About Project Design: Discussion & Guide

For me, I can say that my actions over the past 20 years have been to experience for myself the information necessary for product development called "Project Design General Theory''.

In this article, we provide links to all related information, from definitions to practical applications.

This article will continue to be updated slowly.
Related Topics: #Project Design

Introduction

In our expedition through business strategy and leadership, we may often recall the methodologies described in the '90s MBA textbooks. These insights, while transformative in their era, laid the foundation for modern business thinking but were not exhaustive. As the landscape evolved, so did our comprehension of projects and their diverse nature. Whether for-profit or non-profit, or even if one perceives 'life' itself as a singular 'project', there's a realization that there's more beneath the surface. Beyond the tangible goals and evident challenges, we are propelled by invisible forces.

One such force is "value", an outcome of our judgments and decisions regarding what we deem "good". It's a blend of both the rational and heuristic. Yet, these value judgments can sometimes be obscured by our cognition and the array of emotions we experience. Emotions, with their inherent nature, can ripple easily among individuals.

Through the contagion of emotions and the acceptance of self, my viewpoint has become more profound. Following this balanced feeling, I consider various situations that may disrupt it and choose the most fitting methodologies. With this mindset, I aim to share this serenity and deepen my interactions with others moving forward. Currently, emotional contagion is often dismissed as occult or pseudoscience, which can foster prejudice, and therefore it isn't something to be discussed lightly. However, I also perceive that it's unlikely that scientific materialism will continue to dominate excessively. It's uncertain whether a widespread intuition about the interplay between mind and body will emerge, or if explanations will evolve gently, similar to how particles that mediate mass do. Either way, it doesn't seem that we possess the energy to be so vastly divided. In fact, as of 2023, empathy is a key term in marketing, and communication is essential in organizational development.
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Capturing emotions and experiences in words can be challenging. To make important concepts and ideas more comprehensible, I've chosen to employ analogies and metaphors. Specifically, I've articulated my thoughts from two distinct perspectives: one with the simplicity and clarity as if explaining to a six-year-old child, and the other using terminologies tailored for programmers.

For articles written in a manner accessible to a six-year-old, click here.
For articles geared towards programmers, click here.

What is Project Design?

GPT-4's response:

Clarification of project objectives and goals
Identification of necessary resources and tools
Task decomposition and scheduling
Risk assessment and formulation of management measures
Definition of project deliverables and outcomes
Other related elements and details

For me, Project design is both designing project management and managing design.

Emotional Processing and Value Creation through a Developmental Psychology Lens

Project design involves an information processing journey that includes emotional contagion and self-acceptance as part of the emotional processing procedure. At the core of this journey is the 'value creation' system. The methodologies developed aim to adapt to this dynamic environment of the value creation system.

Residual Hypothesis:

The psychological evolution that can be termed as 'new ventures' for humanity is achieved through the process called 'communication'. This same process accomplishes the unique ventures present in each individual's life. Through mechanisms like "Aufheben", which sublimates contradictions while encompassing them, there's a continuous cycle of progression.
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Project Design Flowchart: Key Points of My Methodology:

Here is the flowchart of key considerations in a project that I find important to be mindful of.

About project management

I refer to frameworks like PMBOK, but I don’t strictly adhere to all their guidelines. Instead, I integrate parts well-matched to routine organizational practices. I prioritize what's critical for the specific project, sidestepping superfluous resources and eschewing sections I deem redundant. My emphasis lies in genuinely grasping concepts rather than just nodding to buzzwords. I avoid getting entrenched in formality. I firmly believe that every organization should mold its own tailored methods and strategies for optimal outcomes.
Related Articles: #PMBOK7

A prevailing question of mine isn't about pinpointing a book with universal truths. I often muse: Why, even with well-structured guidelines and rigorously tested knowledge, do real-world scenarios stray from the anticipated course?

The unpredictability in decision-making doesn't solely root in tangible aspects. Conflicts often stem from stakeholders' emotions, particularly from customers and decision-makers. Much like artisan craftsmanship, selecting the apt method or tool necessitates astute judgment. Amid such intricacies, valuing and steering the project towards its goal is pivotal.
Related Articles: 【Design vs Management】
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Note: Ever since PMBOK's inception, I've leaned towards utilizing Gantt charts for forecasting and detailed planning. Amid uncertainties, I unknowingly gravitated towards methods now recognized as "Agile" or "Design Thinking". While early PMBOK versions efficiently structured reports, they occasionally faltered with novel projects. They adeptly spotlighted uncertainties, yet sometimes this clarity became a double-edged sword. To those yearning for a straightforward manual for ventures, my tactics might have appeared basic or even naive.
Reference:【Project Management Body of Knowledge - Wikipedia】https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Management_Body_of_Knowledge
Reference:【Design thinking - Wikipedia】 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking

A Glimpse into My Thought Process: Balancing Values in Project Design

Often, when navigating the intricate situations life presents, I find myself not moving by conscious choice, but rather being led, as if propelled by some unseen force. My actions and thought processes are grounded in three fundamental principles.

Acknowledging Diverse Values
Achieving Balance
Continuously Adapting to Situations

1 Acknowledging Diverse Values: Between the Tangible and the Intangible, Cognition and Acceptance

The first step involves acknowledging and accepting a variety of values. Since not all values can be easily articulated, it leads to the perpetual question: "What, in essence, is value?"

In my younger years, as I delved into the corporate finance theories of Brealey & Myers and the microeconomics of Stiglitz, I found myself questioning the conventional definition of 'value'. The theories presented in these textbooks seemed to emphasize a short-term perspective, a materialistic value system, and an overly prescriptive approach. As a result, I felt that the long-term implications, diverse psychologies, and the complexities of real-world challenges were often overlooked. The reality of economics and business is far more intricate than what can be captured by a single theory. At the time, I even thought that if we were to equate shareholder supremacy with a corporation, then many small enterprises might be better suited renaming themselves as non-profit organizations. While this thought might carry a hint of irony, it underscores the importance of recognizing the gap between simplified theories and reality.

The concept of 'value' can be seen from multiple facets. It can represent the inherent worth of something just by its existence. It can also signify the importance of something that fills a void or addresses an unmet need. Furthermore, value often carries a sense of purpose or meaning behind it. Emotions, in many ways, can serve as indicators or patterns pointing to these hidden values or unmet needs.

In broad terms, the flow of embracing diverse values can be described as:

Recognizing emotions and uncovering hidden feelings.
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Understanding the 'values' these emotions and feelings produce
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Finding oneself in others and sometimes identifying others within oneself
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Upon reaching various milestones or endings, a sense of acceptance, resignation, and peace emerges
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Note: As an analogy, if I were to represent the endless struggle and rapid cycle nature in pseudocode, it would look like this.

2 Achieving Balance

Once diverse values are recognized, the subsequent challenge is achieving the right balance among them. This equilibrium brings forth its own set of challenges. There exist hard realities and realms beyond intellectual and conscious reach.

3 Continuously Adapting to Situations

My commitment lies in persisting, in adapting to challenges as they arise. It's about being flexible and adjusting actions even when faced with unforeseen circumstances.

Beyond the Surface: Navigating the Intangible Forces Within

My approach is like visualizing the balance of values using a radar chart. Yet, my thought process was seemingly straightforward but proved to be deeper than I ever imagined. Beyond these explicit actions and thoughts, I am driven by profound impulses. Sensations beyond the five senses, the contagious nature of human emotions, and the wisdom and culture passed down from ancestors; these invisible forces continuously shape my actions and decisions.

PjDHiro

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