Projects – real, virtual or what?

Purpose – At the heart of this paper is the question of how to describe the ongoing changes of project management (PM) and how to cultivate the understating of projects. In line with the theme of this issue, a non‐traditional approach of presenting this paper is used with the aim of providing a lived experience view on projects. This helps pave the way for changed perceptions of many of the traditional ideas of projects and PM, implicitly demanding a need for rethinking the field. The purpose of this paper is to offer some of that rethinking and suggest how to research it. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is narrative and builds on exploratory storytelling which is common in the social sciences but quite non‐traditional in the PM sphere. Findings – The paper explores the kind of arguments people might have when defending their perceptions of what a project is and should be. Practical implications – Traditional PM might benefit from being open to experiences from non‐traditional areas of application, and equally important is that the reverse might apply. Originality/value – Rethinking PM and relating to social science areas is very much in the vogue presently. The authors wish to push that issue even further, and this paper illustrates one way to achieve a fruitful dialogue or a discussion in a scientifically based context.