Projects and project management have been around for decades. For many organizations, projects - especially in IT environments - have become a critical part of daily operations. Characterized by fast changing technologies, uncertainty and constantly shifting business needs and objectives (among other things), project management demands more than ever before.
Project Defined
According to the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), “A project is a complex, temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service.” Unlike most IT processes, a project has a finite start and completion date (i.e. lifecycle) and unique, or non-repetitive, deliverable(s).