A project is a service individually tailored to a customer. The focus here is on the uniqueness of the service. Projects are planned in close cooperation with the customer, as the requirements must first be determined and specified. Projects are always aimed at a specific customer and therefore cannot be repeated. Examples of this are

Projects are used in Leadtime when close coordination and customized work is required. In contrast to products, projects are usually the result of intensive collaboration and require creative and technical adjustments.

In practice, most digital service providers have both a range of standardized products and a distinct project business. Particularly in the SaaS sector, customers often acquire hybrids between the two models. This is the case, for example, when the customer purchases a standard software product from the service provider, but the setup of this product has to be implemented as a complex individual project - for example, because individual interfaces to third-party systems have to be developed to operate the software.

However, a template system - the "project components" - is used for project work. With the help of project components, projects that a company has to carry out regularly can be standardized and thus made repeatable.

Most projects in digital service companies are unique at first glance - but in reality, many of these projects are very similar in terms of structure, process and objectives. Whether it's setting up a CRM system, designing a website or introducing a new SaaS solution, the same phases, the same types of tasks and the same pitfalls are repeated time and time again.

This is exactly where standardization comes in - as a proven concept from lean management. It ensures that a learning effect is created from every repetition of a similar project. What has worked well once can be documented, reused and continuously improved. This creates a sustainable quality assurance process - while at the same time reducing costs and shortening project lead times.

According to the classic definition, every project is a "one-off project" - and this is often true on a purely technical level. In practice, however, many service providers specialize in certain technologies, industries or tasks. This results in a high degree of repeatability despite individual adaptations.

Examples:

This repetition is no coincidence - it is a prerequisite for profitability in the service business.

Leadtime was developed with the aim of systematically harnessing the benefits of standardized project work - without having to forego individual customer customization.

The central tool for this are the project components. These are fully prepared project templates with all typical work packages, checklists, acceptance tests and even time budgets.

The project components in Leadtime work like a modular system:

Customers no longer answer their requirements freely and unstructured, but step by step via clearly guided forms that are directly linked to the work packages. In this way, requirements management itself becomes part of the system - documented, traceable and standardizable.

This has several advantages:

Service providers can use existing components in Leadtime to quickly create an indicative quote based on typical project samples, particularly in the case of incomplete specifications or short-notice tenders - even if many details are still open.

This protects against scope creep, improves the negotiating position and ensures that work can be carried out professionally even in uncertain project phases.

Standardization is not the opposite of individualization - it is the prerequisite for reliable, economical and scalable project work. Leadtime makes it possible to intelligently combine these two goals - with a system that structurally promotes standardization without sacrificing flexibility. The result: predictable projects, satisfied customers - and teams that can work more efficiently.