Will the widespread adoption of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills, or can it help PMs differentiate themselves and command higher value?
Director, Learning Design & Development| PMIAsheville, NC, United States
Hi PMI Community! I’m Sarah Philbrick, and I work as a Product Manager at PMI with a focus on our learning offerings. As we go on this skill-building journey together, I’m excited to engage in meaningful conversations, explore trending topics, and learn from each other.
Reflecting on one such topic, GenAI and prompt engineering, I am interested to hear your perspective on commoditization vs. differentiation.
Will the widespread adoption of prompt engineering commoditize project management skills, or can it help PMs differentiate themselves and command higher value?
While prompt engineering may streamline certain aspects of project management, skilled project managers who combine technical knowledge, soft skills, and strategic thinking could be continue to command higher value.
Yes skilled PM would command higher value because they are more specific and more grounded in their approach. Saving Changes...
Gen AI significantly enhances the project level of detail; the ability to professionally present in a clear, concise, and (when validated) correct manner. PMs need to ensure they put forth effort to validate. More importantly, they must consider the human experience - are the users understanding what the implementation means for them? Are leaders well-informed, and is buy-in continuous? Was scope creep mitigated, because AI results illustrated the art of the possible? Critical thinking is key.
This only tells us that the human factor(PM) cannot be eliminated for a reliable project result Saving Changes...
Project management is so much more than note-taking and gantt charts. Managing personalities to get the best result, managing clients/stakeholders, strategic thinking -- all of these are skills that AI cannot replicate. While I believe in AI's potential to improve my day to day, in the end AI does not have human discernment, and that is where good PMs will continue to thrive.
AI can only enhance a PM not replace him Saving Changes...
Anonymous
As with the influence of AI on other fields, I feel that those who are skilled in understanding how to effectively use the tool will be able to elevate themselves above others. AI can be used to effectively home in on details that others may have missed or come to those conclusions in a much shorter length of time. As long as the PM or any other individual knows enough to check the validity of the results, I believe it can be a powerful tool. Again, it's only a tool and requires a human to guide it to craft a valid result... Saving Changes...
Anonymous
As with the influence of AI on other fields, I feel that those who are skilled in understanding how to effectively use the tool will be able to elevate themselves above others. AI can be used to effectively home in on details that others may have missed or come to those conclusions in a much shorter length of time. As long as the PM or any other individual knows enough to check the validity of the results, I believe it can be a powerful tool. Again, it's only a tool and requires a human to guide it to craft a valid result... Saving Changes...
Prompts are an excellent tool to utilize the capabilties of a fellow machine (Virtual human being without emotions at present) to expand and refine the knowledgebase needed to take effective decisions efficiently. I firmly believe leveraging Gen-AI effectively will not only fasten the value generation but also maximize it by acting as a 24/7 peer/co-pilot/facilitator. Saving Changes...
Tyler MellorOwner, Project Manager| Elevated Projects LLCRaleigh, NC, United States
I strongly believe it will be an impactful tool when increasing productivity Saving Changes...
Eric LaylandConsultant| MattersSeattle, WA, United States
There is a not-insignificant portion of PM tasks that are likely to become automated in the near future. That doesn't mean that PMs will be commoditized, but a subset of their skillset will. But that opens opportunity to develop skills that are hard to commoditize, e.g. strategic thinking, delivering presentations intended to reach a decision, cross domain knowledge, and nuances in one's organizational environment.
Gen AI is a powerful and flexible tool that when used correctly, in skilled hands, can unleash creativity and capabilities previously buried under monotonous tasks. Saving Changes...
I believe that it is important that project managers adapt to this evolving technology and embrace it. Prompt engineering will add value to project managers and make them more effective. Saving Changes...
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