The most important step in stepping in to project management is to identify the difference between a project and an operation. Is Building a bridge a project or an operation? Is lecturing for a subject for a particular batch of students in a semester a project or an operation? Is performing preventive maintenance on equipment a project or an operation?
PMBOK (2008) identifies the reason behind the complication between a project and an operation. Accordingly, both a project and an operation is planned, executed, monitored and controlled and;
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| Figure 01 : Project Vs Operations |
So what differs the two from one another?
As stated in PMBOK (2008), the primary criteria of the difference is the time. A project is temporary while an operation is ongoing, also the deliverable of a project is unique where as the deliverable of an operation is repetitive. So when there is a confusion in differentiating a project from an operation the below criteria can be referred to;
A project is temporary, has a definite start date and an end date, has unique deliverable, progressively elaborated and terminated once the project is completed.
An Operation is ongoing, repetitive, involves continues work without an end date and helps in keeping the organization functioning.
Reference
PMBOK, 2008. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. 4th ed. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute, Inc.
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