Ethics Bistro

• Accountability and responsibility: When AI systems are used for decision-making, it is challenging to assign accountability if something goes wrong. AI agents are not members of the project team; they are a tool that should augment human capabilities. Project managers need to establish clear lines of responsibility for the outcomes of AI-driven projects.
• Bias and fairness: AI is still in its infancy, and finding large volumes of good-quality data that can be used to train AI models is difficult. AI models can inherit biases from the data they are trained on, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes in areas like task assignment or performance evaluation. These biases can reinforce existing societal prejudices related to factors like gender, race, or socioeconomic status, potentially leading to workplace discrimination and legal penalties.
• Transparency and explainability: The "black box" nature of some AI algorithms makes it difficult to understand how they reach a decision. This lack of transparency can erode trust and make it hard for project managers to oversee, troubleshoot, or validate AI-driven recommendations.
• Over-reliance on AI agents and lack of human oversight: At any point in the project, the control should remain with humans and avoid over-reliance on AI. Lack of knowledge and practice can lead to a decline in critical thinking and human judgment among team members.

• Contextual application: The principles and the code are designed to be applied within the context of project work. Ethical dilemmas are often encountered when balancing conflicting needs, and the framework provides guidance for decision-making.
• Performance domains: Ethical dilemmas can arise in any of the performance domains (e.g., Stakeholders, Delivery, Performance). The principles and the code provide the tools for navigating these situations and making responsible choices.
• Focus on value: Ethical considerations are a crucial part of focusing on long-term value, rather than just short-term outputs, ensuring that projects are conducted in a responsible and sustainable way. 

• The principles in the PMBOK 8th Edition align with and reinforce the values in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which are honesty, responsibility, respect, and fairness.
• Project managers are expected to apply these principles in their daily work to make ethical choices that lead to positive results and maintain trust. 
• The PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct remains the primary source for detailed ethical guidelines.
• ProjectManagement.com offers webinars that discuss the connection between PMBOK 7 principles and the Code of Ethics. 

“Fields of Doubt: When AI Overshoots Human Intuition”

In a well-funded agritech pilot, an Africa-based firm rolled out an AI-powered irrigation system across multiple test farms in a rural region of an African country. Based on satellite weather data, historical yield trends, and soil sensors, the AI prescribed precision watering routines down to the hour.

On paper, the system outperformed manual methods — until it did not. As seasonal rainfall became erratic due to shifting climate patterns, the AI began overwatering certain plots. Local farmers, relying on generational knowledge of cloud patterns and bird migration, flagged the error. But field technicians, trusting the algorithm’s diagnostics, dismissed their concerns. Days later, root rot set in.

The damage was not just agricultural; it was fundamentally ethical. The core dilemma lay in a clash between algorithmic precision and ancestral wisdom. When field workers override the warnings of seasoned local farmers due to uncritical trust in AI, it raises a pivotal question: whose judgment should guide action when technology conflicts with lived human experience? The PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (CoE&PC) emphasizes our responsibility to honor diverse perspectives, especially cultural and contextual knowledge often marginalized by automated systems. It calls for fairness, respect, and accountability in all professional interactions—not just in what decisions are made, but in how and by whom they are made. The Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF) asks project leaders to systematically examine every ripple of impact: Who might be affected? What competing rights or duties are in play? Ethics here is not abstract and theoretical but downright practical. The framework serves not as a checklist, but as a compass for inclusive, humane decision-making in an increasingly digital world.

In this case, accountability was not simply about flipping a switch to deactivate a malfunctioning smart pump — it was about exercising discernment, fostering dialogue, and embracing ethical stewardship in its fullest sense. The true ethical challenge lies not in the hardware or software, but in the human response to it. Technological systems can process data at lightning speed, but they lack the moral compass and contextual sensitivity that only people can bring. Accountability meant actively listening to community voices, especially those rooted in local knowledge, and recognizing when to override automation with empathetic leadership. Staying context-aware required humility to question what seemed certain and to respect the wisdom that is not encoded in algorithms. Ethical stewardship, as guided by PMI’s values of responsibility and respect, demands that professionals treat AI not as an infallible oracle but as a support tool — powerful, but subordinate to human judgment, especially in high-stakes, culturally nuanced environments.

How would you decide when human insight should override AI predictions? Have you encountered a project where cultural expertise clashed with data-driven advice?

Let us know in the comments as we deliberate, learn, reflect, and keep ethics at the core of innovation.

References:

Project Management Institute. (n.d.). Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. pmi.org.

https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/code-values-card.pdf

Project Management Institute. (2015). Ethics in Project Management. pmi.org.

https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics

Project Management Institute. (2011). PMI Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF). pmi.org.

https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/ethical-decision-making-framework.pdf

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to share a LinkedIn post with you today. It is not my post, but I proudly reposted it for my LinkedIn connections. It affects every project management professional who holds or aspires to earn the PMP® certification.

What happened to Samer can happen to any of us, and like him, we should follow PMI's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct..

"A few days ago, I received a message via WhatsApp from an unauthorized provider in Saudi Arabia claiming they could give me a PMP® certificate without taking the official exam, for just $450 USD!"

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7343683099454509056/

Well done. Samer Musallam Dahdal. PMP-PMI

Situation: Anika (name changed to protect privacy), a project manager at a tech startup, was overseeing the launch of a new mobile app. The deadline loomed on her as they planned to showcase the app to potential investors at a tech conference. The pressure was immense.

As the launch date approached, Anika discovered a critical bug in the app's user interface. The development team worked tirelessly to fix it, but time was running out. Fixing it properly would mean missing the conference deadline. A quicker but less elegant workaround was possible – it would mask the bug for the demo, but it wouldn’t be a long-term solution.

Anika faced a difficult choice. Even with the workaround, presenting the app at the conference would generate much-needed buzz and attract potential investment. But it would also mean introducing a product that wasn’t fully functional. Disclosing the bug would likely dampen enthusiasm, but it would be the honest thing to do.

She considered the implications. Deceiving potential investors, even with a temporary fix, felt fundamentally wrong. It could damage the company's reputation and erode trust.

Behavior: Anika gathered her team and explained the situation. After a difficult discussion, they decided to be transparent. At the conference, Anika presented the app, highlighting its key features and acknowledging the minor UI issue. She explained that they were committed to delivering a polished final product and would have a fully functional version available soon.

While some initial disappointment was palpable, the honesty and transparency resonated with many attendees. Several investors appreciated Anika’s candor, seeing it as a sign of integrity. In the long run, the company gained more respect and trust than it would have by concealing the bug.

Impact: Anika’s decision demonstrates that ethical conduct is a moral imperative and a sound business strategy. By upholding the PMI's core values (Responsibility, Respect, Fairness, and Honesty), project managers build trust, foster strong relationships, and create a foundation for long-term project and organizational success. In the long run, honesty and transparency are far more valuable than any short-term gains achieved through unethical means.

Have you experienced such scenarios in your professional life so far? How did you face them and manage them? Please share your experiences.

PMI’s Ethical Decision Making Framework - https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/ethical-decision-making-framework.pdf?_gl=1*1bqx469*_gcl_au*OTkwMTE2OTYyLjE3MzM2MzkzNDM.