What is a Small Project?

How do you decide what constitutes a small project? What are the parameters? What are the cutoffs that separate a small project from a large one?

project is a piece of work directed toward a specific goal. That's the definition often used in the IT services industry. By piece of work, we mean work that has a definite beginning and a definite end. By specific goal, we mean a defined outcome -- a product, service, event or result.

The term small project will have a different meaning for different people. But it is useful to distinguish between a small project and a large one because there are differing needs for formality depending on the size of the project.  While the definition is subjective, most would agree that a project becomes larger if a) it has a larger budget, b) it has more tasks spread over a longer period, c) it requires more resources to implement, d) it has an impact on more people or organizations.

All projects have a fixed goal, a budget, and a deadline. Some project categories can include both large and small projects. Just to give us grounds for discussion, let's consider a small project to be one with a budget of $150,000 or less, and a time frame of one year or less. You may want to modify or add additional criteria based on your own situation.

Here are some examples of small projects based on the criteria above:

Planning, organizing and controlling the project is called Project Management. Its purpose is simply to achieve the desired outcome. It consists of keeping track of the project, keeping people informed, keeping people motivated and committed, and taking proper action when things go off track.  Project management functions are much the same regardless of size. Regardless of the size of the project, the elements of project management consist of:

1. Defining the scope, goals and objectives 
2. Selecting team members 
3. Breaking the work down into tasks and deliverables 
4. Estimating and planning the task execution and flow 
5. Making assignments and coordinating activity 
6. Monitoring progress and making sure the tasks are completed on time within budget 
7. Communicating events and status to project participants and sponsors 

While the project management functions are the same, the tools and methods you use to implement them may be different depending on the size of the project. We'll talk about each of these elements in future articles to give you a complete picture of the project management process. Then we'll cover tools and techniques you can use to make managing a small project easier. We'll talk about software and templates that you can get inexpensively that will make planning and record keeping easier. We'll cover online tools that offer the means for team members to collaborate on projects that are a little larger. And, finally, we'll talk about books and training that will help you if you decide to pursue project management more earnestly, perhaps seeking certification or pursuing it as a career.

 - Jake Alexander

next article: Project Management Steps