A Model‐Based Approach to Unifying Disparate Project Management Tools for Project Classification and Customized Management

Abstract

AbstractModern project managers are aware that different types of projects need different styles of project management. A construction project is very different from a high‐tech research program in several ways, including how each is managed. The NTCP “Diamond” framework (Novelty‐Technology‐Complexity‐Pace) suggests classifying complex projects according to four dimensions such that the values attributed to each of these dimensions indicate a recommended style of management for increasing the likelihood of the project's success. It may be difficult to attribute values to these four dimensions in a large and complex project, which calls for systematic analysis of the project as part of its planning phase. The object‐process methodology (OPM) caters to such systematic step‐by‐step analysis by decomposing a project into its fundamental building blocks – objects, possibly with states, and processes that transform the objects. This paper suggests that the confluence of OPM and NTCP can improve the project planning phase and improve the project's overall chances of success.