Download how artificial intelligence will change project management

HOW ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE WILL
CHANGE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
FIND INSIDE
1
Why 86% of Project
Managers don’t
mind AI support in
administrative control
2
AI tools helping PMs get
the full picture and
uncovering the drivers
impacting the business
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3
If AI will also help
determining what
motivates an
individual or a team
INTRODUCTION
Project managers have an
Let's begin answering this
intimidating variety of essential
question by breaking a project
responsibilities. From defining
manager’s responsibilities into
a project's scope and identify-
buckets.
ing risks to assigning tasks and
creating schedules and budgets.
Though these skills sets are
characteristic of modern soft-
THREE SIDES OF A “TALENT
TRIANGLE” FOR THE PM:
ware and IT-related projects -such as the management of a
Leadership
mobile app build -- the talents
and sensibilities of the project
manager have been necessary
since ancient civilizations
decided to build things. For
centuries project managers have
Business
Acumen
Technical Project
Management
determined how long it would
take to build a structure
efficiently and on time.
Artificial intelligence has a role to
SO, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A
PROFESSION THAT DATES BACK
THOUSANDS OF YEARS CAN
SUDDENLY BE REPLACED BY
MODERN TECHNOLOGY LIKE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?
play within each of these
buckets, and recent research and
survey feedback indicates the
influence of AI is larger in some
areas than others, depending on
the case.
TECHNICAL PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
1
A modern project manager has
Fortunately for the eighty-six
the responsibility of handling the
percent that would welcome
administrative duties of a project,
that assistance, there are already
which, according to a recent
machine learning tools and
survey of project managers by
artificial intelligence systems
the Harvard Business Review,
on the market that will either
takes up 54% of respondent’s
lend them a hand or perform
time, more time than every other
these task entirely. For example,
aspect of project management
Monte Carlo simulation is able
combined. These tasks include
to perform risk analysis through
determining the scope and
mathematical techniques, while
budget for a project or
websites like Kono.ai are able to
ground-level work like
manage schedules for project
determining work schedules
managers, essentially acting as
and ensuring shipments arrive
an AI assistant. In the coming
promptly. Within this Harvard
year, if not months, one can
Business Review
expect smart software to be able
survey, eighty-six percent of
to automatically route shipments
86%
of PMs would like
support from AI for
TWEET
admin tasks
THIS
STAT
project managers
to their correct locations, create
stated they would like
schedules for thousands of
support from artificial
employees based on their
intelligence in order to
availability and even alert project
complete these tasks.
managers when spending
milestones are met.
Up to 54%
of PM's time is stolen
by administrative
TWEET
control
THIS
STAT
"
BUSINESS
ACUMEN
2
"
This aspect of project
handle some of this; the tool
management has been
Narratives for Tableau is a free
somewhat controversial in the
extension, available for
past, but many have argued that
Google Chrome browsers.
it should be included in the new
With the ability to see dynamic
project management triangle. In
narratives based on chart data
short, a Project Manager should
and analytics, Narratives has the
not only understand the
ability to determine how projects
intricacies of the project itself,
will impact the overall business
but understand how the project
itself, and how it can fit into a
fits into the larger view of the
company’s budget or their
company. AI has the ability to
overall story.
PROJECT
MANAGER SHOULD
NOT ONLY
UNDERSTAND THE
PROJECT
INTRICACIES,
BUT HOW IT FITS
INTO THE
BUSINESS
TWEET THIS STAT
AI HELPS DETERMINE
ODDS OR THE BEST
PROJECTED ACTION,
BUT FIRING AND
HIRING SHOULD BE
MADE BY PEOPLE
TWEET THIS STAT
However, there is a second
projected course of action,
part of Business Acumen that is
ultimately major decisions are
separate from simple analytics
currently, and even into the near
and projections. This involves
future will continue to be, made
judgment calls, especially when
by people. This is especially true
projections are close and models
when it comes to hiring or firing
show odds as a toss-up. While AI
employees and contractors,
has the ability to help determine
which leads directly to the next
odds or show the best
aspect of Project Management.
