Although many people are using AI as a transformative tool, so many project managers think AI is something that’s coming directly for them. AI is going to have an impact on project management, there is no question about that, but why should project managers embrace and adapt AI tools?
AI as an Augmentation Tool
AI is primarily designed to enhance project management capabilities and not replace project managers entirely. AI can do so much to improve efficiency, such as automating routine tasks and providing valuable insights.
For project managers who are responsible for so many different facets of a team that they need to report things back to stakeholders or managers, AI document data extraction can be invaluable because it provides the most salient information. We have to remember that AI is there to help us work better.
Increased Productivity and Efficiency
Studies have shown that AI can increase productivity by up to 40% in project management. Project managers can find themselves being torn in so many different directions, thinking that one aspect of productivity is far more valuable overall, but when we start to look at how we can deliver better results over time, AI will support us in handling more complex projects.
What does this mean in terms of business? More customers and clients, and not feeling like your capabilities are being stretched too thin. Project managers can feel a great degree of stress when they feel they are out of their depth. This is why AI can help businesses be far more dynamic.
Enhanced Decision Making
Real-time analysis has become the byword of a competitive company in the modern era. Project managers can find themselves under pressure to make more timely and accurate decisions.
There doesn’t seem to be an opportunity in the current climate to even make a mistake. We hear so much about the impacts of human error that it can keep us awake at night, and if we want to manage risk and cultivate better project outcomes, AI can be a fantastic shortcut, just as long as we know how to use it right.
Automating Repetitive Tasks
We mentioned the impact of human error, and one of the biggest causes of human error is letting the ball drop when you are performing mundane and repetitive tasks. Project managers need to be able to focus on more critical aspects of their work that require real human skills.
Strategy, communication, leadership, and other soft skills are things that project managers don’t necessarily have the time to focus on because they’re trying to keep these plates spinning. When we truly understand what AI can do, particularly with those mundane tasks that project managers need to complete in pockets of free time, this means a far more holistic approach to the concept of leading a team and project management in general.
Positive ROI
A Capterra survey highlighted that 93% of project managers reported a positive ROI from their company’s AI project management tools.
AI is already providing those benefits to people within project management, and only 8% of those surveyed companies reported no current plans to adopt AI into their workflows. Therefore, it’s clear that AI is becoming an integral part of project management, and those who are going to embrace it will be better positioned for success.
What Should Project Managers Focus on with AI?
Naturally, there are some concerns about AI’s impact on the role of project management. It’s important to note that AI is incapable of replacing the human element entirely. It is to a business’s detriment that they solely rely on tools as a means to replace people, particularly in terms of certain jobs that demand the human touch. So, instead of fearing AI, what should project managers focus on?
We see AI as this almighty threat, and it’s amazing to think that AI has only been prominent over the last few years. Project managers can certainly position themselves as more valuable assets to their organisations, but employees can as well. The concept of working smart rather than working hard is still something that’s taking some time to get used to, but with AI as an augmentation tool, we will see just how beneficial it will be for projects very soon.
