Managing projects used to mean too many spreadsheets and many hours of paperwork, but with the use of artificial intelligence project managers can focus on important tasks. The changes are impacting all parts of the job, from planning to collaborating with a number of teams. James McCoy, who is a certified Project Management Professional and certified Project Management AI Professional, has seen AI change his work, making old methods look outdated. His view on the 3 big changes might surprise you.
Using Past Data for Better Planning
The first big change is AI’s power to look at old project data. “AI studies data and gives some predictions,” James says. He has seen how it changes project planning. Now, teams can put past plans and databases of what they learned into AI systems. AI then looks at similar projects, helping teams see patterns they might have missed in the past and this makes it easy to identify problem areas. This is not just about looking back. The real power is when AI uses past data to help new projects. It helps teams make better decisions while avoiding problems. As James says, this is useful for “risk management” so that teams can better prepare before any problems occur.
Reducing Routine Tasks with AI
Nobody starts project management wanting to do boring administrative work. The second point focuses on how AI completes daily tasks, as AI tools do a lot of the administrative work, from taking meeting notes to following action items. These AI tools are like digital helpers, writing down meeting notes and keeping track of tasks, taking over the routine work that project managers used to do. This is not about replacing managers, but it is about letting them focus on the work that need human touch and creativity.
Improving Team Communication
The biggest change might be how AI is changing team talk. James thinks this is a big shift in how projects are done as he observes that, “all tools are getting their AI twist now.” Do you need to make a message better? AI can help. Do you want better ways to communicate? AI is here to help. The tools are getting smarter. As James says, you can “explain what you want to communicate and what results you want”. Then AI helps to create the message and suggests how to better communicate it. Also, these tools learn from each time you use them, and “The more you chat with AI, the better communication can be,” James states.
Connecting the Dots in Project Management
When you piece everything together, AI is not just about adding cool features to project management; it is changing how teams work. As James says, “Those are the three ways that AI has improved project management efficiency: the analytics of the past and making the future better, automating routine tasks, and then enhancing our communications.” These changes are connected. Each improvement helps the others. Better data analysis helps to improve the automation. Clear communication makes it easy to use and it is a change that makes project management not only more effective, but also a lot more human. Now, project managers can spend more time leading teams and caring for issues, risks, and relationships.
The tools keep improving, but the main goal is the same: helping teams work better. For project managers, AI does not replace people, but it gives better tools for people to do their best work. So, this is something to pay attention to, whether you are managing projects or just trying to work smarter.
To learn more about James McCoy and his approach, check out his LinkedIn profile
