Research projects are very important in science.
A project is a set of activities carried out by a person or an entity to achieve a certain objective . These activities are interrelated and are developed in a coordinated manner. The term project comes from the Latin proiectus .
For example: "My project for this year is to improve my level of English" , "At this moment I am fully involved in a new work project" , "I have a life project with Victoria that I am going to defend tooth and nail" .
Project planning
In a project there is always a plan that establishes how the available resources and tools will be used to achieve the goals. The usual thing is that the development of certain tasks is defined in a certain time so that the deadline estimates can be met.
Although there are individual projects, they are generally executed as a team . The project manager assigns roles and responsibilities and is responsible for coordination so that collaboration between members is successful. The evaluation of the project can be carried out as it progresses or at the end of the planned actions.
The budget and the deadline
Typically, the objective pursued by the project must be met within a certain previously defined time period and respecting a budget : otherwise, the project will be said to have failed.
The project design, therefore, has to pay attention to the schedule. With project management software it is easier to monitor or control activities, examining whether pre-established deadlines are being met.
It cannot be overstated that every project faces risks and may suffer contingencies that require changes or improvements to be introduced during its development. The important thing is to know that implementation is only the first step since then you have to be open to establishing modifications and continuing to take into account the lessons learned in the process.
When presenting a project to potential investors seeking financing, communication is key.
Stages of a project
A project can simply be a plan or an idea, at least in everyday life or in colloquial language.
When talking about projects in a more formal framework, it is common to distinguish various stages in their development: first an idea arises that recognizes an opportunity, then the project itself is designed with the assessment of strategies and options and finally execute the plan. After the completion of the project, it is time to evaluate the results according to whether or not the established objectives are met.
Some examples
In the case of companies , projects usually seek to achieve very defined goals and, as a general rule, an improvement in financial performance. Many times these are productive projects that seek to generate economic benefits.
A business project can arise after a market analysis that reveals one's own and the competition's strengths and weaknesses. A feasibility study, in this framework, allows determining the relevance of the project and its possible profitability.
Suppose a company aspires to internationalization . A project may consist of developing a marketing action and an advertising campaign to install your brand in another country and thus prepare the ground for the export of your products to that market. With this commercialization, the aim is to promote the growth and expansion of the firm.
Also mentioned as a project is the entrepreneurship that students of certain university courses must carry out to obtain their relevant degree , thus demonstrating that they have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their profession.
On the other hand, we have social or public projects that aim to improve people's quality of life. It could be a project to expand the infrastructure or equipment of a club, for example, or an action in favor of the environment with community participation.
Tracking project metrics makes it easier to evaluate.
Civil association projects
Regarding this last type of project, the social one, various examples could be pointed out that are working in societies around the world and that seek to help a specific group. This would be the case, for example, of Proyecto Hombre , which is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the treatment and prevention of various drug addictions.
Likewise, one could also point to Proyecto Esperanza , an entity whose purpose is to help all those women who are victims of what is known as white slavery.
Law proposal
One of the most important projects that we can find, to the extent that it influences an entire country, is what is called a bill . A term that is used to define any legislative initiative that tries to be approved and enacted.
In some countries, the bill is promoted by the government and must be sent to the Legislative Branch for its approval. In other nations, what is called a bill can be born directly in a legislative chamber.