2. Project Life Cycles, Stakeholders and Organizations

Projects do not just materialize from thin air. There must always be a purpose for initiating a project and for the project to be developed and refined through the process of progressive elaboration. For large and complex projects, an idea is first formed at the inception stage. The idea for a project is then progressively elaborated and developed to provide more details for implementation. For large and complex projects such as convention centres, theme parks and expressways, elaboration and development may take place in phases. These phases may be carried out sequentially if time is not of the essence or concurrently to fast track the completion of a project. The project life cycle is unlike nature where it is not possible to fast track the human life cycle or the butterfly life cycle. Fast tracking the butterfly life cycle as it evolves from the egg to the larva and pupa stage may cause defects in the butterfly. Throughout the project life cycle, people and organizations come into and leave the project. Suitable organization structures are therefore important to create appropriate behaviour to underpin project success.