Assessment frameworks provide a range of matters to consider when evaluating project options. Project
advocates may even use frameworks to self-assess the quantifiable parts of their application. That said,
assessment frameworks can be complicated to navigate and set rigid thresholds that do not apply to all projects.
A new system is required to accommodate dynamic projects such as those affected by disruptive technologies and those requiring a flexible scope due to the highly uncertain nature of the work required.
Assessment rubrics, such as those adopted in higher education, may more effectively articulate the expectations of a project sponsor. Rubrics have the added benefit of explicitly depicting qualitative and quantitative satisfaction levels. Thus, they can be designed in a way that accommodates greater diversity in initiatives and projects than quantified thresholds.
This research utilises a design science research framework to design a project categorisation rubric for
regionally significant or ‘priority’ projects. Design science is used to diagnosis a problem, build a theory,
design an artefact, and undertake an initial evaluation of that artefact. The problem diagnosis extends to a
review of previous research and examination of industry reports. Theory building focuses on how to enhance the categorisation of regionally significant projects, and the artefact, or rubric, presents a novel way to assess and categorise projects. As part of the initial evaluation, a series of regional projects on the Sunshine Coast, Australia, have been analysed and categorised.