informal project

[ɪnˈfɔːrməl ˈprɒdʒekt]
nounpl: informal projects
projeto informal
1. A project that is not officially planned, documented, or recognized by an organization; undertaken casually or without formal structure
The team started an informal project to improve the office workflow.
A equipe iniciou um projeto informal para melhorar o fluxo de trabalho do escritório.
2. A temporary initiative conducted outside standard procedures or bureaucratic channels
They launched an informal project to test the new software before official release.
Eles lançaram um projeto informal para testar o novo software antes do lançamento oficial.
3. A community-based or grassroots initiative undertaken voluntarily without formal funding or authorization
The neighborhood started an informal project to clean up the local park.
O bairro iniciou um projeto informal para limpar o parque local.
In both Brazilian and American business contexts, informal projects are increasingly recognized as vehicles for innovation and employee engagement. In Brazil, these are often called 'projetos paralelos' in corporate settings and represent a way to work around bureaucracy. In the US, particularly in tech startups, informal projects are celebrated as part of the culture, while in traditional corporate America they may be viewed with skepticism if they distract from official work.
NYC Slang
side hustle project / off-the-books project
Synonyms / Sinônimos
side projectunofficial projectcasual projectad hoc projectgrassroots initiative
Antonyms / Antônimos
formal projectofficial projectauthorized projectplanned initiative

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
projeto informal
Standard term used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
projeto de rolé
Colloquial variant emphasizing casual nature
São Paulo
projeto paralelo
Common in corporate environment meaning side/parallel project
Portugal
projeto informal
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; also 'projeto não oficial'

Related Words

brainstormingprototypepilot programproof of concepttask force

Related Idioms & Phrases

fly by night operation
bootstrap project
labor of love
guerrilla initiative
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