How Automation is Changing Project Management

More and more projects are completed yearly. This is due to the revolutionizing mind-blowing technological changes taking place. Project management is expected to face radical changes because of AI, machine learning, and other fancy automation technologies on the way.

What is project management in general? The Project Management Institute defines it as “the use of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to deliver something of value to people.” Project management is done in all industries in innovative fields. It is a significant amount of planning and administrating different organizational issues among different teams and departments to achieve the desired result. 

Ta-da, the mingling of automation keeps a project manager’s brain less overwhelmed. Task management and goal settings are uplifted greatly by automation’s perks.

We are here to turn automated project management inside out.

Automated Project Management?

While the strategies crafted by department heads are highly regarded, technological solutions enable smoother and faster documentation of these strategies. Thus, it is not tech vs. manual work but the combination of both that produces juicy results. 

No one will be surprised at the speed and length at that tasks can be automated. The broader the creativity and skills of an organization’s programming teams, the further project automation will reach.

Jeoffrey Murray, Digital Marketing Expert at Solar Panel Installation says, “Automated project management is trusting your tedious tasks to the power of machines and technologies.” Machines and technologies will not replace the irreplaceable, like your grandmother cooking the most delicious soup. Still, they can take up the burden of time tracking a task, sending over an invitation to a meeting, or receiving a feedback email.

To enjoy the perks of automation in project management, ask yourself and your teams.

• What are the most mundane repetitive tasks?
• What are the most time-consuming tasks?
• Which of these tasks do not change when repeated?
• Which of them can be done without supervision?

With the answers to these questions, you automatically have collected the project management tasks that machines can handle.

The Shifting Changes in PM with Automation

With the benefits of automated project management around the corner, let’s explore the principal changes project management undergoes.

Tasks Performance

Task checking, task tracking, task performance, task assigning – the whole day of a project manager is composed of tasks. The project completion depends on how well each team understands and performs its duties singly. 

As a rule of thumb, managers should feel free to automate any tasks that feel tedious or repetitive. Common routine tasks that can be completed with a machine’s touch include:

• Handing out the project to teams.
• Scheduling calendar events.
• Setting deadlines.
• Posting status updates.
• Forwarding the message to the relevant team members. 

Task Coordination

The manager assigns tasks to employees, who carry them out, while machines handle the intermediate coordination of these actions. Online tools allow a project manager to enter the project data and invite team members, due dates, status, progress, and priorities. 

More projects are on progressing track with automation involved. It is like having an extra working hand in the team. The bonus point is it is free of charge once executed.

Max Whiteside, SEO, and Content Lead at BreakingMuscle, adds “Coordination and organization of the data make it easy to access for later reference. Automation makes the workflow flow smoothly to the finish line.”

Tracking

Assigning tasks and coordinating the process does not end there. It requires tracking and observing how well the teams are performing with the tasks at hand. The all-inclusive project management automation software, which you can personalize with your company logo design, allows you to track multiple aspects with one tool. Tracking refers to time tracking, change monitoring, and load tracking. 

Andrew Priobrazhenskyi, CEO of DiscountReactor says, “Project tracking on regular basis signals when actions should be taken, like hiring new staff members, reducing the project width, or altering processes to other automation.”

There is nothing more mundane for a manager than tracking the tasks, it takes time that could be spent on a valuable strategy crafting. 

