Paul Naybour
different from BAU
duration
start and finish dates, whereas BAU is a continuous operation.This means that a project must be delivered
within agreed timeframe. If there is any indication that more time is needed to
complete the project, change control process must be initiated in order to
address it. It needs to be decided whether additional resources are needed to
speed up work and reach set deadlines, the completion can be moved to later
date or scope needs to be reduced. BAU has no such time restrains as it is
repetitive and continues indefinitely.
2. Projects
are unique
degree of risk, whereas BAU is repetitive and ongoing where risks should be low
or levelled.
Projects being unique, despite using
standard project management tools and techniques, produce final
result/product/deliverable that is innovative in some way and had not been
produced before. PM and the team, using their knowledge, experience and
corporate resources must plan ahead and account for risk and have a contingency
in place. In BAU, such uncertainty does not exist and day to day operations are
in line with existing process and procedures and cumulative experience limits
or eliminates risk.
3. Project
Life Cycle
phases – project life cycle, from concept through to handover/close out,
whereas BAU is an ongoing operation with the focus on product life cycle.
Risk associated with the project changes
through the phases, while BAU risk is levelled.
– when Business Case is being presented
– when Project Execution Plan is being created
– when deliverables are being created
and close out – when the product is being commissioned and approved and moved
to practical use and the team is being disbanded.
of regular operations whether is a new improved process or prototype goes into
mass production. In BAU product is going through product life cycle consisting
of: Build (might overlap with the project), operations to disposal.
have a limited budget (CAPEX)
whereas BAU is funded from operational budget and manages resources in order to
maximise the profit.
In project any increase of agreed budget
requires change control activities to take place in order to review, agree and
approve new CAPEX.
In order to determine project budget
various methods are being used based on experience from similar projects,
market research, etc, whereas BAU budget (OPEX) of financial condition,
expected returns on investment, market conditions, etc.
are meant to bring change
projects are agreed at the start of the project in form of a baseline, whereas
BAU concentrates on serving continuity and maintaining consistency while
concentrating on continuous improvement.
Result of the project must be measurable
taking into account a set of project success criteria such as time (has it been
delivered by set deadline?), cost (has it been delivered within agreed budget),
benefit (is the change/result as beneficial as planned), quality and risk.
Assessment of these criteria determines whether the project was a success or
failure. BAU as an ongoing operation, measures it’s success based more on long
term goals, such as investment returns and adherence to vision and mission statement.