We offer a detailed classification of projects on various grounds. You will find out what types of them exist, how they differ from each other. First of all, we give the necessary definition in order to have an idea of what is at stake.
A project is a complex systemic process that aims to change various areas of human life. In developed countries and in the countries of the former USSR, this concept is significantly different, and the classification of projects sometimes has its own characteristics (see the section "Investment projects").
In the traditional sense of the word, a project means:
1) Intention, idea, design.
2) Description, presentation, image of some object (intangible or material) on paper or other information carriers.
What does the project include?
Its concept in the developed states of the West is wider than it is accepted here. So, for example, the American Institute for Project Management designates it as a problem with the initial data, as well as the required goals (results), which determine the way to solve it. Here, however, it is not said what means exist for the implementation of the project. In addition, the way to solve a particular problem is not always determined and not only by the goals (results) of its solution. Therefore, we can say that the project includes:
- design (task, problem);
- means of solution (implementation);
- goals (results).
Project results
A project in a broad sense is something that can change anything in the world, in life. Its results from a similar point of view can be either concrete (organization, construction, building, products, etc.) or abstract (experience, knowledge, methods, plans, etc.). If we consider it as a dynamic system, we can distinguish:
- current (technology, documentation, etc.);
- final (profit, product, etc.).
Often a project and its results are presented in the form of a system of goals, which means that the project is a system. In other words, it is a combination of various elements and the relationships that arise between them, which ensures the achievement of certain goals.
Reasons for classifying projects
Classification of projects can be carried out according to the timing of implementation, scale, quality of their development and implementation, place of implementation, the size of the resources used. The diversity of their species is extremely large in reality. The classification of projects has the following grounds:
- the structure, composition of the project and the subject area that determine its class;
- the field of activity where it is carried out, determining its type;
- the size of the project, the number of participants, as well as the degree of its influence on the outside world, determining its scale;
- the duration of the implementation, determining its duration;
- degree of technological, financial, organizational, technical and other complexity.
Organizational Projects
Types of projects are as follows: organizational, social, economic, technical and mixed. Organizational projects are usually associated with the reform of existing enterprises, as well as with the creation of a new enterprise, organization, business entity, the implementation of some event (seminar, symposium, forum, conference, etc.). Their main characteristic features are as follows:
- the objectives of the project are defined, but quantitatively difficult to measure, since they are aimed at improving the organization of the system;
- the duration of the implementation and the deadline are predefined;
- resources are allocated as far as possible;
- the costs of such a project are subject to very careful control from the point of view of the cost-effectiveness of their implementation, often an adjustment is necessary already in the implementation process.
Features of economic projects
The classification of project types also distinguishes economic ones. They are aimed at enterprise restructuring, privatization, reorganization, improvement of customs rules, tax system, etc. Their features are as follows:
- preliminary main goals are outlined, which can be adjusted during implementation;
- the timing of the project, as well as its individual components are often adjusted;
- Costs are approximately determined, but they are tightly and constantly monitored.
Characteristics of social projects
Social projects are aimed at solving certain social problems. For example, this is the improvement of pension legislation, social security, the elimination of the consequences of social shocks and natural phenomena. Other examples can be given. There is a separate classification of social projects, but all of them have the following common features:
- goals are outlined in general, however, as they are developed and certain intermediate results are achieved, they are adjusted, and a qualitative and quantitative assessment is often difficult;
- both the total duration and the dates cannot be clearly defined, therefore they are probabilistic in nature;
- as necessary, resources are allocated for the project, but within the scope of the possible.
The projects of this type have the greatest uncertainty.
Technical Projects
They are associated with the development of a new product (type, type, design). Their features are as follows:
- the main final goal is clearly defined, although individual sub-goals can be specified as they progress;
- the duration, completion dates are clearly defined in advance and, if possible, are respected, however, adjustments are not excluded;
- expenses are clearly planned;
- restrictions on the implementation of the project and its planning are mainly related to the limit of production capacities.
Mono, multi and megaprojects
The classification of projects also makes it possible to single out the following types of them: megaproject, multi-project, and monoproject.
A monoproject is a separate project of various scale, type and type. The multiproject is complex, it includes several monoprojects in its composition. And finally, the megaproject is a targeted program for the development of industries and regions. It includes several mono-and multi-projects.
Project Scale
As you can see, the topic "Classification of projects and their types" is quite voluminous. Continuing its disclosure, we move on to the next classification basis. You can distinguish a megaproject and a small one (mini-project). Classification in this case is carried out on a scale. Small in volume is small, simple in structure, has a small number of participants. A number of simplifications are allowed during its development and implementation:
- one person carries out coordination of work;
- members of the project management team are interchangeable;
- implementation schedules are as simple as possible;
- each member of the team knows his scope of work and tasks;
- the project implements the same composition of executors (teams), which began work on it, carried out development, planning, and then design.
