What is a Project?

Neil Whitten in Managing Software Development Projects, Formula for Success, Second Edition defines it as:

The combined resources (people, machines, materials), processes, and activities that are dedicated to building and delivering a product. A project has a defined starting point and defined objectives from which completion is identified. Also, a group of people, typically comprised of two or more organizations, working on the same project.

What is Project Management?

The Project Management Institute's (PMI) Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge defines it as:

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project. Meeting or exceeding stakeholder needs and expectations invariably involves balancing competing demands among:

• Scope, time, cost, and quality.
• Stakeholders with differing needs and expectations.
• Identified requirements (needs) and unidentified requirements (expectations).

When Should This Process Be Used?

The process in this document should be used for every project that requires a project proposal form based upon the effort and visibility of the project. Refer to the Planning and Budgeting Process section 2.0, "Guideline: For which projects does AIS require a project proposal", for the criteria that require creation of a project proposal form. This process should also be considered for significant funding requests that have cross-team participation. The Project Manager and Project Coach are free to use their discretion in determining which activities are appropriate for a given project.

Projects that include funding requirements will need Planning and Leadership Team approval. Refer to the Planning and Budgeting Process section 5.6 for instructions regarding the review of project funding requests.