Defining Projects

The Shared Services Project Management Organization (PMO) worked with department leadership across Administration to define the criteria for work to qualify as a project. This procedure codifies this criteria and documents when exceptions can be made.

Defining Projects

Summary

The Shared Services Project Management Organization (PMO) worked with department leadership across Administration to define the criteria for work to qualify as a project.

This procedure codifies this criteria and documents when exceptions can be made.

When

When identifying whether a series of activities should be tracked as a project.

Requirement

Mandatory; with exceptions

Procedure

Projects vs. Operations

Projects:

• Have a distinct start and finish (timeline)
• Have a defined scope, complete with success criteria
• Have personnel assigned to complete specific roles and tasks

Operations:

• Defined by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Repeatable, with no end date
• Customer Service Requests

PMO Working Definition of a Project

1. Non-Operational work is defined as a project if it meets one or more of the following criteria:
2. It requires more than 120-hours of work for a single person
   1. If it has Procurement that meets any of the listed thresholds, it is considered a project:
   2. Requires an RFP (Request for Proposal)
   3. Requires service purchases (i.e. the use of a vendor) for a sum greater than $49,999 
      1. If it has an insurance claim
      2. With anything in an excess of $25,000
3. If the claim involves more than one (1) department outside of RMS or Facilities
   1. If it requires complex cross-department collaboration
   2. Planning & Construction
   3. Facilities
   4. Vendors
   5. Office of Information Technology
   6. Etc. 
4. If the work being performed meets a mandate (e.g. such as a UNLV board of regents mandate)

If the request is part of a department’s service portfolio, it is operational unless it meets any of the above criteria.

When do Operational Activities become a Project?

• If you have to get a vendor involved and move through procurement
• If it expands to multiple departments (Purchasing, P&C, OIT, etc.)
• If the operational activity fall under the definition of a project
  • Distinct start & finish
  • Defined scope
  • Assigned personnel
• If it affects other departments (not just internal staff)
• If it impacts roadmapping & prioritization

Exceptions

Michael Lawrence approves exceptions to this procedural definition at the request of unit managers.  Once an exception is granted, Mike Lawrence will communicate the exception approval to the Project Management Organization.