They are a means of having nothing and then having something. However, before we can continue we must come across a common definition for what a project is. You defined project and job as follows:

Job: a role that may encompass work, projects, or a combination of both
Project: a time-bound process of creating something new for the business e.g. installing new light fixtures, designing a new software application, creating a new filing system

I very much like these definitions. A job encompasses projects and projects are something that is done for the business. However, Project needs a second definition.

Projects CAN, however, have great personal growth. Lets use the topic of religion as an example. ‘Bob’ questions his faith, that he has believed strongly in all his life. He sets out to do as much research as possible, learns, expands his knowledge, participates in church activities (possibly seeking out new churches or religion branches) and then comes to a conclusion about his faith.

So i would like to add a secondary definition to project (completely separate from the wonderful one you provided):

Secondary Project: A personal endeavor to satisfy one’s needs, desires, or goals.

With these definitions in hand, I completely stand by what I said before, “Thats just a really deep way of saying, �I have a job that makes me think.’”

My job description states that I will develop and program applications of the companies web servers (details, names and such specifically left out to make it more general. I can copy and paste in another post if you would like).

“Must develop and program” … that sounds an awful lot like a project to me. But it *IS* my job to do it. Sometimes I will learn something new on these projects and sometimes I don’t.

Now I would like to use an example of a project from another section of the library, the cataloging department. Cataloger A is called into the bosses office and told that they are supposed to work on this new project, lets call it Z. It encompasses this and that, and Cataloger A runs off to do Z.

Projects are not in A’s job description … They are expected as part of the tasks through the year. But, Z is basically the same thing that A does all the time.

In this project, I am specifically thinking of something that I am working on in conjunction with the cataloging department now (Digital Collections).

Very little project management is needed for Cataloger A’s work to be done. He is merely a mark on a chart for me that I can refer to when i have a cataloging based question. But, it is still very much a project for the business (that should over time generate income for the library). While it is a piece of a larger project, it is separate from mine … one in which a complete flow chart of his own could be drawn … if it was warranted. In fact, they were completely separate projects to start with.

My point, is that we are still just doing our jobs. My project includes programming and development. His project includes applying labels (metadata) to objects in my system. One of us has learned a great deal (I suppose this is the the journey you refer too) and one of us has not.

But, in reference to that journey I would like to say that “Learning and Expanding Skills” is just part of the JOB of being a Programmer and Developer. You have to learn else you will be left behind.

Thus, my job just makes me think harder than installing new light fixtures in the building (a no brainer for a skilled electrician, while an apprentice will learn a great deal)

“This is why business are all gaga about project-based work, and why lots of people are getting involved with project management.”

This is why it is all just a Buzz word. And i hate buzz words and fad technology with a passion.

Like I said before, project management advances are great and wonderful things. Because organizing projects these days is VERY difficult if you have a very large project with a lot of people …. especially if they are spread all over the world.

But, its still just doing your job. And being project based verses job based is the difference between writing the scripts/building the robots that replace the less skilled workers or being one of those less skilled workers that just got replaced by a very small shell script.