"
LEADERSHIP
3
The area where artificial intelligence will
personalities. Think of team creation like
struggle to keep up with is an area that it
dating sites or the television show
is simply not programmed to deal with;
“Married at First Sight,” when artificial
human behavior and emotion. A project
intelligence takes a pool of people and
manager needs to assemble a team of
determines who their perfect match
talented people whose skills all
should be. Oftentimes, AI will get this one
complement each other; this is
wrong, and relationships will not work
something that, based on manager
out. This is no different than working
reviews, reported skill sets and prior
relationships, where a Project Manager
results, an artificial intelligence system
will need to build a team of people who
can help with. However, it cannot yet
will not only get along and work well
understand that the team it comes up
together, but will challenge each other
with may have some “oil and water”
in order to get the best result possible.
AI WILL HAVE A
DIFFICULT TIME
DETERMINING WHAT
MOTIVATES AN
INDIVIDUAL OR
A TEAM
TWEET THIS STAT
THE SKILLS MANAGERS SAY THEY WILL NEED
TO SUCCEED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
They undervalue critical people skills
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS WHO SELECTED THE GIVEN SKILL AMONG THEIR TOP THREE
42%
Digital and technology
Creative thinking and experimentation
33%
Data analysis and interpretation
31%
Strategy development
30%
Planning and administration
23%
Social networking
21%
People development and coaching
21%
Collaboration
20%
Quality management and standards
20%
Sharper skills within my current domain of expertise
Performance management and reporting
People skills
20%
17%
Source accenture survey of 1,770 frontline, mid-level, and executive-level managers from 14 countries
"
AI also will have a difficult time
freelance workers or consultants
determining what motivates an
are often asked to come togeth-
individual or a team. Asking AI
er for a single project before
to perform this task isn’t much
breaking back apart into their
different than asking a machine
own factions, knowing how to
to become a teacher. Often, the
motivate each individual or team
difference between an excellent
and pushing the right buttons at
teacher and one who simply gets
the right time will get a project
the point across is knowing how
done properly. In this case, AI
THE WAY PROJECT
to motivate their students. This
simply is not able to connect
with people on a personal level
MANAGERS DO
is true of project managers and
their employees. In an era when
in this way.
AI SIMPLY IS
NOT ABLE TO
CONNECT WITH
PEOPLE ON A
PERSONAL LEVEL IN
TWEET THIS STAT
SO HOW WILL
AI CHANGE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT?
In the short term, AI has the
ability to take over the vast
majority of administrative and
WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS IN PLACE AND THE
technical project management.
MOTIVATION OF PROJECT MANAGERS TO REMOVE
These tasks can be performed
ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL TASKS FROM THEIR
faster and more accurately by
PLATES, EXPECT AI TO TAKE OVER THESE TASKS IN THE
an AI system than they can by
NEXT FEW YEARS.
human Project Managers.
Additionally, as surveys have
shown, this is an aspect of
project management that
managers would simply rather
not deal with, or at the least,
would prefer some help with.
As far as an analytics and
statistical analysis goes, AI has
the ability to help craft a story
about where the project will fit
into a company’s overarching
goals. When it comes down to
major decisions, though, AI in
some time. Even if we end up
its current and projected form is
with walking, talking AI similar to
best used as an accompaniment
what has been seen in science
rather than a full manager.
fiction films, there is an emotion-
However, when it comes to the
al connection and factor unique
leadership and motivating factors
to people that AI simply cannot
of a Project Manager, the human
replicate or account for.
element cannot be overstated.
This is an area where AI is lacking, and may be lacking for quite
Find out more about Project Management
and how you can enhance it today
For more information on AI and how it will impact
the project management space, feel free
to visit us at www.ciklum.com
or our blog at www.ciklum.com/blog!
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