AXELOS’ latest insight into the future of project management comes from surveys and interviews of over 500 project management professionals, so it should be able to provide us with a good insight into current industry happenings and where it’s going next.
Project managers will become far more involved with the strategic side of business. This means control over the project portfolio and deciding which projects align with organisational objectives. It’s important to recognise that projects end only once the business has seen the benefits.
Key statistics:
What this means: Projects will be scrutinised more thoroughly and dropped if they do not bring sufficient benefit to the business.
What this means: Although new technologies can be of benefit, they can also fail if not implemented effectively.
What this means: For the most part, increased project regulation will be healthy for businesses. But for the 25% who did not agree with this, perhaps too much compliance will have the opposite effect, bogging things down and preventing growth.
In the future, project management will be used beneficially by employees across the entire business, and not just by project managers. With that said, there will still be a distinction between those who project manage as their day to day job, and those who use project management as part of their wider skill set.
Key statistics:
90% of project managers believe ongoing training will be vital for keeping up with change
What this means: The profession is certain to change more as we head into the future, and training will need to evolve with this.
What this means: Both these statistics suggest a current lack of respect for project management. The future will change this, perhaps as a result of the more strategic role project managers will be required to take.
What this means: Project management will no longer be a separate discipline but a key skill used by many across the entire organisation.
Many professions will be affected by artificial intelligence and automation, and that includes project management in the future. Despite this, emotional intelligence and soft skills like communication will continue to be important because everything still needs a human touch. Project managers will always need diplomacy.
Key statistics:
What this means: The majority surveyed see automation as a certainty. Those not in this majority are less sure about just how far automation will spread.
What this means: Technology is sure to change the industry, but not all believe the effects will be felt as strongly as others.
There is no substitute for practical experience, and as change becomes more widespread and frequent, it will be increasingly important for PMs to share knowledge gained from the situations they have faced.
Key findings:
There are no survey statistics associated with this section of the report, but there are the following quotes from respondents:
What this means: Relevant, practical training is becoming more in demand and is likely to be a feature in future training courses. Sharing experience from their job will be beneficial for everyone.
Agile is popular now and will become even more popular in the future of project management. Businesses continue to see the benefits of Agile as they are required to work more flexibly.
Key findings:
What this means: The traditional style of project management is no longer viable in today’s data-driven age. Agile approaches are key to dealing with these changes.
What this means: There is a strong belief across the industry that agile will become even more popular. Perhaps it will eventually overtake more traditional methods.
Online learning, gamified learning and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) will all become more popular, but we should not ignore the value face to face training can have in enabling the sharing of knowledge.
Key findings:
What this means: Those new to project management may have the expectation that a qualification like PRINCE2® Foundation is all they need to be successful, but the reality is this must be balanced with practical experience. You can read more about this in our project management guide.
What this means: There is a strong belief that technology will be used to make learning more engaging and memorable. However, there is still room for face to face learning methods in project management.
It’s clear from this report that the future of project management is expected to see some big changes. Project managers will be required to be more strategic and adaptable to changing business goals. Agile methodologies will play a bigger part in the discipline, and the sharing of experiences will be more vital than ever. The way we learn will also change, with online learning becoming even more popular. Some of these changes might sound scary, but the future is positive, as long as the community comes together to share their experiences and support each other.
Prepare for the future of project management with the tools and learning aids provided by an AXELOS membership. Save money on the cost of a membership by buying from us. Find out more here. The full AXELOS report is available here.
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