Evolution of "Project" Definition: PMBOK 8th Edition vs. Previous Versions

Francisco -

This is similar to the FAQ regarding what constitutes a program vs a project. Company-to-company, I've seen the term initiative used in different ways. The important thing is to ensure there is a consistent operational definition within the organization and its delivery partners to avoid confusion.

Going back to your titular question though, I do like the addition of "context" and the emphasis on "value" in the updated definiton. The old definition spoke about a unique endeavor but didn't highlight the importance of context. And the addition of value is tied directly to PMI's current views on project success.

Kiron

I was part of the groups of reviewers and one of my recommendations was using the term initiative. It was accepted (the PMI sent to you a detail about which recommendations you did were accepted and the reasons for that) but I know that it was accepted because I am not the only one. With that said, my proposal to use initiative is because it is more close to understand that we are part of a solution. Project by itself has no sense. Think of an initiative as the "why" and the overall strategic direction (e.g., "increase customer engagement"), while a project is the "how" – the specific, time-bound tasks (e.g., "launch new mobile app," "run social media campaign") that support the initiative. At the end, I am not totaly satisfy about the way the term is used in the new PMBOK.

Sergio Luis Conte it's really interesting to learn about some of the origin of this change.

Thanks for sharing your experience and the reasoning behind your proposal. Your explanation makes sense for me: viewing an "initiative" as the strategic "why" gives the work much more purpose than just seeing it as a list of tasks. It highlights the human element of being part of a solution rather than just managing a timeline.
Sorry to hear that you aren't totally satisfied with how the final version of the PMBOK implemented the term, especially since your original vision of the "why" vs. the "how" is so clear, but we will have the next pmbok version to improve!

Well, what changed?

First, uniqueness was attributed to context, no longer as in PMBoK Guide ed7 to the project product, service, or result (the output). This was introduced several years ago to distinguish between projects and operations that produce the same product repeatedly. Context refers to what occurs outside a project, and it changes continuously. Indeed, we try to fix the status quo, including the context, when we start a project, but the longer the project takes, the more futile it is. If the project context changes over time, it is only unique at the moment of start. So the project characteristic of 'unique context' is a tautology, a term that has no meaning.

Second, the project's target was shifted from product to value. Value is a subjective term, perceived differently by each stakeholder and often intangible (reputation, trust, credibility, strategic importance). In contrast, a product, service, or result (a deliverable) is measurable, tangible, and objective. Value from projects is created by using deliverables after the project ends, and the accountability of the team and PM no longer exists. If a project is expected to deliver value, who is accountable?

What did not change?
Temporality - which is now the main differentiator between projects and programs (in PMI's definitions).

The creation of benefits is the primary objective of programs; benefits lead to the accumulation of value over time. (Like a bridge - the benefit -that reduces commuting time by half - aggregated value). Program Management includes a full performance domain dealing with benefits with specifics, processes, and artifacts, not often seen in projects.

I see the 8th edition’s definition as a shift toward how work actually happens today. Emphasizing context and value reflects that projects don’t exist in isolation and that success is judged beyond delivery alone. In practice, I still find it useful to distinguish initiatives as the strategic intent and projects as the authorized, time-bound execution units. What matters most, though, is having a shared definition across the organization so governance, accountability, and expectations stay clear.