Task 2: Types of projects

Introduction

For the last couple of decades, how projects are categorized has significantly change, and such typologies are critical in determining how project management practices are fructified. Business managers have realized, unlike the traditional way of doing business, the contemporary world calls for an absolute understanding on where to position a particular project and how to map its effect on the people; this group entails the project managers, users, the government, and the sponsors of the project. Since the classification promotes the knowledge of what is required, risks associated with undertaking a particular project, the budgeting requirement, and more so, the pertinent legal compliance required, it is therefore critical for project managers to distinguish the literature and the manner in which typologies influence the requirements for successfully managing project activities. Therefore, this paper seeks to address various project typologies and the different management requirements which are predominant and how such knowledge varies from one project context to another.

Project management professionals have a critical role in determining how to position project undertaking into various predetermined categories. With increasing needs to respond to varying customers needs, positioning a particular project into its respective typology can be complicated owing to the fact that major intention of commissioning a project is to solve a particular need. In addition, categorizing a project can prove to be a complicated endeavor due to the fact that firms vary in size and what may be considered critical in a certain economy or company might not be critical to another (Archer & Ghasemzadeh, 1999). However, in general, research by Aaltonen & Sivonene (2009) has proved that classification of types of projects has presented various potential purposes which do not only reduce confusion during implementation but also enhance result expectation. As such, for example, typology enable market segmentation for the purpose of enhancing marketing agenda. Also, it helps in determining various project management practices and approaches.

Project typologies

The parameter for positioning different projects, according to Cohn (2009), is highly subjective and will depend on a variety of factors which, in most cases, are paramount to the project stakeholders. However, a concession exists on the most commonly applied criteria in determining the position of a project within a wide range of determining factors. While the deliverables of a project and the product determine, to a greater extent, the classification, aspects such as cost and users also play a crucial role in informing how literature has looked at the typologies of projects both in public and private points of view.

       I.            Classification based on the complexity

In a study conducted by Ayas & Zeniuk (2001) on "Project-based learning," a project can only be perceived as easy or complicated. In an easy project, only limited resources are required in fructifying the overall objectives irrespective of the size of the firm. However, it is apparent that every firm has different capabilities and what appears to be easy can be a complication to another group managing the same scope of a project. This diversity is common since project management is a variance of the resource endowment; which is not only limited to capital but also encompasses the human resource ability. Some firms are able to hire experts to run project affairs and are most likely than not going to consider a project easy compared to firms that lack human resource capacity. Therefore, project value matrices are different from one sector and purpose to another.

On the other hand, under the complexity of the project, a project may appear as complicated meaning that it requires much of every resource to make the implementation effective (Ayas & Zeniuk, 2001). For example, a project commissioned under a private sponsorship cannot compare with a project commissioned under government sponsorship. Taking the example of Norway's largest transportation project, the Follo Line Railway project, it is evident that the undertaking is a complicated one entailing completion of a 22.5 Kilometre high-speed rail tunnel to inter-connect major cities. This project may be categorized under the complexity, and as...