Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Sixth Edition

CHAPTER 1

What Is a Project?

Things are not always what they seem.

—Phaedrus, Roman writer and fabulist

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Define a project, program, and portfolio
• Understand the scope triangle
• Envision the scope triangle as a system in balance
• Prioritize the scope triangle for improved change management
• Apply the scope triangle
• Manage the creeps
• Know the importance of classifying projects

To put projects into perspective, you need a definition — a common starting point. All too often, people call any work they have to do a “project.” Projects actually have a very specific definition. If a set of tasks or work to be done does not meet the strict definition, then it cannot be called a project. To use the project management techniques presented in this book, you must first have a project.