioned characteristics that is projects have limited resources.

On the other hand if we look at operations, they are repetitive or ongoing tasks carried out as routine activities.  Even though, projects and operations are different; they have  characteristics in common which are the following:

1. ·         Both are limited by resources
2. ·         Performed by people
3. ·         Both are planned, executed and controlled.

Only difference is project is temporary and unique but operation is ongoing and repetitive.

Examples of projects

• ·         Creating a new piece of software
• ·         Building a skyscraper
• ·         Installing 1500 new workstations
• ·         Designing a new network infrastructure
• ·         Upgrade of software
• ·         Producing a weekly newsletter

Examples of operations

• ·         Managing the invoicing for a company
• ·         Performing preventive maintenance on equipment
• ·         Updating a website with news and information

Progressive elaboration

In the last blog we discussed about projects and operations. The main characteristics that are been discussed are: projects are unique and projects are temporary. There is also another characteristic been discussed in PMBOK (2008) that is progressive elaboration.

Projects normally have a broad scope in the initiation stage. The scope gets elaborated once the project team gets more and more information about the domain during the progression of a project.  As a result of progressive elaboration, project manager can form a high quality and accurate project plans. Even though project team gets an accurate project plans due to progressive elaboration, it has a disadvantage too which is “scope creep”.  Scope creep means that additional scope which is been added to the project after the project’s objectives have been set. This will affect the cost, resource and time estimated for the project which is the main reasons for project to fail, overrun budget or miss deadlines.

why project management is important

Project management is a term widely used in industry nowadays. The name itself explains the meaning of it that is project management provides the guideline, tools and techniques on how to manage the project effectively.  Today most of the IT projects fail due to poor project management.

So, the project management for IT students focuses highly on basic principles, tools, techniques and other concepts in project management. This module would help the students to work well and follow project management concepts in their work place where they deal with projects always. And also this module establishes a solid foundation for those who wish to go forward in project management field.