We explain what a project is, its elements and how to make one.
What is a project?
a project It is a plan that consists of organizing a set of tasks to meet an objective or solve a problemIn every project, detailed planning is carried out, with the purpose of providing the necessary information to coordinate all activities, taking into account who will do them, with what resources, when, how and how much they will cost.
All projects are characterized by having a specific duration, a sequence of activities or tasks and a specific application, since they are usually only useful to solve a single need. Furthermore, it is common that they may undergo modifications when they are carried out, to adapt to unforeseen situations.
Projects can be implemented in companies and companies, to plan production processes, make investments or carry out different types of improvements, but they are also frequent in institutions, research and other academic fields.
See also: Scope and limitations of a project
Elements of a project
Projects can have different elements. When written, most projects have:
- a title. It is the name of the project, which mentions its theme and refers to the product, service or central issue.
- an index. It is a list that indicates which pages of the text the information is found on.
- An introduction. It is a brief presentation of the main guidelines of the project: whether it is a change, something new to develop or the solution to a problem.
- A foundation. It is the part in which the relevance of the project is mentioned, its possible achievements and why it is appropriate.
- A location. It is the part in which the physical space where it will be carried out is mentioned, that is, the place where the project will be carried out.
- a duration. It is the part in which the period that will include its completion is mentioned, that is, how long the project will take.
- Goals. It is the part that explains what you want to achieve with the project, what its contributions are, its relevance and its consequences. There are two types of objectives: general objectives and specific objectives.
- A schedule of activities. It is the part in which the project activities are detailed, indicating how they should be done, who should perform them, when they begin and end, their order and where they are carried out.
- a budget. It is the part that mentions how much the project will cost. The value of each activity or item is usually included separately.
- Resources. It is the part that mentions what resources are available and which ones need to be modified or acquired.
- Limitations. It is the part in which the internal and/or external restrictions of the project are specified.
What are the steps to make a project?
To create a project, a series of steps is usually followed:
- Conduct research. All the information necessary to design the project is collected. At this stage, you must determine who it is aimed at, what you are looking to change or achieve once it has been completed, and what the resources and limitations are to develop it.
- Set the objectives. It must be indicated what the general objective is and what are the specific objectives that will allow it to be achieved, that is, all the activities that must be carried out to conclude the project.
- Make the schedule. A plan must be established that mentions each task, who is responsible, how long it will take, what resources will be needed, how it will be carried out, among other indications that are deemed necessary.
- Write the project. The project must be written clearly and simply with all its elements, such as the title, introduction, rationale, objectives and schedule of activities.
- Communicate the project. A copy of the document should be shown to all interested parties and consulted if they think anything needs to be modified. In addition, if necessary, meetings or training can be held.
- Run the project. The project is carried out, it is checked that everything is being carried out correctly and the necessary modifications are made.
- Evaluate the project. Once the project has come to an end, an evaluation is carried out on the results and the process.
- Draw conclusions. An analysis is carried out on what went well, what went wrong and what can be improved.
References
- Garriga, A. (2019). Practical guide to project management. Albert Garriga Rodríguez.
- Harvard Business Review. (2017). HBR Guides. Project management. I reverted Management.
- Islas Hernández, L. and Salazar Viveros, NL (sf). Project management. Innovation Center for Development and Training in Educational Materials, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo. http://cidecam.uaeh.edu.mx/
- Otero Iglesias, J., Barrios Osuna, I. and Artiles Visbal, L. (2004). Reflections on the definition of Project. Higher Medical Education, 18(2).
