Project Management Must Adapt to the “New Normal” of Disruptive Technology

No one in the business world needs to be told about technology and disruption. It’s happened, and is still happening, in every industry in the United States and around the world. Dealing with the ramifications of disruption and putting new technology to use is a focus at nearly every organization. Or, at least it should be.

A 2018 report from Forbes Insights and the Project Management Institute (PMI) titled “The C-Suite Outlook” found that while 80% of organizations surveyed around the globe had experienced “significant transformation using disruptive technology,” only 25% of those initiatives yielded tangible results.

In its latest 2019 Pulse of the Profession® report, PMI digs deeper into the issue. Disruptive technology and the rapid pace of change it causes is “the new normal,” according to the report.

The Power of Disruption

Disruptive technologies force businesses to change what they do and how they do it, and organizations that are not set up to evolve, or refuse to, can be upended. Print media outlets, music record stores and travel agencies are examples of businesses that have been disrupted by technology.

However, businesses that are committed to restructuring their strategy based on the rise of disruptive technologies can thrive in an era of constant change. Technological advances like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and predictive analytics have disrupted businesses positively by offering organizations a way to increase efficiency, reach new markets and make better, data-driven decisions.

Technology has become a central part of project management. The theme throughout the Pulse report is that project managers need a high PMTQ – project management technology quotient. In other words, they need a firm grasp on how to integrate technology into project management for improved results.

This situation – driven by disruptive technology and the need to understand it and put it to use – is what has led to “the new normal.”

The New Normal in Project Management

According to PMI, “organizations need to couple all that shiny new tech with the right people, with the right skills working on the right projects.”

Business leaders typically say they want digital sustainability, or the ability to flourish by staying on top of the latest technology. However, PMI writes, there is a disconnect between what leaders say they want and “what they’re willing to do to get it.”

There’s more to it than shelling out cash for the latest in technology. Instead, a higher investment needs to be made in offering the training and reskilling that people need to succeed in the digital world.

Steps to Get There

The Pulse report offers four areas where businesses can focus and create a more digitally sustainable culture.

Put Technology First

As noted above, many companies have not invested in training as much as they have in technology. Investments in both are needed for success.

The report lists fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff as an example of a non-tech company using technology. The designer has used technology in her brick and mortar stores, including interactive mirrors that allow customers to adjust lighting, select clothing color and size (which is delivered by a sales clerk) and save items to their online accounts.

Build Digital Fluency

It is no longer going to be enough to have just one person who understands the data analytics dashboard or one person who can converse intelligently about blockchain. PMI expects robots and automation to take over many routine tasks, meaning that human employees will move more into roles of managing a portfolio of projects. That will require knowledge in technology and product delivery, along with many other areas that will requiring training. Companies need to create a culture where digital fluency is rewarded.

Reimagine Career Journeys

Project leaders need to change their current ideas on a career arc (as do many others across all career fields and industries). As the report writes, project managers need to work with human resource teams in “crafting robust career paths that meld project management expertise with leadership skills, plus a liberal dose of digital acumen.” They also noted that for many of the youngest workers, their job might not even exist in 20 years. Continuous training and reskilling options are needed for businesses to keep their workforce vital in a digital-driven economy.

Think Talent Triangle

In the Pulse report, PMI advocates for developing PMTQ and marrying it with cutting edge project management skills. However, they also advocate the PMI Talent Triangle, which combines the following:

• Technical and project management skills
• Leadership skills and strategic and business management skills
• The ability to learn and keep pace with technology

This triangle of skills sets up workers to excel in the future. PMI addresses this issue in its September 2018 Project Manager of the Future report, in which they reported on the top six digital skill areas for project managers to focus on, including data science, security and privacy, legal and regulatory compliance and data-driven decisions.

That list also includes human skills such as an innovative mindset and attaining collaborative leadership skills. Successful project managers are the types of leaders who are dedicated to finding new strategies that will better their organization’s performance as well as their own.

Pulse of the Profession is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.