In order to understand how project managers need to change, you'll first need to understand how projects will change. Will you have the same people using new technology (to @Sergio's point, this has been the norm for a while now), or will the people that were once part of the project team be replaced by technology?
This, too, is not new. The combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Machine Learning (ML), and Lean Six Sigma continues to impact manufacturing jobs. One potential result is less demand for project managers to run six sigma projects. Are we seeing this today?
Will AI, RPA, and ML replace Account Managers, Product Managers, Marketing staff, etc... Not in the immediate future, but they can help them to do their job more effectively, in some cases.
This brings up a different question, for me. Rather than wondering if my job will be replaced by AI, I should be asking how I can use AI to do my job better. Can I use AI and ML to provide more accurate estimates for my projects? With enough data, and assuming that the AI could go out into the WWW and find the data that I don't have... possibly. But, for now, Big Data is more likely to be impacted by AI and ML than project management. This isn't to say that some projects won't be affected, but the for the project management profession to be replaced it seems you would first have to replace the team members performing the work on projects.
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1 reply by Ivan Moreira
Jan 29, 2020 12:10 PM
Ivan Moreira
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Hey Aaron, very nice point of view.
I agree with you, AI shouldn't substitute us in our role, but yes, work as a plus adding value.
I guess we're very close to face the turning point where this new technologies will give us more free time to perform non machineable tasks.
A brazilian friend of us called Ricardo Vargas whom work very within PMI, have a project called pmotto.ai that in my opinion is the begin to bring us to the machine tasks on project management matters.
Thank you for your contribute.
Saving Changes...
Ivan MoreiraProgram & Project Manager | Affidea GroupLisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Jan 29, 2020 10:32 AM
Replying to Aaron Porter
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In order to understand how project managers need to change, you'll first need to understand how projects will change. Will you have the same people using new technology (to @Sergio's point, this has been the norm for a while now), or will the people that were once part of the project team be replaced by technology?
This, too, is not new. The combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Machine Learning (ML), and Lean Six Sigma continues to impact manufacturing jobs. One potential result is less demand for project managers to run six sigma projects. Are we seeing this today?
Will AI, RPA, and ML replace Account Managers, Product Managers, Marketing staff, etc... Not in the immediate future, but they can help them to do their job more effectively, in some cases.
This brings up a different question, for me. Rather than wondering if my job will be replaced by AI, I should be asking how I can use AI to do my job better. Can I use AI and ML to provide more accurate estimates for my projects? With enough data, and assuming that the AI could go out into the WWW and find the data that I don't have... possibly. But, for now, Big Data is more likely to be impacted by AI and ML than project management. This isn't to say that some projects won't be affected, but the for the project management profession to be replaced it seems you would first have to replace the team members performing the work on projects.
Hey Aaron, very nice point of view.
I agree with you, AI shouldn't substitute us in our role, but yes, work as a plus adding value.
I guess we're very close to face the turning point where this new technologies will give us more free time to perform non machineable tasks.
A brazilian friend of us called Ricardo Vargas whom work very within PMI, have a project called pmotto.ai that in my opinion is the begin to bring us to the machine tasks on project management matters.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Ivan
Very good question. As my fellow colleagues mentioned, as project managers, we have to stay up to date as much as possible and that's why in my latest article that was published by the PM World Journal, I emphasized the importance of the Professional Development.
Learning and adapting should be done gradually and continuously. The degree and pace depends on the industry. For example, in industries like construction, the AI is spreading on a slow pace unlike other industries like Healthcare.
Very good question. As my fellow colleagues mentioned, as project managers, we have to stay up to date as much as possible and that's why in my latest article that was published by the PM World Journal, I emphasized the importance of the Professional Development.
Learning and adapting should be done gradually and continuously. The degree and pace depends on the industry. For example, in industries like construction, the AI is spreading on a slow pace unlike other industries like Healthcare.
RK
I don't think it's that slow in construction, Rami. I saw a video of a robotic bricklayer. It was pretty cool!
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2 replies by Rami Kaibni and Sergio Luis Conte
Jan 29, 2020 1:04 PM
Rami Kaibni
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Trust me Stephane, it is much slower that many other industries. What you see on TV is something and the reality of adopting it for medium to large projects is something else.
I posted something in my blog a few months ago related to this. Here is the link:
I will take your comment "as-is" then please do not be ungry with me. AI in construction is using from long time ago mainly in China where I have the opportunity to work. The problem is some people, where hear "AI", think about robots. That´s totally wrong. By the way, in my current work place, AI based initiatives are implemented for lot of fields.
The rate of technology change has been accelerating for a while and continues to do so. Given it's not likely to stop anytime soon, we should expect the next generation of project managers to deal with shorter projects, constant organizational change, and continual technology integration.
I don't think it's that slow in construction, Rami. I saw a video of a robotic bricklayer. It was pretty cool!
Trust me Stephane, it is much slower that many other industries. What you see on TV is something and the reality of adopting it for medium to large projects is something else.
I posted something in my blog a few months ago related to this. Here is the link:
I don't think it's that slow in construction, Rami. I saw a video of a robotic bricklayer. It was pretty cool!
I will take your comment "as-is" then please do not be ungry with me. AI in construction is using from long time ago mainly in China where I have the opportunity to work. The problem is some people, where hear "AI", think about robots. That´s totally wrong. By the way, in my current work place, AI based initiatives are implemented for lot of fields.
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1 reply by Ivan Moreira
Jan 29, 2020 3:28 PM
Ivan Moreira
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What an interesting conversation!
In addition to investing in these large markets, both are true, although health has more opportunities to be explored, since the research area in health is wider and have more paths to grow than construction, and I mean construction like build technology engineering, because if we talk about smart buildings and all inner, the things changes and we have the same or more in construction.
Saving Changes...
Ivan MoreiraProgram & Project Manager | Affidea GroupLisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Hi Rami,
Continuous development is part of our profession acting as PM.
My approach in this topic is about how we see our role in the future.
With technology allied to us, we'll be free to perform non machineable tasks and associated to the super power that synthetic biology ill bring to us as human being. How our role as project manager will be performed?
Thank you for your contribute in this post..
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Jan 29, 2020 3:13 PM
Rami Kaibni
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Ivan
This is what I was trying to get at. Our role will not change, human interaction will always be a necessity and to be able to cope with those changes and keep doing what you're supposed to do in your role, you have to stay on top of things, if that makes any sense.
In summary, the fundamental of our PM role won't change.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Jan 29, 2020 3:10 PM
Replying to Ivan Moreira
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Hi Rami,
Continuous development is part of our profession acting as PM.
My approach in this topic is about how we see our role in the future.
With technology allied to us, we'll be free to perform non machineable tasks and associated to the super power that synthetic biology ill bring to us as human being. How our role as project manager will be performed?
Thank you for your contribute in this post..
Ivan
This is what I was trying to get at. Our role will not change, human interaction will always be a necessity and to be able to cope with those changes and keep doing what you're supposed to do in your role, you have to stay on top of things, if that makes any sense.
In summary, the fundamental of our PM role won't change.
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