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Continuing in the series of postings on variation as an enabler let's explore more of what I mean by "projects are people-centered."

Why do I keep making this point? Because our language in business is so often that of the machine. In the last ten years the computer metaphor has gained ground. Those metaphors hide the nature of what happens on projects. Work doesn't flow like material flows in factories. People don't access their memory bank like computers. That people are not machines nor computers hardly needs saying, but how can we speak of our projects with a vocabulary that brings forth the nature of the project?

Let's start by looking at what constitutes human-ness. I've written about both the social and biological aspects of being human in many postings. Let's fill out five elements for starters:

• Capacity for language
  This goes beyond our ability to communicate. Dogs and dolphins can do that. Language gives us the power of naming or distinguishing one thing from another often in nuanced ways. Language is what allows us to coordinate action which is central to all projects. Written language provides a basis for sharing with people who are not present at some moment of action or experience.
• Historical
  Humans have a past, present, future. Not only do we have memories of the past and dreams of the future, but we call on our past in the stories we tell for shaping our futures. This sharing of pasts and futures provides a rich context for what we do in the present.
• Moods
  The accepted word in use is emotions or more familiarly, feelings. I am using the word mood to make a richer distinction. People in a present situation have an emotional condition that is triggered by some event or action. That triggering usually has to do with some personal experience in the past or one as told to us. That emotional experience is projected into the future shaping what is then possible for us and others.
• Biological
  Of course we are biological. Have you considered that learning is biological…that it happens not just in the brain, but throughout our system? How about considering that goal-setting and innovation are also biological in nature?
• Social
  Humans not only act with others, but we do some of our best work, play, learning, and creating with others.

I'll explore these five attributes one-by-one in the coming week, or so. I suggest you start looking at how human-ness creates opportunities and challenges on your projects. Please share what you notice as comments to these postings.