Editing Project (section)

{{Short description|Planned and goal-directed effort}}
{{for multi|urban housing buildings called projects|Subsidized housing in the United States}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{wikt | project}}

A '''project''' is a type of assignment, typically involving research or design, that is carefully [[plan|planned]] to achieve a specific objective.<ref>
Compare: {{cite web
 | url = https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/project
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120730015214/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/project
 | url-status = dead
 | archive-date = 30 July 2012
 | title = definition of project in English from the Oxford dictionary
 | year = 2016
 | department = English
 | website = Oxford Dictionaries
 | access-date = 2016-09-06
 | quote = Definition of ''project project'' in English: [...] An individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim [...]
}}
</ref>

An alternative view sees a project [[managerialism|managerially]] as a sequence of events: a "set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations".<ref>
{{Cite web
 | url= http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/project.html
 | title= What is a project? definition and meaning
 | website= BusinessDictionary.com |access-date= 2018-06-10 
 | quote = project [:] [...] Planned set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations.
}}
</ref>

A project may be a temporary (rather than a permanent) [[social system]] ([[work systems|work system]]), possibly staffed by [[team]]s (within or across [[organization]]s) to accomplish particular [[Task (project management)|task]]s under [[Time limit|time constraint]]s.{{sfn|Project Management Institute|2021}}{{rp|loc=Section 1.2}}<ref>
Compare the somewhat circular definition:
{{cite journal
| last1                 = Manning
| first1                = Stephan
| title                 = Embedding projects in multiple contexts – a structuration perspective
| url                   = http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=862024094122112093080083112015005007102003037074039062086004071064098080028066102031038026119061045028111104026005080093087017117075046037076115083091111070107105071021091020126026123026084009120094112087103099025073006064086007029122065028016073007&EXT=pdf
| journal               = International Journal of Project Management
| date      = 2008
| volume                = 26
| page                  = 35
| access-date           = 2016-09-06
| quote                 = Two theoretical propositions have been made: First, projects as temporary systems are characterized by certain structural properties, in particular task specifications, time constraints and team relations, that guide project activities.
| doi = 10.1016/j.ijproman.2007.08.012
| s2cid = 111365140
}}
</ref>

A project may form a part of wider [[programme management]]{{sfn|Mittal|2009}}{{rp|1}} or function as an ''ad hoc'' system.{{sfn|Kuijper|2013}}{{rp|922}}

[[Open-source software]] "projects" or artists' musical "projects" (for example) may lack defined team-membership, precise planning and/or time-limited durations.