Module 4: Exploring Different Types of Projects
Exploring Different Types of Projects
Eddie Obeng suggested that there are 4 types of projects:
Type 1: Painting by Numbers
In this type of project, we know what we have got to do and how we are going to do it. For example, a project to build a house. This is clearly predictive project management. In a project such as this, we have:
-
worked on very similar projects many times before
-
a good history of information
-
well-defined processes about how it’s done
-
access to plenty of templates, methods
-
policies and procedures to follow
-
corporate knowledge about delivering similar projects
Type 2: On a Quest
In this type of project, we know what we want, but we don’t know how we are going to do it. This type of project could also be called “going on a journey”. A new IT system is a great example. We know what we want it to do, but don’t know how it will do it. Because we know what we want, the scope is well-defined as the features or the functions. That means we have to keep a very close eye on the schedule and the cost for these sorts of projects.
Type 3: Making a Movie
In this type of project, we know how we are going to do it, but we do not know what we are doing. An example of this is an advertising campaign. We know we are going to use cameras, lights, actors, microphones, graphic designers, etc.
In this case, we know ‘how’ we will do it, but we don’t know ‘what’ it is because we have not seen the script yet. What we need to do for these projects is define the scope. In projects such as this, it is really important to define in the business case exactly what we are going to deliver. For instance, how long this advert is going to be, what it is going to look like, what the script might be, etc.
Type 4: Walking in a Fog
In this type of project, we don’t know how we are doing it, and we don’t know what we are doing. We will need a real tight control on this project, otherwise it can go wrong very quickly. We will need:
-
Very good communication
-
Very good relationships
-
A deep understanding of what the project stakeholders are requesting
If we are working on more than one project, we should not treat them all the same way because some might be the simple ones (Type 1) and some might be more complicated (Type 2,3, or 4).
Other Types of Projects
What percentage of the tasks that we are doing on current projects have you done before on previous projects?
Think of a percentage for the tasks that you have done before or that are very similar to tasks on a previous project. Often people say between 50% to 80% of the tasks are the same.
Runner Projects
If you have done many tasks before, then we can categorise these as Runner projects. The advantage of this type of project is that the estimates we get should be very accurate because we have done the tasks before.
Repeater Projects
A Repeater project is when we might have done 50% of the tasks before and the remaining tasks are well within our capabilities. Maybe we do not do the remaining tasks very often, or maybe it involves using some sort of new technology our competitors have used as well, so it is not physically impossible to do.
Stranger Projects
A very innovative project using technology or processes that are new to the organisation, and it also carries high risk.
We should have a mix of these projects in our organisation. We should have the runner and repeater type projects, but a few stranger projects are necessary, because these are the ones that really stretch our organisation to learn new skills and get into new technology.
Over to you
Are all of your projects the same type, or are they all different? Share your thoughts with other learners in the comments section below.