Artificial Intelligence, Disruptive Technology and the Future of Project Management

If artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace seems like a far off, futuristic concept, then brace yourself: The future is here.

Consider this data from the June 2019 report “AI Innovators: Cracking the Code on Project Performance,” part of the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Pulse of the Profession®, its yearly global survey of project, program and portfolio managers that charts major trends in project management:

• 81% of respondents said their organization is being impacted by AI technologies
• 37% said adopting AI technologies is a high priority for their organization
• The percentage of projects managed using AI is projected to increase from 23% to 37% over the next three years
• 85% of responding CEOs believe AI will significantly alter the way they do business within the next five years
• Nearly two-thirds of responding CEOs believe AI will be a greater disruptor than the internet

The AI technologies the project management office (PMO) has at hand are versatile and capable of addressing a variety of situations. Here are six AI technologies referenced in the PMI report, along with a brief description of the capabilities of each:

• Knowledge-based systems: comprehends the context of the data it is processing, thereby supporting human learning and decision making
• Machine learning: analyzes data to build models by detecting patterns, and yields improved decision making with minimal human intervention
• Decision management: automates decision making by creating an intelligent process or processes based on rules and logic
• Expert systems: mimics human intelligence, skills or behavior in a particular field, topic or skill
• Deep learning: builds and trains neural networks to predict outcomes and/or classify unstructured data based on probabilities
• Robotic process automation: mimics and automates human tasks in support of corporate processes

Those are striking numbers, and AI is just one example on a long list of disruptive technologies making themselves felt in workplaces around the globe. Others include cloud solutions, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, voice-driven software and 3D printing.

Versatile AI

The AI Innovators report designates “Innovator” organizations as those that have embraced AI and are reaping its benefits, outperforming “Laggard” organizations that have resisted AI. Several key areas where Innovators are besting Laggards include:

• On-time delivery: AI innovators report 61% on-time project delivery, compared to 47% for laggards
• Superior benefits realization: Innovators said 69% of their projects realized 95% or more of their business benefits, compared to 53% of laggards’ projects
• Higher Return on Investment (ROI): AI Innovators report 64% of their projects reached or surpassed their original ROI estimates, compared to 52% of projects for laggards

Maximizing AI’s potential, though, requires human collaboration. The AI Innovators report references the “human + machine multiplier effect” by Tech strategy consulting firm Accenture. In it, Accenture cites five principles it calls MELDS that organizations should apply to their AI investments:

• Encourage the right Mindset
• Promote Experimentation
• Support actively involved Leadership
• Incorporate Data into strategy
• Cultivate new Skills

Embracing New Tech is Essential

According to the 2019 Pulse of the Profession® report, organizations that thrive will be ones that embrace the new methods and create work structures that take advantage of new technological capabilities. Successful organizations are likely to be ones whose project management offices take the lead in incorporating disruptive technologies into the workflow.

Organizations are counting on the PMO to make the new strategies enabled by disruptive technology successful. Specifically, the PMO’s duty will be to turn the C-suite’s vision into a reality that works day-to-day. A 2017 survey by research and analysis group The Economist Intelligence Unit titled, “Closing the Gap: Designing and Delivering a Strategy That Works,” found that almost 60% of senior executive respondents saw a gap between their organization’s disruptive technology-fueled strategy and its implementation.

To be successful, the PMO must do more than master disruptive technologies. It takes knowing how and when to apply the technology so that it serves the needs of the organization and of the project itself. This awareness is referred to in the Pulse report as the project management technology quotient (PMTQ).

PMTQ is made up of three traits:

• Always-on curiosity: A continuous desire to find the latest strategies, perspectives, technologies and approaches in project management and product delivery
• All-inclusive leadership: Getting the most out of your teams, human or machine
• A future-proof talent pool: Recruiting professionals who stay current, continue learning and help teammates do the same

According to the Pulse report, PMTQ Innovators demonstrated a strong ability to shift their way of accomplishing projects and were far more likely to use approaches such as change management and hybrid project management practices. Innovator projects were also more likely to meet their business goals and be delivered on time and within budget, as well as save money and improve stakeholder satisfaction rates.

The onset of disruptive technology only emphasizes the dynamic nature of the project management field. Earning a Certificate in Applied Project Management from Villanova can help establish a project management professional’s commitment to succeeding on the forefront of a changing industry.

Pulse of the Profession is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.