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. 

It was a rainy Tuesday when the red flag popped up. The AI tool, designed to optimize resource allocation across our project portfolio, had flagged three critical projects for delay. The model’s recommendation? Shift half the team from Project Titan to Project Eclipse to balance out workloads.

At first glance, it seemed logical. The resource allocation maps, and velocity graphs supported the reallocation. But something did not sit right.

I had collaborated closely with Titan’s team leads for months. They were on the verge of a breakthrough with a critical client deliverable. Moving people now, even with Eclipse falling behind, could cause a domino effect across our most valuable account.

I called a huddle.

“Why did the model deprioritize Titan?” I asked the AI SME.

“It is based on risk scoring from delivery variance, budget utilization, and resource burn. Titan looked stable, so it pulled from there.”

“But it does not know the client conversation we had last week. Titan’s ‘stability’ is built on momentum we cannot afford to interrupt.”

That was it. The AI had the data but not the context.

We chose not to follow the recommendation. Instead, we manually adjusted scope and brought in temporary support for Eclipse. It was a tough call, but three months later, Titan delivered on time and exceeded client expectations. Eclipse caught up too—without derailing the portfolio.

That experience taught me something: AI is brilliant at pattern recognition, but it does not see what you know. It does not read nuance. And it does not carry responsibility.

So, when should project managers trust AI—and when should we intervene?

Trust AI when:

• You need unbiased, data-driven insights fast.
• The decision space is clearly defined and repeatable.
• You are analyzing trends across massive datasets where human bias or oversight might creep in.

But intervene when:

• The stakes involve human relationships, trust, or reputational risk.
• The model’s logic lacks access to critical context.
• The recommendation “feels wrong” and your intuition is backed by experience not fear.

AI is like a junior analyst with infinite memory and no emotional baggage. But it lacks judgment, and judgment is where leadership lives.

As project managers, we are not just responsible for outcomes; we are stewards of values. According to the PMI Code of Ethics, we are bound to act with responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty. Blindly following AI no matter how accurate without human oversight may compromise all four.

Use AI like a compass not a map. Let it guide your thinking, but do not let it override your wisdom.

Because when things go south, the algorithm will not be in the room explaining the outcome you will.

So next time your AI flags a decision, pause. Ask: Does this align with what I know, what I have seen, and what matters most?

If the answer is no, trust yourself and intervene.

Reference:

PMI Code of Ethics

Webinar: Ethical Project Leadership in the digital age

Webinar: When to Trust AI and When to Intervene

PMI currently upholds a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct grounded in four core values expected from every project professional and aspiring project professional. Over recent years, there has been a notable transition from the waterfall approach to Agile in project delivery.

This article is the first of series of articles that will explore how embracing PMI values can enhance project managers “Power Skills”, ultimately boosting the certainty of project delivery in an agile environment.

As a reference the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct values are Respect, Responsibility, Fairness and Honesty. In this article we will focus on the value of Respect.

“Respect is our duty to show a high regard for ourselves, others, and the resources entrusted to us. Resources entrusted to us may include people, money, reputation, the safety of others, and natural or environmental resources. An environment of respect engenders trust, confidence, and performance excellence by fostering cooperation—an environment where diverse perspectives and views are encouraged and valued.” https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/code-values-card.pdf?rev=44578e34774241568ce0034489794fe4&sc_lang_temp=en

PMI defines Power Skills as Human Skills such as “Communication, leadership, collaboration, empathy… these are some of the power skills that help to build strong teams and successful businesses” https://www.pmi.org/learning/publications/pm-network/digital-exclusives/power-skills-are-human-skills . Delving deeper into acquiring and mastering these skills reveals the importance of embracing the value of Respect.

How does Respect relate to Agile? Let's examine the Agile Manifesto's values and principles.

Values

• Individuals and Interactions over process and Tools
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Principles

• Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project
• Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done.
• The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
• Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
• The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.

What we observe is that only half of the values and principles are listed, and this half pertains to interactions and relationships among humans, including team members and stakeholders. Respect serves as the foundational ingredient necessary for effectively adhering to these principles and values.  Without mutual respect, meaningful interactions and collaborations cannot occur. If individuals do not treat each other with respect, interactions and relationships will suffer. This lack of respect will weaken the relationship between the business and developers, hindering their ability to work and collaborate effectively.

In Agile, constant information sharing is crucial for successful delivery. Respect ensures the effectiveness of ceremonies such as daily sprints and retrospectives. For instance, if respect is absent during retrospectives, the team's ability to reflect and improve on practices diminishes, leading to poor outcomes.

We've all observed daily sprint meetings exceeding the prescribed 15 minutes due to team members discussing unrelated matters. Respecting team members' work-life balance is an example of fostering sustainable development pace. Respecting everyone's time during daily sprint meetings and adhering to prescribed guidelines fosters an environment conducive to sustainable development. Failure to do so disrupts team dynamics and impedes progress.

These examples underscore the importance of Respect as a core value for Project Professionals. It is a fundamental ingredient in acquiring and mastering Power Skills, particularly relevant in Agile environments where effective collaboration is paramount.

I invite further discussion on this topic within the forum and encourage you to stay tuned for my next article.