Features of megaprojects
Megaprojects are targeted programs. They consist of many smaller ones that are interconnected and united by some common goal, implementation time and resources. Such targeted programs may be interregional, regional, intersectoral, sectoral, national and international. Hundreds of millions of dollars reach their budgets, and sometimes more. Such programs are coordinated and formed at the interstate and state levels. 5-7 years, and sometimes even more, can be the duration of their implementation. It is not by chance that we singled them out, revealing such a topic as the classification of projects. Project management of this type is very complicated, because it requires taking into account many factors.
The following features are inherent in them:
- the presence of many different performers who specialize in various types of work, which means that there is a need to coordinate their actions;
- Mandatory accounting of social and economic conditions for the implementation of this project in a particular place and at a specific time;
- separation into an independent phase of the development of its concept;
- updating at different stages of the initial project plan;
- taking into account its uniqueness and specificity;
- the need to develop different plans for its implementation - both operational and strategic;
- mandatory accounting for the probabilistic nature of various indicators and risk;
- continuous monitoring of this project, as well as updating its elements.
Duration Classification
Considering the topic "Classification of projects and their types", it should be noted that their duration can be divided into short-term, medium-term and long-term.
Short-term (up to 2 years) are characterized by the fact that the customer is interested in the quickest completion of this project, so he willingly increases its actual cost. At the same time, reporting is reduced as much as possible, the minimum number of contractors is involved in the work, the simplest implementation schedules are used, responsibility is assigned to one person, and changes in the course of implementation are minimal. Medium and long-term projects do not have such features.
Project elements
The complexity of the project is associated with many circumstances. Among them are the need for high quality of its execution, limited resources (temporary, labor, financial), etc. The following elements can be distinguished:
- project documentation ;
- industrial premises;
- production facilities;
- technology of work and production;
- technological equipment;
- services, work, product that are produced.
Depending on the nature of the project, others are possible, as well as a more detailed division of the above.
The supporting elements of the project are: finance, raw materials, personnel (personnel), premises and territory of location, contracts, agreements, contracts, as well as other elements that contribute to its implementation and development.
Investment projects
Almost all projects are investment projects, since the vast majority of them require investment of funds, that is, investment. In the special literature on project analysis and investment planning, it means a complex of interconnected enterprises that are aimed at achieving specific goals for a limited period of time. Classification of investment projects can be carried out on various grounds: by the scale of investments, goals, degree of risk, degree of interconnectedness, timing. In particular, small, traditional, large and megaprojects are distinguished by the scale of investments.
In the countries of the USA and Western Europe, small projects are meant those whose cost is less than 300 thousand dollars. Medium (otherwise called traditional) have a cost of from 300 thousand to 2 million dollars. Large projects are those that are strategic in nature and cost more than $ 2 million. And, finally, megaprojects are international or state target programs combining a number of investment projects that have a single purpose. Their cost is from 1 billion, dollars.
In Russian practice, a slightly different classification of investment projects has developed. For example, in the case when centralized investment resources are allocated on a competitive basis, projects worth more than 50 million dollars are considered large.
Classification of training projects
They can be personal and group. Moreover, each of them has undeniable advantages. There is also a special project method, the classification of which is presented below. This is a system of training, knowledge and skills in which they are acquired in the process of independent planning and implementation by students of projects - practical tasks that are gradually becoming more complicated.
Classification of training projects by:
- the scope of activities;
- thematic areas;
- the number of performers;
- deadlines for implementation;
- the importance of the results.
All of them, regardless of type, are unique and inimitable, aimed at achieving certain goals, suggest coordination of interrelated actions, limited in time.
Complexity projects can be intersubject and monoprojects. The latter are carried out within the framework of only one area or one academic subject. Intersubjects are carried out under the guidance of specialists representing various fields of knowledge during extracurricular hours.
By the nature of contacts, they can be divided into international, regional, intra-school and intra-class. As a rule, the first two are implemented as telecommunication projects, using various means of modern technology and the Internet.
If we take as a basis the predominant activity of students, we can distinguish the following types:
- practice-oriented project;
- research;
- informational;
- creative;
- role.
As for the duration, we can distinguish:
- mini-projects that fit into 1 lesson or part thereof;
- short-term, designed for 4-6 lessons;
- weekly projects that require 30-40 hours and require a combination of extracurricular and cool forms of work, as well as deep immersion in them, which makes them the optimal form of organizing work on projects;
- long-term (annual) both group and individual (as a rule, they are performed after school hours).
Variety of projects
Classification of projects, project management, as you see, is carried out not only by managers and scientists. Many of us encounter them in our professional activities, in particular, teachers. Students, incidentally, also often get the task to complete the "Project on the topic ...". This will help them in their future professional activities. A project on a topic proposed by a teacher or chosen independently is often regarded as a graduation or exam paper.