Project Life Cycle and Product Life Cycle Relationships
　　项目生命期与产品生命期的关系
　　Many projects are linked to the ongoing work of the performing organization. Some organizations formally approve projects only after completion of a feasibility study, a preliminary plan, or some other equivalent form of analysis; in these cases, the preliminary planning or analysis takes the form of a separate project. For example, additional phases could come from developing and testing a prototype prior to initiating the project for the development of the final product. Some types of projects, especially internal service or new product development projects, can be initiated informally for a limited amount of time to secure formal approval for additional phases or activities.
　　许多项目都与实施组织的日常连续业务相联系。某些组织仅在完成可行性研究、制定出初步计划或某种其他类似形式的分析之后，才正式批准项目。在这种情况下，初步规划或分析采取了单独项目的形式。例如，在启动研制最终产品的项目之前，在研制和试验样机或样品的过程中可能会发现需要增加阶段。某些形式的项目，特别是内部服务或新产品研制项目可以提前一段时间非正式启动，以便为增加的阶段或活动取得正式的批准。
　　The driving forces that create the stimuli for a project are typically referred to as problems, opportunities, or business requirements. The effect of these pressures is that management generally must prioritize this request with respect to the needs and resource demands of other potential projects.
　　激发项目的推动力量一般叫做问题、机会或经营要求。有了这些压力的后果是，管理层一般必须根据其他潜在项目的需要和资源要求来确定这一项目要求的轻重缓急。
　　The project life cycle definition will also identify which transitional actions at the end of the project are included or not included, in order to link the project to the ongoing operations of the performing organization. Examples would be when a new product is released to manufacturing, or a new software program is turned over to marketing. Care should be taken to distinguish the project life cycle from the product life cycle. For example, a project undertaken to bring a new desktop computer to market is only one aspect of the product life cycle. Figure 2-4 illustrates the product life cycle starting with the business plan, through idea, to product, ongoing operations and product divestment. The project life cycle goes through a series of phases to create the product. Additional projects can include a performance upgrade to the product. In some application areas, such as new product development or software development, organizations consider the project life cycle as part of the product life cycle.
　　为了将项目与实施组织的日常连续业务联系起来，项目生命期的确定还会在项目结束时，识别哪些过渡行动列入或不列入。把新产品交付正式生产或把新电脑软件交付上市，就是这种情况的例子。应该注意，应把项目的生命期和产品的生命期区分开来。例如，向市场推出一种新型台式电脑的项目仅仅是其产品生命期的一个方面。图2-4是一个例子，说明产品生命期开始于经营计划，经过构思，到产品，再到日常经营和产品退出市场。而项目生命期经历创造这一产品的一系列阶段。其他项目可以包括对这一产品的性能更新。在某些应用领域如新产品或软件研制，组织将项目生命期视为产品生命期的一部分。