How a Project is Sized or Tiered

This article explains how projects are sized and assigned a tier during the project intake and scoping process. Tiering helps ensure projects receive the appropriate level of planning, oversight, communication, and support.

• General Public
• Vanderbilt University Community

• You are submitting a project request or
• You have a project request you are preparing to submit

During the Approval to Scope phase, each project request is reviewed and assigned a tier. Project tiering is based on several factors, including:

• Estimated effort
• Budget
• Number of teams involved
• Who will be impacted
• Overall complexity and risk
• Communication and change management needs

Projects are generally classified into one of four tiers:

• Small Work Effort (SWE)
• Tier 1
• Tier 2
• Program

Tiering ensures the project is matched with the appropriate level of governance, sponsorship, and project management support.

Step 1: Review Project Characteristics

When a project request is submitted, it is reviewed across multiple criteria such as size, scope, cost, impact, and risk.

Step 2: Determine the Best Overall Fit

A project does not need to match every characteristic in a tier exactly.

• If a project includes characteristics from multiple tiers, it will most likely be assigned to the tier where the majority of the criteria best align.
• The overall project profile is considered rather than any single factor.

Step 3: Confirm the Tier

The assigned tier helps determine:

• Required approvals
• Level of project management involvement
• Communication and change management expectations

If the project scope or impact changes, the tier may be reviewed and adjusted.

Project Tier Overview

Small Work Effort (SWE)

Small, straightforward efforts with limited impact and minimal risk.

Typical characteristics include:

• Small amount of work
• Very limited budget
• One team involved
• Affects a small group or single team
• Clearly defined solution
• Minimal communication required

Tier 1 Project

Low-complexity projects that are clearly defined and impact a single department.

Typical characteristics include:

• Modest amount of work
• Moderate budget
• One primary team involved
• Affects one department
• Few expected risks
• Targeted communication needed

Tier 2 Project

Medium-sized projects that require coordination across teams or departments.

Typical characteristics include:

• Larger amount of work
• Higher budget
• Multiple teams involved
• Affects more than one department
• Solution may require exploration or refinement
• Known risks or dependencies
• Ongoing communication and coordination required

Program

Large, complex efforts with broad or university-wide impact.

Typical characteristics include:

• Significant or ongoing work
• High budget
• Multiple teams and stakeholders involved
• Broad organizational impact
• Solution not fully defined at the outset
• Extensive communication and change management required
• Higher overall risk   

My project seems to fit more than one tier.
This is common. Projects are typically assigned to the tier where most characteristics apply, rather than based on a single factor.

I’m not sure how to estimate effort or impact.
Work with your Relationship Manager or Project Manager for guidance.

My project changed after submission.
If scope, cost, or impact changes, the project tier may be reviewed and updated.

• Tiering helps set expectations and align resources; it is not a measure of importance.
• The assigned tier influences governance, documentation, and communication requirements.