ABSTRACT
Many people in different roles in health and care organisations find themselves working on projects from time to time and will sometimes be asked to lead or manage a project. Sometimes we are asked to join a project team as part of our workload and sometimes we are seconded to work exclusively on a project for a defined period of time. Some people are appointed to fixed-term jobs that are entirely concerned with work on one specific project. So what is a project? We use the word ‘project’ to describe something that is not part of ordinary day-to-day work. It also indicates something that is purposeful and distinct in character. In this chapter we shall consider how to distinguish a project from other work and some of the characteristics of projects in health and care settings. We shall also outline some of the factors that contribute to successful completion of projects.
