ICT Management > Managing ICT Projects
Project Management - Definition Soup
Basic
By Lasa Information Systems Team
Mission and values; objectives and outcomes; benefits and deliverables: these terms are the stock in trade of the Project Manager and provide the key headings of the Project Definition. But their meanings are anything but clear.
Different people use the same term to mean different things; some funders for example use ‘objectives’ to describe broad strategic vision, others use it to mean more precise measurable goals. Our meanings for these terms are defined below. But be aware that others will have different definitions and you may have to translate some terms when using them for external purposes like application forms.
There is a clear hierarchy of scale involved here:
- Vision deals with the broad view of the project.
- Outcomes describes the difference the project will make.
- Objectives set out the key activities of the project.
- Deliverables are the specific things produced
- Tasks are the activities needed to produce them.
| Term | Description | Example Form |
| Vision | A sense of what the project aims to achieve in the broadest terms | Reduce social exclusion |
| Outcomes | Broad view of the aims of the project | Improve service delivery of information to the public |
| Objectives | What the project will do – should be readily measurable | Develop a website. Produce a pamphlet. Set up a telephone help-line |
| Deliverables | What the project will produce. | A website. A pamphlet, a helpline. Nouns. The 'what' |
| Tasks | The activities that are required to produce the deliverable - usually many tasks per deliverable. | Design the pamphlet, Commission content, Select typesetter etc.Verbs The 'how' |
| Method of approach/values | Useful in voluntary sector projects. May encapsulate an organisation's values. | Consult widely. Involve Users. |
Next Section: Working with suppliers or Download the full Project Management Guide
About the author
Lasa Information Systems Team
Lasa Information Systems Team provides a range of services to community and voluntary organisations including ICT Health Checks and consulting on the best application of technology in your organisation.
Lasa IST is responsible for maintaining the ICT Hub Knowledgebase.
Glossary
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- Project Management - A technical project manager?
- Project Management - Controlling the project
- Project Management - Defining the project
- Project Management - Funding applications
- Project Management - Invitation to tender
- Project Management - Planning and Software
- Project Management - Product Description
- Project Management - Project Initiation Document
- Project Management - The Project Brief
- Project Management - What is Project Management?
- Project Management - Which method?
- Project Management - Why Project Management?
- Project Management - Working with Suppliers
Published: 1st June 2003 Reviewed: 15th May 2006
Copyright © 2003 Lasa Information Systems Team
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
