What defines a ‘project’ in project management?

What is a project? It’s one of those questions that seems like a no-brainer at face value. But once you dig into the specifics, things get a bit more complicated. Do your daily tasks count as projects? Can a project be indefinite? Can a project expand? And does it really matter? (Spoiler: yes). 

Whether you’re a project manager or the newest recruit, understanding what we mean when we say ‘project’ will help you tackle them more effectively — including pushing back when things aren’t quite right. Let’s take a closer look. 

What is a project? 

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), THE place to go for all things project-related, the term refers to “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique products, services, or result.” 

So first of all, a project needs to create something new. This means it can’t be the daily tasks that keep things ticking over. This could be anything from creating an app and rebranding a business, to organizing a wedding, or building a skyscraper. 

For this reason, a project also needs to have a start and finish date with clear boundaries. That doesn’t mean projects can’t expand (aka ‘scope creep’), evolve, or inspire offshoot projects, but it does mean you need parameters.

Project glossary: Key terms you need to know 

Before we dive in further, here are some key phrases that might be helpful to know. Click the link to learn more about each one. 

• Agile — A flexible project management approach focused on iterative progress.
• Baseline — The approved version of a project plan, including scope, timeline, and budget. It’s a point of comparison for the wider project. 
• Budget — The total financial resources allocated for the project.
• Closure — The final phase of a project where deliverables are handed over, and the project is formally completed.
• Deliverables — Tangible or intangible results produced by the project.
• Dependencies — The relationships between tasks in a project, where one task must be completed before another can start.
• Execution — The phase where you tackle tasks and make progress toward project goals.
• Feasibility study — An assessment of the project’s practicality, including its risks and benefits.
• Gantt chart — A visual representation of the project schedule, showing tasks and timelines.
• Initiation — The first phase where the manager defines the project, sets goals and scope, and identifies stakeholders. 
• Kickoff meeting — The initial meeting to start a project, align the team, and set expectations.
• Milestone — A significant event or achievement within the project that marks progress.
• Monitoring — The phase where you track progress (ideally automatically, via a project management tool), and identify and address risks and opportunities. 
• Outsourcing — Hiring external resources or vendors to perform tasks within a project.
• Project manager — The individual responsible for planning, executing, and closing the project.
• Project portfolio — A collection of projects and programs managed together, aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Scope — The boundaries of a project, including what is and isn’t included in the work.
• Scope creep — The gradual expansion of a project’s scope without adjustments to time, budget, or resources.
• Stakeholders — People or organizations with an interest in the outcome of the project, like clients or investors.
• Stakeholder management — The process of managing the expectations and communication of all parties involved in the project.
• Sprints — Short, time-boxed cycles of work in agile projects, typically lasting 1-4 weeks.
• Timeline — A schedule that shows when project tasks should be completed.
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) — A hierarchical breakdown of tasks required to complete the project.
• Risk management — The process of identifying and mitigating risks that could derail the project.
• Resources — People, equipment, and materials that you need to complete the project.
• Waterfall — A project management method where each phase is completed before the next one begins, following a linear approach.

The 6 characteristics of a project

Whether you’re organizing your sock drawer or launching a business, every project has the same defining characteristics. A project — 

1. Creates something new, or improves something that already exists

• A project is a one-off event to create something unique, whether that’s a brand-new innovation, or you’re improving something that already exists.

2. Has a plan

• Even if the project lasts years, you need a beginning, an end, and a plot for how to get from one to the other.

3. Has constraints 

• All projects have time, cost, and money constraints. For that reason, you need clear limits.. 

4. Has a manager or leader

• Whether it’s a team, multiple teams, or just one person tackling it, there needs to be someone in charge.

5. Needs resources 

• Labor, materials, or even just time — every project has various demands, which you need to plan for before setting off. 

6. Has a lifecycle

• Every project goes through the same five-stage lifecycle: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closure.

What a project is not

A project is not the same as daily work. It is not an ongoing task, like managing payroll or answering customer calls. It is not business as usual. If a task repeats without a set finish line, it is not a project but an operation, or a process. 

Project vs. process: What’s the difference? 

