Private life projects have specific attributes, which make them significantly different from business projects.
Business projects are interpreted in a lax manner, and we consider any kind of project, initiated and executed by a professional formal organisation as part of these projects, unrelated to the actual goals and content of the project itself. The organisation implementing the project can be an economic enterprise, an institution of management, healthcare, education, or any other area, or NGO’s. These can also be called organisational projects. On the other side of the spectrum, all projects which don’t fall into the same category as the previous ones are considered private life projects. These are typically projects implemented at various areas of our private lives, executed by natural persons, or groups of natural persons, families, school groups, friend groups, et cetera. Organisations may come into being even in these cases, and oftentimes they do, but usually, these aren’t formal, but informal organisations.
Nowadays, using the project perspective in practice is becoming more and more widespread. One may say it is a bit too far-fetched, but we can consider everything a project, which is not a routine task. Accelerating changes, and novel tasks of today need the project perspective more and more nowadays. Without projects, there is no change, and there is no competitive business.
We often speak about projects, however, we also often forget to mention that their consequences have to be considered as well. Some people habitually call everything a project, which is obviously a fallacy. And others don’t even consider real projects as projects. If something is a project, why do we not use at least a few fundamental elements of the project methodology?
Perhaps because it’s not taught in school, and the area doesn’t get enough support to enter into public knowledge, thereby becoming a widely accepted methodology. Sadly, only a very narrow circle of people uses the elements of project methodology as a routine.
Or perhaps because we don’t even realise, that we are facing a project?
We often realise that we might have to pay a large price in the future, if we don’t handle the project as a project. Lacking, or ill-conceived planning, activities in the semblance of ideas, ad-hoc reactions and chaotic communication will usually lead to a failure.