How can I work with lifestyles as a project manager?

Now we know what lifestyles are and understand why working with lifestyles has become important, the next question is: 'how can I as a project manager work with lifestyles in my project?'

We describe below the main steps towards working with lifestyles in urban regeneration projects. On the basis of theory and experience in the field, we have set out a method that will allow project managers to establish their own lifestyle categories quickly for their own projects. We assume that they can do this without engaging in years of academic research (the time and the money are often lacking in urban regeneration projects). We also assume that establishing 70% of the truth quickly is more valuable than establishing 90% of the truth over a long period of time. The information below is therefore primarily collected through interviews with key figures, connoisseurs' of the social structures in the urban regeneration field.

A recipe that depends on the cook

We must make an important reservation at this point. The precise method required always depends on the local conditions of the project. Every project is different: the size, the aims, the local culture, the project staff and the financial conditions. You should use what follows as a recipe and, like any good cook, you will add your own ingredients. To help you, we provide you with five questions you can ask yourself.

Why is there no standard classification?

There are already many standard classifications of lifestyles. However, they have two drawbacks. First of all, the underlying preferences mean that lifestyles are culture-based. There is, in other words, no universal lifestyle classification. Lifestyle descriptions can be country- or region-based. Secondly, standard classifications mainly work on broader scales: entire towns of 300,000 inhabitants, or entire countries. However, as soon as local projects are involved (or a series of local projects), these standard classifications are too crude as a basis for actual decisions. It will be necessary to zoom into the specific lifestyles that constitute the local context. A characteristic feature of urban regeneration is that it is also important to take into account specific lifestyles of all groups present in the area.

Incidentally, whatever the classification used for lifestyles, three main groups are always discernable:

1. pioneers (advocates of individualisation and modernisation);
2. materialistic group (hedonists who are happy with what they have got);
3. stragglers (anxious, prefer order).

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The annex contains examples of existing standard classifications (the annex is still under construction).

Schematic overview

To start with, a schematic overview of the recipe. This is a concept that still requires elaboration with input from partners.