	Project	Process
Definition	A unique, temporary effort with a specific goal, timeframe, and scope.	An ongoing, repetitive series of steps aimed at maintaining or improving operations.
Duration	Has a clear start and end.	Continuous with no defined endpoint.
Purpose	Designed to create a specific outcome (e.g., launching a product, constructing a building, developing software).	Focuses on consistency and efficiency (e.g., processing customer orders, handling payroll).
Nature	Temporary and goal-oriented.	Ongoing and improvement-driven.

What is project management? (And what does a project manager do?)

Project management is the practice of planning and overseeing a project from start to finish. We’re talking goal setting, allocating resources, managing risks, creating schedules, workflows, and milestones — the lot. 

And a project manager is the person responsible for making this happen. On time, and within budget. Here’s a summary of what they do. 

• Planning: Developing the project plan, including timelines, resources, and budgets.
• Leading: Coordinating and motivating the team.
• Monitoring: Tracking progress, addressing risks, making adjustments when needed.
• Managing stakeholders: Keeping all involved parties in the loop, managing expectations.
• Closing: Finalizing the project, handing over deliverables, and documenting lessons learned.

What do projects look like in the real world?

Projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some last a few days, while others take years.  A project can be as tiny as updating a website or as ambitious as building a city. It might involve one person, or thousands.

• In business, projects can mean launching a new product, upgrading software, rebranding, or setting up a new office (amongst other things). 
• In construction, projects can range from fixing a pothole to designing a town from scratch.
• Governments run projects to improve transport, education, and public services. 
• In your personal life, a project might be updating your kitchen or alphabetizing your bookcase.

By methodology 

• Waterfall projects — tasks heppen in a linear, sequential way. 
• Agile projects — these projects prioritize flexibility and iteration. 
• Hybrid projects — a blend of the two. 

By team structure 

• Remote projects — Teams don’t work in the same location but use online tools to collaborate. 
• In-house projects — These are run by a company’s own employees. It might be a rebrand, a restructure, or involve building internal software.
• Outsourced projects — External vendors like agencies or contractors get involved. You often see it with IT development or marketing — essentially, any time a business has a need but lacks in-house expertise.

By funding and ownership

• Private projects — Funded and managed by private companies or individuals. They are driven by commercial goals and market demand.
• Public projects — Funded by governments, these projects aim to serve the public good. For example, building roads, or improving hospitals. They often involve strict regulations and oversight.
• Mixed projects — These involve both private and public funding. For example, infrastructure projects like toll roads, or energy developments might be funded and managed through partnerships.

By industry

• Construction projects — These focus on building infrastructure, like roads or homes. They need strict regulatory compliance and coordination between multiple stakeholders.
• Software development projects — These involve creating, updating, or maintaining software applications. They often follow agile or hybrid methods.
• Marketing projects — Ad campaigns, product launches, and rebranding efforts all fall under this banner. Budgets and deadlines tend to be fixed, and the focus is on user engagement and business growth. 
• Manufacturing projects — These focus on designing and producing physical products. Prototyping, production scaling, and quality control tend to be managed via waterfall methods. 
• Healthcare projects — These range from hospital expansions to implementing new medical technologies or patient care programs. Compliance is critical.
• Research and development (R&D) projects — These focus on innovation of all kinds. Uncertainty is high, which means iterative testing and experimentation feature heavily. 
• Event management projects — These include corporate events and trade shows. They have fixed deadlines and need lots of coordination.  

What are the boundaries of a project?

So we’ve said boundaries are a key feature. But what does that actually mean?

Projects need clear edges that define what’s in and what’s out. These boundaries help the team stay focused and the stakeholders realistic about what to expect. 

There are three main project boundaries, also known as triple constraint. Together, they define the project’s schedule and scope (goals, tasks, deliverables — what the project will and won’t do). 

• Time: Every project has a start and an end. Even big, long-term projects have time limitations. If work marches on with no clear endpoint, it’s not a project anymore; it’s day-to-day operations.
• Budget: No project has unlimited money. The budget covers everything — people, tools, materials — and once it runs out, the project either stops or needs extra funding. 
• Resources (including people): People, tools, and time are limited, so projects need to use them wisely. If a team is stretched too thin or doesn’t have the right equipment, things slow down fast. Planning resources well helps avoid bottlenecks or project failure.

