Applying the Stages of the Product Lifecycle to Household Moving Applying the Stages of the Project Lifecycle to Household Moving

In defining the processes and steps involved in moving a household there are many comparisons possible to managing a highly complex project as well. The project management frameworks and sequence of steps is comparable between moving even the simplest household vs. completing a commercial or private project. The goal of this paper is to apply the stage of project lifecycles to moving a household. As with any successful project, the most foundational step is to ensure everyone has the same set of expectation and that objectives are defined in common terms everyone can understand. Project lifecycles are the most successful when there is a very clear series of expectations and requirements shared across all teams (Pasian, Sankaran, Boydell, 2012). The most successful projects are those that set attainable, realistic and clearly defined goals that enable all project teams and contributors to stay focused on its completion (Cagle, 1990). Jas as a team involved in a complex project must all share a common series of expectations about what can be accomplished and when, the same holds true of each family member involved in a move as well. Both groups must share a common series of expectations of each step from a logistics standpoint. Insight about which specific steps need to happen when also must be well understood and bought into by both teams. The commitment of each team, in both examples, is critical to the success of the respective projects as well. Creating a shared sense of ownership in any project is essential to its success and the reduction of resistance to change (Jaafari, 2000).

For both household moving and for a large-scale project, there also must be a project plan that is very clear about the critical path, supporting and subordinate tasks. In the case of a household moving, the goals...

choosing to move entirely on one's own. The potential locations for the move need to be evaluated according to a series of criterion, in addition to a framework being provided that shows the overall trade-offs of each location. The financial impactions of one location relative to another need to be defined with a series of metrics and the schedule tasks defined and sequenced according to time and cost constraints (Khang, Moe, 2008). Both a formalized project and a household move must also have a critical path defined, specifically showing which tasks precede the other and what the potential is on overall schedule accomplishment based on the acceleration or slip relative to schedule dates (Khang, Moe, 2008). As is the case with any successful project, the ability of project team members to have a high degree of collaboration and communication, including high levels of trust, are essential for projects and family moves to be successful.
Setting Accurate, Attainable Goals Is Critical To Project Progress

Just as a business will initiate a project to gain competitive advantages including more customers, greater access to resources or suppliers, or develop entirely global markets, the same is true of a household move. Households move to gain access to greater career opportunities or closer to families; in short to pursue long-term advantages. The same is true of any business undertaking a given project to gain greater levels of sales, coordinate more effectively with suppliers and create a more effective value chain for the business. Unifying the household moving and project comparison is the performance and accomplishment of each project must be based on solid stakeholder involvement and support (Cagle, 1990). Both examples require a clear set of definable metrics of performance complete with a series of measurable progress points…