What is trending in Project Management?

June 23, 2021

Project management is a staple for most organizations that undertake business or technical projects.  Since the formal launch of the Project Management Institute in 1969, project management has evolved tasks one of the “smart” guys performed to a full career path. The impact of Covid-19 has resulted in significant changes in the approach to managing projects from the conventional on-site collaborative approach within a traditional team environment.

The top four current key trends in project management are:

1. Implementing Digital and Remote Teams – No longer is project management strictly bound to the confines of a typical office. Covid-19 has proven that project management can be performed with remote teams from different locations. Although there are benefits of collaborating in one location, including team building and accountability, there are also benefits of remote work such as increased flexibility, improved work/life balance, and the ability to retain top talent from anywhere. The key is finding the right balance for your organization to establish a highly skilled team that can deliver exceptional results.
2. Understanding the importance of change management – often, projects fail not because the project goals and objectives were not delivered but because of employee resistance to follow the new processes and procedures resulting from the project. If employees are not actively involved and buy into the project, they will find workarounds, negating the efficiencies anticipated from the project.  Establishing change management early in the project with a clear communication plan and employee engagement improves acceptance upon project completion. 
3. Adopting hybrid methodology – most businesses have found that one methodology does not fit all projects; thus, many use different methodologies to achieve results. Although the organization may have one standard methodology, project managers need to know various methodologies to recommend the “right fit” for the current project.
4. Adjusting to disruptions in the supply change – from people to supplies Covid 19 has disrupted the supply chain, thus making project management more challenging when determining both the project cost and timeframe.  Understanding the risk and identifying alternatives to reduce the risk is more critical than ever.  Before starting the project, the project manager and key stakeholders need to take a realistic view of resource constraints and their impact on the project.

Although the role of project management will continue to evolve, the basics of project management principles will remain the same… to deliver cost-effective projects on time.  If your organization struggles to get the desired results from project management or needs project managers on a flexible basis to complete critical projects, learn more about how Dewpoint can help.