Real-to-Real: synthesizing a practical method for translating project practices across conceptually dissimilar industries

Purpose Project management practices often remain confined within their originating industries because existing knowledge transfer methods lack actionable guidance on bridging cultural and conceptual barriers. This paper proposes a practical, stepwise framework for translating domain-specific project practices between conceptually dissimilar industries. Design/methodology/approach This study examines four exemplar cases that successfully translated practices across industries. Narrative synthesis surfaced recurring patterns, themes and challenges, which were then used to construct a repeatable, five-step process. An illustrative set of practices translated from film production to software development then demonstrates the method in action. Findings The Real-to-Real method provides managers with a stepwise process for identifying candidate practices, abstracting guiding principles and implementing them in another domain. The illustrative example translates specific practices from film production to software development, offering actionable routines for software teams. Research limitations/implications This study is exploratory, based on a purposive sample of successful cases and a single worked example. A follow-on study (Hawkey, 2024) extended validation through interviews with film producers and software project managers. Additionally, a comparative analysis of 307 software projects showed that adherence to the translated practices improved outcomes. Practical implications Project teams can use the Real-to-Real method as a structured process to access and adapt proven practices from conceptually distant industries, complementing benchmarking and other knowledge transfer approaches. Originality/value Recent literature has explored related concepts, such as analogical reasoning and triple-loop learning, and related tools, such as boundary objects, but practitioners lack a concrete method for practice translation. This paper contributes by offering an actionable, manager-ready process, positioned as a mid-level theoretical framework.