Page 29 -

1 - INTRODUCTION

1.2 What is a Project?
1
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The temporary
nature of projects indicates that a project has a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the project’s
objectives have been achieved or when the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met,
or when the need for the project no longer exists. A project may also be terminated if the client (customer, sponsor,
or champion) wishes to terminate the project. Temporary does not necessarily mean the duration of the project
is short. It refers to the project’s engagement and its longevity. Temporary does not typically apply to the product,
service, or result created by the project; most projects are undertaken to create a lasting outcome. For example, a
project to build a national monument will create a result expected to last for centuries. Projects can also have social,
economic, and environmental impacts that far outlive the projects themselves.
Every project creates a unique product, service, or result. The outcome of the project may be tangible or
intangible. Although repetitive elements may be present in some project deliverables and activities, this repetition
does not change the fundamental, unique characteristics of the project work. For example, office buildings can
be constructed with the same or similar materials and by the same or different teams. However, each building
project remains unique with a different location, different design, different circumstances and situations, different
stakeholders, and so on.

An ongoing work effort is generally a repetitive process that follows an organization’s existing procedures.
In contrast, because of the unique nature of projects, there may be uncertainties or differences in the products,
services, or results that the project creates. Project activities can be new to members of a project team, which
may necessitate more dedicated planning than other routine work. In addition, projects are undertaken at all
organizational levels. A project can involve a single individual or multiple individuals, a single organizational unit, or
multiple organizational units from multiple organizations.

A project can create:

• A product that can be either a component of another item, an enhancement of an item, or an end item
in itself;
• A service or a capability to perform a service (e.g., a business function that supports production or
distribution);
• An improvement in the existing product or service lines (e.g., A Six Sigma project undertaken to reduce
defects); or

• A result, such as an outcome or document (e.g., a research project that develops knowledge that can be
used to determine whether a trend exists or a new process will benefit society).

©2013 Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Fifth Edition 3
®

Licensed To: Jorge Diego Fuentes Sanchez PMI MemberID: 2399412
This copy is a PMI Member benefit, not for distribution, sale, or reproduction.