Question

Using a combination approach of your own words and research to define a project. What are five characteristics which help differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily operations of the organization? Why are these not the same? How are projects linked to the strategic plan? Provide an example (choose from your own experience or outside research).

Answer 1

Answer:

See the explanation.

Explanation:

Using a combination approach of your own words and research, define a project.  

A project is a distinctive and oftentimes complex undertaking that is usually attempted once. Projects serve the purpose of creating a new or different product, service, or end result. Unlike day-to-day functions, projects have varying restricts behind them. These restrictions can be comprised of budgets, a timeframe in which to complete the project, as well as both human and financial capital. Projects often differ greatly from the day-to-day operations of a business and serve varying purposes(Overgaard, 2010).  

What are five characteristics which help differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily operations of the organization? Why are these not the same?

There are five characteristics that are exclusive to projects wherein the function differs from that of normal business operation(de Guimarães, Severo & Vieira, 2017). First, projects involve the inclusion of people of varying specialties. Second, projects have a set goal, or a well-defined purpose/objective. Projects also have a set lifespan or timeframe. Projects have their very own project lifecycle. Last, projects have restrictions relating to cost, time, and capital. The evaluation also occurs using these final three parameters. These characteristics differ from normal operations of the business because they are generally done/attempted once, whereas day-to-day business is often a monotonous routine by comparison.  

How are projects linked to the strategic plan? Provide an example (choose from your own experience or outside research).

The final goal of a project is how it can be linked to a business’ strategic plan. In essence, projects are derived from the need to support a business’ strategic plan(Hall, 2012). For example, if a business wanted to grow, they would look into purchasing additional plots of land or hiring more employees to cope with demand. The project of purchasing the land and hiring the employees aligns with the overall strategic plan to grow and expand as a business (Tedesco, 2011).  

One example from personal experience is that of the ICD-10 implementation in US healthcare back in 2015. For two or three years, Congress delayed the implementation of ICD-10 because doctors were worried that patient care may slip as a result. For my company, since the change was mandated to become law on 1 October 2015, a project within the organization was put forth to make sure all providers were acclimated to the new diagnostic code set("Dropping the ball", 2015). This aligned with the company’s goal of making healthcare and healthcare claims that much easier for providers and billers to complete. Day-to-day operations mainly consisted of working out rejections and fixing varying software issues. While these differed, the project did not stray from the company’s main goals.

Hope this helps!