PREFACE
The Proactive Human high-level framework is the result of a product study testing the possibility of obtaining a document that would describe potential, typical, holistic, and unified management, activity and operations of individual’s personal life in automated and/or automatic modes. Proactive Human, due to a hypothetical and experimental version of the display and description of processes and their relationships, can be useful for teams working on the design and improvement of SuperApps, Metaverses, Big Data projects, AI, integrated interaction of specific applications, services, and devices of the Internet of Things. Proactive Human is not about technical means or automation tools, but about the logic and structure of the functioning of programs at the level of user data and applications. The framework can also be useful for specialists from other fields, such as life coaches, life managers, and the average person.
The next immediate goal of the Proactive Human development project is to distribute it as an e-book and to post it on a dedicated web portal that facilitates public discussion and allows registered users — or members of the future association — to collectively submit proposals and changes.
The concept of personal life management is central to this document. In developing the framework, our team sought to determine whether it is possible to elevate the management of one’s personal life or activities to a new level. What might that level be? What role does information technology play in this evolution?
It is likely that the number of companies developing digital solutions for personal use will grow, as they strive — consciously or unconsciously, together or independently — to obtain automated services that maximize the range of operations covered, ensure their aggregation and improved integration, and support holistic, unified implementation and management.
It is highly plausible that the market will see an increasing number of solutions designed to help individuals anticipate the desired state of their lives and prepare for significant challenges and threats. In particular, this growth may be driven by the advanced, user-friendly functionality of these applications and by a growing desire for balance and optimization across various dimensions — such as benefits, risks, resources, time, work-life balance, and overall harmony.
What is wrong with the life management of a modern person, given the potential offered by modern digital technologies? The average offline lifestyle, a conventional (run-of-the-mill) life management application, or even a modern SuperApp do not adequately address (or only weakly address) the following problems and shortcomings:
— “Short-sightedness” and a narrow vision of life and the surrounding world.
— A sense of existential confusion, inner turmoil, and inconsistency in the search for answers and one’s purpose. This adversely affects long-term planning or even leads to its absence.
— Limited ability to track the mutual influence of various aspects of life. Existing tools do not allow for a comprehensive analysis of how one factor impacts another.
— A reality that regularly delivers unexpected and unpleasant surprises. Current personal Apps do not ensure sufficient predictability in life’s processes.
— Living in a “firefighting” and/or chaotic manner rather than in an orderly, strategic way. People are forced to act reactively instead of adopting a proactive, strategic approach.
— Insufficient coordination with other people and organizations. Frequent communication breakdowns result in conflicts and inefficient interactions.
— A lack of comprehensive, user-friendly, attractive, and truly useful tools for centralized life management. Existing solutions are often so cumbersome that they are outright rejected by users.
— Fragmentation of activities. Elements of life management are scattered across different applications, which makes their integration and use within a unified framework difficult.
By developing and promoting Proactive Human, we aim to help organizations obtain more advanced solutions with the following advantages, among others:
— “Life In Full View”. Users effortlessly access information on hundreds of key elements of their own processes and tasks — as well as those of related processes — and understand their interrelationships across the past, present, desired state, and forecasted future, all presented in a variety of alternative potential scenarios.
— Life or activity management based on Benefit-to-Cost/Effort Analysis. This approach not only offers alternative solutions but also optimizes the necessary and potential aggregate of benefit units while taking expenses, efforts, and risks into account.
— Standardized and evolving processes and objects in personal life. The logic and structure of these processes are supplied by a global social network of authoritative experts, institutions, and experienced users.
— Approaches to managing personal activity derived from professional business management. These methods are implemented with a focus on the convenience and simplicity of software applications for the average user, considering the natural characteristics of individuals.
— Integration of popular third-party internet services, processes, and applications. Examples include mapping services, taxi applications, weather forecasts, and similar tools.
— An embedded inbound flow of statistical and risk information. Sourced from specialized providers, this data supports the planning of personal activities with risk considerations, thereby enhancing the likelihood of successfully achieving personal goals and objectives.
For the success of the design, development, and implementation of life-management applications or SuperApps, it is important to pay special attention to the common risks of the relevant projects:
— The product provides a lower-than-expected value for the user.
— Users’ unpreparedness for new approaches.
— Complexity and inconvenience for the user.
— User concerns about personal data leakage.
— Fear of Big Brother or All-Seeing Eye.
— Rejection by those who are not fond of planning and time management.
— Criticism or ignoring by adherents of Internet detox.
— Insufficient supply of structures, knowledge, and information from external parties, and ineffective engagement of third-party applications.
— Insufficient productivity or efficiency of the project team relative to the intensity and volume of both incoming information and its own set of core elements — structures, knowledge, and computational algorithms.
— Inefficient product architecture, leading to complexity and high costs in implementation, operation, and support.
Proactive Human is not a panacea for a person’s personal problems. Although new methods can yield significant benefits, personal awareness, prudence, rationality, and adequacy should always remain the most essential criteria for any practical approach. Moreover, we do not recommend applying this framework to societies and countries with relatively unstable environments — those torn apart by conflicts, economic crises, and other disruptions. Proactive Human does not focus on personal crisis management and is not intended for that purpose. Crisis management is not distinguished as a separate process, although individual elements of it are present in various processes and are proposed as components of a proactive approach.
Sincerely, the Proactive Human team.
