Archibald’s Categories
Archibald Categories Model
Dr. Russel Archibald developed a broad categorization study and created an international community over the Web, seeking to improve the management characteristics of each category. The categories are shown below. Note that each category unfolds into sub-categories, which have similar life-cycle phases and a unique project management process.
1. Aerospace/Defense Projects
2. Business & Organization Change Projects
3. Communication Systems Projects (data, voice, image)
4. Event Projects
5a. Engineering/Architecture Design Projects
5b. Facility design/procurement/construction
6. Information Systems (Software) Projects
7. International or Regional Development Projects
8. Media & Entertainment Projects
9. Product and Service Development Projects
10. Research and Development Projects
11. Other categories
Project Categories
| Categories | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1. Aerospace/Defense Projects1.1 Defense systems 1.2 Space 1.3 Military operations | – New weapon system; major system upgrade. – Satellite development/launch; space station mod. – Task force invasion – Improvement or enhancement of Public Safety |
| 2. Business & Organization Change Projects2.1 Acquisition/Merger 2.2 Management process improvement 2.3 New business venture 2.4 Organization re-structuring 2.5 Legal proceeding 2.6 Organizational changes derived from Total Quality actions | – Acquire and integrate competing company. – Major improvement in project management. – Form and launch new company. – Consolidate divisions and downsize company. – Major litigation case. – Improve financial and operational indicators |
| 3. Communication Systems Projects (data, voice, image)3.1 Network communications systems 3.2 Switching communications systems | – Microwave communications network. – 3rd generation wireless communication system. |
| 4. Event Projects4.1 International events 4.2 National events | – 2004 Summer Olympics; 2006 World Cup Match; – 2005 U. S. Super Bowl; 2004 Political Conventions; |
| 5a. Engineering/Architecture Design Projects. | – Projects developed within engineering/ architecture/ decoration companies and alike. |
| 5b. Facility design/procurement/construction5.1 Facility decommissioning 5.2 Facility demolition 5.3 Facility maintenance and modification 5.4 Facility design/ procurement/ construction (Civil, Energy, Environmental, High rise, Industrial, Commercial, Residential, Ships) | – Closure of nuclear power station. – Demolition of high rise building. – Process plant maintenance turnaround. – Conversion of plant for new products/markets. – Flood control dam; highway interchange. – New gas-fired power generation plant; pipeline. – Chemical waste cleanup. – 40 story office building. – New manufacturing plant. – New shopping center; office building. – New housing sub-division. – New tanker, container, or passenger ship |
| 6. Information Systems (Software) Projects | – New project management information system. (Information system hardware is considered to be in the product development category.) |
| 7. International or Regional Development Projects7.1 Agriculture/rural development 7.2 Education 7.3 Health 7.4 Nutrition 7.5 Population 7.6 Small-scale enterprise 7.7 Infrastructure: energy (oil, gas, coal, power generation and distribution), industrial, telecommunications, transportation, urbanization, water supply and sewage, irrigation) | – People and process intensive projectsIn developing countries funded by The World Bank, regional development banks, US AID, UNIDO, other UN, and government agencies; and– Capital/civil works intensive projectsOften somewhat different from 5. Facility Projects as they may include, as part of the project, creating an organizational entity to operate and maintain the facility, and lending agencies impose their project life cycle and reporting requirements |
| 8. Media & Entertainment Projects8.1 Motion picture 8.2 TV segment 8.2 Live play or music event | – New motion picture (film or digital). – New TV episode. – New opera premiere. |
| 9. Product and Service Development Projects9.1 Information technology hardware 9.2 Industrial product/process 9.3 Consumer product/process 9.4 Pharmaceutical product/process 9.5 Service (financial, other) | – New desk-top computer. – New earth-moving machine. – New automobile, new food product. – New cholesterol-lowering drug. – New life insurance/annuity offering. – Marketing, new product development and telecom services projects. |
| 10. Research and Development Projects10.1 Environmental 10.2 Industrial 10.3 Economic development 10.4 Medical 10.5 Scientific | – Measure changes in the ozone layer. – How to reduce pollutant emission. – Test new treatment for breast cancer. |