Risk Management

Automation has significantly impacted the methods of analysis and data gathering for risk management, resulting in more precise and efficient output. This has reduced the workload of project managers and team members responsible for overseeing risk assessment. Some of the ways that automation has altered risk assessment and management include:

• Introducing predictive modeling: Predictive modeling tools use machine learning algorithms to analyze data and identify potential risks based on past experiences. For example, companies use predictive modeling to analyze data from past projects and identify common risks that need to be addressed in future projects – James Rochester, Chief Finance Officer (CFO) at CashBlog.
• Using risk dashboards: Automated risk dashboards provide real-time visualizations of risks, allowing project managers to identify and respond to potential issues quickly. For example, a software development company might use a risk dashboard to monitor the status of a project and identify any potential risks that might impact the timeline or budget – Eric Dalius, Executive Chairman of MuzicSwipe.
• Having project management software: Automated project management software is utilized to automate many of the manual processes involved in risk assessment and management. For example, a project manager could use software to automate the process of creating a risk register, which lists all of the potential risks for a project, and then use it to track the progress of each risk and monitor their impact on the project – Michael Hess, eCommerce Strategy Lead at Code Signing Store.

Project managers will not have a vision of where they lead the actions without proper risk management. No risk management will leave the managers in obscurity about the necessary prosecution. 

Virtual Assistance

The flawless execution of AI tools leaves no need to hire assistants. Utilizing the data labeling tools, the developers have put their clean codes and technical knowledge into developing AI models that assist project management virtually and seamlessly. Bots are capable of updating task status via text or voice chats, keeping project managers informed about the teams’ progress. 

The developers train the virtual assistant models on previous data, or so-called ML training data, the past project progresses, and employee behaviors to better understand and monitor the process and make clever decisions. Thus, if the AI model is aware that Josh will finish a type of project in a week, it will send Josh a reminder when the week is near the end and check up on him when it is due for the deadline, says Ilonka Hofmann, Founder of Onlineable.io. 

Communications

Proper communication is essential for successfully completing the project, from taking it up to reaching the finish line. Ensuring effective communication with stakeholders, clients, and teams throughout the project guarantees its successful completion.

• You take the project with negotiations– it requires you to communicate.
• You hand the task to your teams by explanations – it requires you to communicate.
• You discuss the requirements with your teams and set deadlines – it requires you to communicate․

Jon Gillham, Founder of Passed.ai says, “Today, you are powered with AI-powered tools to streamline the communication process. Project managers facilitate the information exchange with clients and feedback delivery by mail automation. Upon approaching the deadline, a reminder is sent to the mailbox, prompting the delivery of the project. If the deadline is not met or the project is delayed, automated adjustments will be made.”

Automation also oversees the employees using resources and how loaded they are, instead of a PM checking it up every day. For managers, tracking tasks can be a mundane activity that consumes time that could be better spent crafting valuable strategies. Communication and collaboration are facilitated with the integration of Slack, text messaging, hosted phone systems, WhatsApp bots, etc. Let alone the meetings that no longer need a physical place to be held. Virtual meetings, offices, and rooms endow the meeting with the comfort and ease of discussions and meet-ups.

Yet, in managing a project, online meetings should maintain the importance of in-person events and meetings with departments and stakeholders. This doesn’t concern the regular check-ups, updates, and review meetings, but rather for long projects, it refers to meetings with clients and team leads at regular intervals for more extended discussions and brainstorming of ideas. 

Wrapping up the Automated Project Management

Technology is on the uplift and continuous improvement—project management benefits from these developments. Project management is thus undergoing chief shifts due to the introduction of AI, machine learning, and other automation technologies. Automation in project management helps increase managers’ productivity, reduce the task load, and speed up the tracking and overseeing of projects.

Charrette Vachon from Clair Voyance says, “Online collaborations, meetings, virtual assistance, to-do lists, and software used are the byproducts of automation. Machines take over the execution of mundane and repetitive tasks, while humans are responsible for the work that demands cognitive skills and meticulous strategizing.”

Project management automation has made project management faster, more accurate, and less time-consuming, bringing more projects to life.

Author bio: Hripsime is an avid SEO Content Writer at SayNine. She is self-driven and self-motivated to create content on topics in branding, marketing, and advertising. She has set off writing for SaaS websites and enjoys the process of creating authentic content. You can find her composing a piece, teaching English, practicing yoga, exploring nature, or delving into a book reading.