On the Nature of an Activity

An undertaking (i.e., a project) consists of many activities required to complete the undertaking. Failure of one or more activities eventually cascade and bring about failure somewhere in the undertaking.

Understanding the nature of activities help us understand its effects on the undertaking -- i.e., the project.

A typical activity requires people to perform the activity. The fact that people are required to undertake an activity implies a secondary activity -- assigning people to that activity, which implies other activities -- deciding (an activity) what kind of person is best suited for that activity, deciding where we can get that kind of person, etc.

Activites also require resources. To paint a wall requires not just a painter, but also paint. And brush. And newspapers to line the floor.

An activity takes time. Painting a room may take a day or so, not counting the time required to let the paint smell to dissipate to safe levels.

Activities cost money as well. Whether you hire a painter or do the job yourself, some cost is involved. You can pay for the services of a painter, or give up your time for doing other profitable activities in exchange for painting.

Activites have an end result. In our example, the end result is a painted wall.

Activities have constraints. You cannot start to paint a wall and then decide to stop midpoint. You cannot go back conveniently.

Activities may fail. A good painter may produce an evenly painted surface, but a bad one may end up with bumps and visible drips.

Lastly, once the wall has been painted, there remains some cleanup work to do.

To summarise:

An activity:

• Requires preparatory activities
  
• Has an output
• Requires material resources
• Requires people to undertake the activity
• Takes time to finish
  
• Has constraints
• May fail
  
• Has closing activities