To get started let’s make sure we are aligned on the what and the why of AI. What is AI? According to the Project Management Institute (PMI)
website, “AI encompasses a wide range of technologies - from machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to robotics. AI is found in common apps (voice assistants, chatbots) and advanced systems (self-driving vehicles, manufacturing robots). In the world of projects, two branches of AI are most relevant: machine learning, which uses algorithms and data to recognize patterns and predict outcomes, and generative AI (GenAI), which uses large language models (LLMs) to produce content - like ChatGPT, Bard or Bing.”
Why is AI so important? AI enhances the speed, precision and effectiveness of human efforts. Thinking specifically of projects, PMI notes that “AI can reduce organizational costs and save time for project professionals by optimizing such tasks as resource allocation, scheduling, planning, estimating, drafting documents and more. AI can also dramatically improve decision-making by analyzing vast amounts of data to flag risks, identify issues and recommend mitigation strategies or alternative approaches.” For us as Project Managers, this is very important to understand and to ensure that we are not just fluent in AI, but that it becomes part of our DNA.
“Unpublished PMI Customer Experience (CX) research provides evidence that the need for upskilling is urgent, since only about 20% of Project Managers report having extensive or good practical experience with AI tools and technologies, and 49% have little to no experience with or understanding of AI in the context of project management. Project Managers who stay at the forefront of the progression of emerging technologies and help drive AI adoption within their organizations will best position themselves for career success.”
Now this leads us to the elephant in the room question – will AI replace Project Managers? PMI, other professional organizations, and Project Management experts worldwide have participated in this debate since AI came to the forefront. One of PMI’s recent podcasts
“How Project Leaders Are Using AI | Projectified (pmi.org)” provides an answer that hopefully provides us optimism for our futures: “Although AI is helping the Project Managers to make better resource allocations, to delegate the tasks, manage risk while viewing the project holistically and adjusting it accordingly, during its execution, it cannot manage the project on its own. So there will be need of Project Managers, and the Project Management professionals will always exist, and AI will not replace the Project Managers, but Project Managers will be more educated in the digital tools. They will be well-versed in AI, and they will have soft skills to manage the projects.”
Before we dive deeper into resources for Project Managers to learn about AI, let’s briefly consider how we as adults learn best. Adults learn best when they are doing. Adult learners prefer practical knowledge that will improve their skills, facilitate their work and boost their confidence. The
70-20-10 Learning model is a commonly used Learning and Development model to describe the optimal sources of learning. 70% of learning comes from pragmatic, challenging experiences and assignments, 20% from relationships and 10% from coursework and training. As we embark on our AI learning journey, we should keep this in mind.
So where do we start our Learning Journey? The good news is that for members of PMI, they have already figured this out for us and created an
AI Resource Center. At the resource center you can begin your journey and earn 5 PDUs by taking a free online course, Generative AI Overview for Project Managers. The course provides a “hands-on learning experience for project professionals that will empower you with practical knowledge of AI in project management that you can apply right away to your project management approaches.”
The resource center also has a
PMI Digital Community. Within this community you can: connect with practitioners from around the globe, ask your pressing project management questions and share your experiences and expertise. Within this community, I recommend the 12 Essential Resources to Help Project Managers prepare for 2024 and the multiple active conversations in AI that you can join.
The final section on the resource center contains
Thought Leadership Resources. There are podcasts, business transformation resources and finally a downloadable report entitled “Shaping the Future of Project Management with AI”. I find the report to be especially useful from a Learning and AI Application perspective. The report contains strategies to start adopting GenAI in Project Management, identification and example of the skills Project Managers need to be successful in applying GenAI, and lastly a section entitled Putting GenAI to Work For You. This section offers an explanation and practical examples on how the PMI Talent Triangle can be used as a guide for competency development for your Learning Journey. Table 3 is especially useful as it offers an exercise to understand the potential of GenAI tools for each part of the Talent Triangle. While the table is completed for just one domain of project performance (planning) the learner can “customize it with the domains and tasks they are responsible for, map them to their desired skill development, suitable GenAI tools, and the applications of those tools that can deliver enhanced results.”
As you begin your AI Learning Journey, I hope this article has provided you a solid understanding of why it is important to learn about AI, as well as increased your awareness of all the great AI Learning Resources from PMI. In addition to these resources, during 2024 PMINJ’s Life Science LCI will run a series of articles which will focus on how AI is being used in life sciences projects. These articles, in addition to the resources, adhere to the 70-20-10 Learning Model and enable you to get started on challenging projects, build relationships and network with Project Management AI experts - thereby establishing a foundational understanding of AI. My Project Management Colleagues - I leave you one last thought from Lao Tzu - “The journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step”, and one last challenge from the PMINJ Life Sciences LCI - take your first step!
