The Latest Trends in Project Management Discussed
Project management is a growing field. While it isn’t its own degree program yet, courses in project management appear on the curriculum of many different business schools. However, there are some companies that hire project management professionals, meaning that some expertise in the field is required.
Every year, this particular field grows larger, bringing with it new trends. Some of these pertain to how those goals are measured, while others involve how the workflows are created and monitored. We’ll go over some of the latest project management trends so that people in the field — or those wanting to enter it — understand how it’s changing on an almost daily basis.
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AI In Your Workflows
One of the latest project management trends involves artificial intelligence. This doesn’t mean that robots will be keeping tracking of your workflows and taking over your jobs. Instead, they’ll help you develop your goals and make sure that everyone stays on track. Artificial intelligence is built into some of the programs that project management professionals handle. They determine how to streamline certain tasks, take over some of the more mundane ones, and even update the project timeline as everything moves along.
Instead of comparing this artificial intelligence-based helped to Hal, the evil computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, think of them as being closer to Siri, the virtual assistant in Apple devices, or Cortana, Microsoft’s version. They are kind of like the newest Amazon gizmo, the Echo. They respond to commands, but rarely give them, and are extremely helpful. They definitely don’t see humans as a threat. In fact, they haven’t been developed to that point yet. There’s nothing to be afraid of in these helpful artificial workers.
An Increase in Analytics
Analytics are great. They help people determine what to do next, as well as show them how much progress has been made on a particular project or plan. Numbers are great. Most project management professionals love them because they are able to help them determine what worked and what hasn’t, even though the latter are numbers that those workers don’t want to see. If you ask any project management professional what they like about numbers, they’ll probably tell you that they simply enjoy just looking at them. After all, the analysis of them can tell people a lot about what’s going with any given project.
Some of the newest analytical tools involve the use of dashboards that measure statistics in real time. They also help when looking at things like project metrics, including amounts spent, manpower, and other important variables. When used in the right way, this new analytics can help projects get completed on time and within (or under) budgets. Even better, these new tools collect the data as it happens, in real time, helping manage the workflow and allowing for quick changes and adjustments on the fly. It’s a good thing.
Wearable Technology Trackers
Most people wear some sort of tracking device. There are Fitbits, Apple Watches, Google Glass, and apps for smartphones of all varieties. There are even devices that can be fitted on the head and used to view what workers are doing at all times. These devices can be used to help project management employees track what’s going on with their development teams.
They can look at things like how productive they are on a given day. This can help them determine when people need a break or if there are better ways of doing things. In fact, with the information provided by the tracking devices, project management workers can come up with better layouts for warehouse floors, develop more productive ways of doing things, and even make some important changes in the ways that people work. It all comes down to proper project management, and these trackers help a great deal — and even provide stats in real time.
Online Security
Without online security, project management would be toast. Let’s go even further than that — without online security; you wouldn’t be reading this article right now. The internet would be infected with numerous viruses and Trojan horse programs. As far as project management is concerned, those security tools protect the information that they hold so dear.
It makes their jobs possible, without fear of getting a corrupted program or an internet virus that would wipe out their entire workflow. After all, project management now takes place almost entirely on a computer. They no longer use manual tools to manage everything.
Teams Working In Remote Areas
Another new trend in project management involves having teams working in different parts of the country, yet connecting through technology. Programs like Skype, those aforementioned productivity apps, and even virtual technology allow project management teams communicate with each other effectively, regardless of where they are located. In fact, some of those works might even be virtual ones, who work from home.
Thanks to all of this technology, it doesn’t matter where someone is located. This gives the teams more flexibility, as well as the ability to hire the best people, even if they don’t have relocation budgets. They can also hire people without forcing them to move to a different city. All of this works out well since the teams communicate properly and can still meet their goals on time, if not earlier than that. These remote options work well for parents who want to be home with their children, yet still, earn a wage and not get completely out of the workforce.
Overall Increases in Project Management
We saved the best trend for last — increases in project management. This means that the field is growing exponentially. More professionals are needed, and those new workers must understand all of the new tools and tricks that are used to keep things on track. On top of this, more work equals job security. The field isn’t quite as cutthroat as it once was, as there are plenty of things to go around. And this is just going to get better in the future, as things continue to grow.
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About Author:
Sameer Panjwani is the Founder & CEO of Mondovo.com, an online marketing toolset that helps you track your rankings, monitor your site stats, and research your competitors. A man of many talents, Sameer is currently on a mission to help 1 million businesses grow organically through his products and services.
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