I read the post "The three projects embodied in each project plan" and as a Project Manager myself I see how this situation can occur and had to ask myself are you just running these projects or actually managing them.

In the post you speak of scope, budget and schedule but you fail to mention risk and change which are part of all projects. In your description of the three different projects another aspect of project management is brought out and that is communication. For a project to be successful all stakeholders must in the communications channel. This is especially true during the planning, execution and controlling phases of a project.

But my real differing view in you post is that you start a project without planning for risk and defining change management plan. If these processes are instituted at the beginning of a project, and they are communicated, and tracked your your three projects become one real-formal project with communications providing the interface between the two.

By communicating the Risks of a project upfront and planning for change your projects will be better run and they will allow the "making the business happen" happen in a controlled and managed environment with the stakeholder's knowing the effects of changes and the risks involved if a plan is to be changed.

Tom White PMP
tomwhite@whitecomputer.com