Context statement establishes the project's external framework and environment. The context statement defines the role of the project within organisational strategy and its contribution to organisation’s goals and objectives.

1. Nader Jarmooz 2012

2. Every project exists within a context
• The Context statement establishes the external
framework for the project in relation to organisational
gaols and objectives
• It sets the scene for the project, its outcome, and
relevance in terms of the organisational strategy
• It identifies the external factors that can influence the
project and its external dependencies

3. The context statement – in conjunction with the
Scope statement – should be developed at the
project definition stage and will have a
profound input into the project Rationale
statement.
The context statement helps senior management
with decision making in terms of prioritisation
of the project in relation to available resources.

4. Projects do not exist in a vacuum, nor are they divorces
from the organisation’s other activities. Though each
project is unique and a stand-alone endeavour,
nevertheless, it must make valid contribution to overall
organisational objectives and goals.
When establishing the project context Young (2006)
recommends that the project, its timely outcome, and
relevance to other projects within the firm’s portfolio
must be considered in order to align the undertaking
with organisational strategy.

5. Project contextualisation defines and validates the
external factors. when developing the context it is
imperative to consider the following issues:
 Legal and statutory obligations
 professional standards
 technological advances
 financial and economic factors
 national and international boundaries
 dynamic and evolving market
 geopolitical issues
 socioeconomic benefits and constraints

6. Defining the context requires close examination
of the problem statement. The first questions to
be considered are:
•why the project should go ahead?
•what does the project aim to achieve?
•how will it interact with other planned projects?

7. To answer the above questions it is important to
consider the project’s ‘fit’ within overall organisational
direction and identify the benefits it offers
Field and Keller (1998) suggest if the ‘fit’ is identified at
an early stage, then it may be possible to address a
wider set of organisational concerns and increase the
available resources in recognition of the increased
value and fringe-benefits it offers to the organisation
beyond its planned scope.

8. Conversely, if the project does not fit within the
organisational strategy, then the feasibility of the
project becomes doubtful and resources will be
allocated to more ‘fitting’ projects.
Turner (1993) defines the context as an abstract concept,
though it also includes the environment where the
physical activity within the constraints of economic,
social and ecosystem in which the project exists

9. Turner (1993) argues that the context has three primary
elements:
1. Project and corporate strategy: the organisation needs the
result to fulfil its obligations and achieve its long term
objectives,
2. The parties involved: the needs of stakeholders, users,
supporters, and parent organisation must be identified
and managed,
3. Strategic management of project: the project manager,
project team, and stakeholders must be in unison with
regards to understanding the project purpose and
objectives; and recognise issues in respect of the triple
constraints of time, scope, and resource management.

10. Therefore successful management of a project within its
identified context requires adoption of a strategic
management approach.
Organisational strategy and strategic management can only
be achieved within a given particular context and is
dependent on the enterprise, its activity, and the greater
environment (Macmillan and Tampoe, 2000).
Therefore the context has great bearing on the project scope
and determines the strategic issues that the project needs to
address.

11. Context encompasses both fact and perspective, and can be both
objective and subjective depending on the final outcome and
points of view. Project context provides the fit within
organisational strategy and customer requirements with regards
to its goals and objectives.
The context relates the project to its wider environment and
establishes justification for its approval and continuation.
One important point to consider is the ever changing façade of a
given context in response to a changing internal and external
environment. Therefore, the project context must remain dynamic
and match the requirements in a rapidly changing world in order
to provide a viable and timely solution.

12. http://lessons.lerntipp.at/4/lesson-plan-2-project-
planning-concepts
http://www.rationaldb.com/project-life-cycle-
requirements/module3/define-project-context.php
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/docs/
g/10-1257-guidelines-for-managing-projects.pdf
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY7xZ8Nut5A

13. Field, M, and Keller L, 1998, Project
Management, London, International Thomson Business Press
Macmillan, H, and Tampoe, M, 2000, Strategic Management,
Oxford, Oxford University Press
Turner, J.R., 1993, The Handbook of Project-Based
Management, Maidenhead , McGraw-Hill Publishing
Company,
Young, T, 2007, Successful Project Management, 2nd ed,
London, Kogan Page Ltd