I’ve recently written about 4 types of project based onhow well defined are the goals (WHAT), and how well defined are the methods of achieving them (HOW).
Type 1 projects are clearly defined and well-understood; for example many repetitive construction and engineering projects such as building or refurbis
hing houses, offices or roads. Techniques to manage these are well-developed and the Project Manager’s job is speed them through a largely linear lifecycle of Initiation, Planning, Implementation and Close-out.
Type 2 projects have clear objectives, but there is uncertainty over how these can be achieved. Many organisational improvement projects fit into this type; for example cost reduction, cycle-time improvement and customer service improvement. Product and policy development projects are also often like this.
Type 3 projects have clear processes, but unclear outcomes and often success can only be judged at the end of the project, once the outputs have been adopted by customers and users. Making movies, TV and radio programmes have well-developed processes, but whether the end result will be a blockbuster or a flop, is uncertain at the start. Many market research projects will also be like this; they have defined processes, but there is no way of knowing what answers the research will come up with. IT and systems development projects are often also of this type.
Type 4 projects are the most complex projects because neither the What nor the How are understood at the start. We may know “something needs to be done”, but can’t be specific enough to work out how to run the project.Many pure Research and Development (R&D) projects as well as Organisational Redesign and Change programmes fit into this type. They cannot be planned to any level of detail at the start since they require both innovation and flexibility.
3 levels of Planning:
All projects can be planned at three levels:
- Aspirational (Vision – ends)
- Guidance (Strategy – ways)
- Operational (Tactics – means)
All four types of project require Aspirational-level planning. In practice, this means producing a project definition (PID/PDD – or similar) which describes the overall “shape” of the project and allows comparisons between several potential projects that may be competing for resources.
All four types can also be planned at the Guidance level using milestone planning. Type 1 and 2 projects are more likely to have milestones associated with deliverables, while Type 3 and 4 will have milestones associated with the completion of lifecycle stages or key decision gates (“Go – No Go”).
Type 1 projects can be planned at an operational level from an early stage, based on the known activities to be carried out (Gantt Charts, Critical Path etc.).
Type 2 and 3 projects will typically require a rolling wave approach to operational planning, building levels of detail as early products are delivered or when early lifecycle stages are completed.
Type 4 projects can’t be planned at an Operational level and need to be turned into Type 2 or 3 projects eventually, otherwise they cannot be implemented.
Not all projects are the same, so please consider what type of project you’ve got before you decide how to plan it.You may need to educate your Sponsor and other senior managers to understand that a Gantt Chart may not be appropriate, or even possible!
Download the full article on the 4 types of project and how to plan them (pdf).
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FAQs
L1 may be a short table of milestones corresponding to "Top Management Summary," while L2 may be a 1-page Gantt chart "Project Management Summary." A level of detail of at least L3/L4 is normally required to obtain a valid critical path (i.e. logic-driven schedule), while L6 may correspond to a detailed deliverable ...
What are the 3 stages in project planning? ›
3.1 Project Phases
- Initiation. The initiation phase of a project represents the activities associated with starting up the project. ...
- Planning. The planning phase, which PMI labels “organizing and preparing,” includes the development of more detailed schedules and a budget. ...
- Execution. ...
- Closeout.
The level 3 schedule is a summary of activities from the level 4 schedule – each project schedule level builds on the next. It covers the whole project and doesn't go into the task level detail but should provide enough of a breakdown for clients to see what is happening at every step.
What is a Level 4 project schedule? ›
Level 4 schedules are developed and maintained by a project execution team and are commonly prepared by project leads and construction subcontractors to monitor and control day-to-day work activities and serve as the foundation for measuring project progress and performance.
What is Level 4 schedule in planning? ›
The Level 4 schedule may be for the whole of the project or a part of the project depending on the size of the project and complexity of the work. A critical factor is keeping each 'Level 4' schedule to a sensible size that can be easily managed, updated, validated, etc.
What are the levels of project planning? ›
All projects can be planned at three levels:
- Aspirational (Vision – ends)
- Guidance (Strategy – ways)
- Operational (Tactics – means)
This project management process generally includes four phases: initiating, planning, executing, and closing. Some may also include a fifth “monitoring and controlling” phase between the executing and closing stages.
What is Level 4 in project management? ›
The Level 4 units provide an introduction to relevant project management principles and practice. These units include both theoretical and practical content, and learners will be able to gain knowledge and skills in the areas of project management, people management, and business finance as well as business marketing.
What are the 3 types of project management? ›
Many different types of project management methodologies and techniques exist, including traditional, waterfall, agile, and lean. Project management is used across industries and is an important part of the success of construction, engineering, and IT companies.
What are the four levels of project success? ›
Through a literature review and classification of success criteria, a four level success framework was developed, namely: context level; business level; product level; and project process level. This framework explains the relationship between levels and provides guidelines for decision process.
Type III Enrichment in The Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1979) is considered to be the highest level of advanced work that students can pursue. It is defined as “individual and small group investigations of real problems;” and real problems are characterized by the following four criteria: 1.
What is Stage 3 of project management? ›
Phase 3: Project execution
As a project manager, your job is to establish efficient workflows and carefully monitor the progress of your team. Another responsibility of the project manager during this phase is to consistently maintain effective collaboration between project stakeholders.
What is a Level 3 project manager? ›
The Project Manager III is responsible for all aspects of the project life cycle: planning, scope definition, design, execution, and delivery, including assembling the project team, assigning responsibilities, and managing schedules and resources to ensure timely completion of assigned projects.
What is L1 schedule and L2 schedule? ›
L1- schedule comprise key events or major milestones selected as a result of coordination between client and. schedule activities, mobilisation of major equipment or installation of major equipment. mainly there ES and EF dates. L2 schedule provides integral plan of the Project activities for Project management.
What is L1 L2 in project schedule? ›
The Levels of Scheduling is categorized into Four levels, they are. LEVEL-1 (L1 SCHEDULING) — Planning without Resources/Project Management & Strategy. LEVEL-2 (L2 SCHEDULING) — Tracking without Resources/Project Control Level. LEVEL-3 (L3 SCHEDULING) – Planning with Resources/Cost Account & Work Package.
What is L2 and L3 schedule? ›
L2 schedule provides integral plan of the Project activities for Project management. L3- Schedule shows lowest level of details necessary to complete the project through Job Completion and also to finalize remaining requirements for the total project.
What is the difference between L1 schedule and L2 schedule? ›
Schedule Level 2, also known as the Control Schedule, provides a more granular breakdown of the project compared to Level 1. It focuses on specific activities, tasks, and dependencies required to complete each phase or major activity identified in Level 1.
hing houses, offices or roads. Techniques to manage these are well-developed and the Project Manager’s job is speed them through a largely linear lifecycle of Initiation, Planning, Implementation and Close-out.