According to the Turkish Language Institution, the project is stated as a scientific study draft carried out on behalf of the state or private institutions, whose cost has been calculated and approved by authorized institutions and organizations in different fields, within the framework of a specific plan and program.
According to the European Union "Project Cycle Management" researches, the project is a series of activities aimed at revealing clearly defined targets with a specific budget in a certain period of time. (Project Cycle Management Guidelines. MArt 2004 EUROPEAN COMMİSİON p: 8)
In terms of network analysis, a project is a collection of things that need to be done to achieve a goal. A project is a collection of non-recurring or one-off activities. In network analysis, projects are represented by grids and the basic elements are only two. These are activities and events. (İ. İlhami KARAYALÇIN, Industrial Engineering and Production Management Handbook, (İstanbul, Çağlayan Publication, 1986) p: 421)
According to the definition of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the project should have a "certain start and end time". The work done should be done "to put forward a certain product or service". (Project Management Institute, 2003)
Looking at the project definitions, there are common features that should be found in projects in all definitions.
These :
The project is carried out by clearly identified stakeholders. A specific target and final beneficiaries must be specified. The contractor of each project, the group to work on the project and the person institutions that will provide coordination are determined. In the work to be done, the beneficiaries who will use the resulting product such as the practitioners should be determined. (Project Cycle Management Guidelines. MArt 2004 EUROPEAN COMMİSİON p: 8) It should be carried out in a clear coordination, within the scope of a certain management and budget. Within the scope of the project, the project manager must be determined within a certain program. Project management is responsible for managing the budget created by the project owners. (Project Cycle Management Guidelines. MArt 2004 EUROPEAN COMMİSİON p: 8) There should be a performance evaluation system that can monitor the project under certain conditions. Each project must have a supervisory unit. Actions in accordance with the program determined at the beginning of the project and the activities carried out in order to reach the expected goal should be audited. The performance of the project contractors should be controlled within the framework of the determined program. (Project Cycle Management Guidelines. MArt 2004 EUROPEAN COMMİSİON p: 8) There should be analyzes showing financial and economic suitability. At the beginning of the project, within the scope of budget calculations, the financial and economic inputs and outputs of the project should be analyzed. The necessary resources for the budget should be determined. (Project Cycle Management Guidelines. MArt 2004 EUROPEAN COMMİSİON p: 8) It is a one-time study, even if similar studies are carried out each time, each project should be different due to the project structure. For example, while serial vehicle production is not a project, a new model vehicle to be produced in the same factory is within the scope of the project. (Ayşegül Pamukçu TURAN p: 4) Projects must have a specific start and end date. The work to be carried out within the scope of the project and the time to be spent on these studies should be determined. Studies should be done according to these criteria. (Ayşegül Pamukçu TURAN p: 4)