The project lifecycle explained in under 99 words

Since we’ve already written about the project lifecycle at length, we’ll keep this short and sweet. 

Every project, no matter how small, follows a five-stage lifecycle. 

1. Initiation — Define the project’s goals, scope, and key stakeholders. A feasibility check helps you make sure it’s worth pursuing.
2. Planning — Develop a detailed plan covering timelines, budgets, resources, risk management, and roles. A solid plan means a smoother execution.
3. Execution — Teams complete tasks, track progress, and adapt to challenges. Clear communication and coordination are a must.
4. Monitoring — Track performance, budgets, and risks. If something deviates, correct it.
5. Closure — Final deliverables get handed over, results reviewed, and lessons documented for future projects.

What needs to happen for a project to be a success?

There’s no magic formula, but successful projects all have the following in common. 

Checklist for success:

• Clearly defined goals and objectives
• Strong leadership that keeps everyone aligned
• Regular managerial check-ins with the team and stakeholders 
• Proactive risk management 
• A detailed plan with timelines and budgets
• Carefully monitored progress with flexible adjustments 
• Adherence to budget and scope
• A project post-mortem, which sets the stage for even better projects the next time around. 

How to run a project in 8 easy(ish) steps 

Every project needs careful planning and monitoring. Here’s a checklist-style guide, broken down into the five phases of the project lifecycle. 

Initiation and planning

1. Define the project (initiation and planning) 

• Set clear goals and objectives.
• Identify the project’s scope (what’s included and what’s not).
• Determine deliverables (aka, what the project will produce).
• Establish a timeline with key milestones.
• Set a budget with resources. And be realistic about everything you’ll need (including backup for when things go wrong). 

2. Assemble the team

• Identify key stakeholders and their roles.
• Recruit the team members based on their expertise and ability to work well together. Choose complementary strengths. 
• Assign tasks to each team member.
• Make sure everyone understands the project’s goals and their part in achieving them.

3. Plan the project

• Break the project down into smaller tasks.
• Develop a detailed schedule using a Gantt chart.
• Allocate resources (people, equipment, budget) to each task.
• Plan for risks by identifying potential problems and setting mitigation strategies.
• Set up communication channels for keeping the team and stakeholders informed.

Execution 

4. Kickoff 

• Hold a kickoff meeting with the team to review the plan and make sure everyone knows what they need to do.
• Make sure everyone is aligned on the goals and timeline.
• Address any initial concerns and motivate the team to get started.

5. Complete the project

• Start ticking off tasks according to the plan.
• Communicate regularly and track progress.
• Monitor the quality of work to make sure it meets the requirements.
• Manage any issues or challenges by adjusting the plan if necessary.

Monitoring 

6. Monitoring and control

• Track progress to make sure the project stays on schedule and within budget.
• Keep an eye on risks and deal with issues before they snowball.
• Update stakeholders on progress and any changes.
• Adjust resources or timelines to keep things on track.

7. Review progress and make adjustments

• Hold regular check-in meetings to assess progress.
• Make adjustments if the project is falling behind or facing challenges.
• Reallocate resources or adjust timelines if needed
• Gather feedback from the team and stakeholders to make sure everyone is happy with what’s going on. 

Closure 

8. Close the project 

• Once you’ve hit the final deliverables, run a review to make sure everything meets the requirements.
• Hand over the deliverables to the client or stakeholders.
• Close out any remaining tasks and make sure you’ve completed all payments or obligations.
• Record any lessons you’ve learned to improve future projects (and put the docs in an accessible place so others can benefit too). 

Project management software makes it easier 

While fancy tools are no substitute for good planning, project management software makes it a whole lot easier. With Backlog, our own platform, you can organize tasks, streamline workflows, plot dependencies, and manage resources, all in real time. You can also set different access permissions, meaning team members and stakeholders can check in without having to wait on emails and updates. Ready to experience easy, streamlined collaboration? Give Backlog a try for free today.