Even if your latest project isn’t focused on technology, there are likely to be many aspects of various technologies that your team must master to achieve success. And this doesn’t just mean understanding project management software. The emphasis on modernization and digital transformation within most businesses today, coupled with the steady growth of SaaS and other software platforms to help fill those needs, means that project groups will increasingly rely on technology to carry out many different duties.
There are steps project leaders can take to help their teams adjust to and capitalize on the expanding software portfolios that underpin so many workflows. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider just a few of the ways you can empower your project team to make even better use of technology.
Training and professional development leverage technology more than ever. It has long been understood that different people learn in different ways. With so much of the professional development sphere turning to digital tools, everyone needs to get at least passably good at navigating how these new technologies teach. The increasing use of technology for training, skills assessments, and remotely proctored certification tests will require project team members to become comfortable with the new ways training is delivered.
Try this: Consider an on-demand learning solution to help support team members’ skills development efforts. Digital training options enable users to pursue ongoing education at their own pace and most are accessible no matter if employees are working in the office or remotely.
Technology is present every day in almost every workflow. In addition to solutions used for traditional project management tasks, technologies are also an integral part of most other day-to-day activities. Communications, performance reviews, submitting and approving leave requests, financial and compliance reporting—your team members should be familiar with an ever-widening set of solutions.
Try this: Identify areas within your operations where technology elements can further streamline activities and eliminate repetitive tasks. Automation and collaboration tools, for example, can help reduce processing time and other delays. This frees up your team’s time for higher-value activities.
More technologies will enter the landscape. Regardless of their specific roles or areas of focus, project team members need the ability to quickly assess new digital tools, understand the nuances of each, and put key capabilities to use effectively. The ability to adapt to updated software platforms and adopt new solutions without negatively affecting productivity are valuable skills project professionals should cultivate.
Try this: There are too many technologies available for IT departments to keep up with all the latest offerings. Encourage your team to stay aware of advances in the market and to bring new applications or tools that could potentially deliver valuable efficiencies or capabilities to the group’s attention.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be a factor in more areas of business operations. The quickly growing presence of AI tools speaks not only to the value organizations may be able to get from the technology, but it’s also a sign that there are likely to be AI-driven solutions eventually reaching across all aspects of project management and your team’s related daily workflows. There are already platforms for many different tasks, including drafting professional-sounding emails, quickly deriving insights from large datasets, forecasting outcomes during scenario planning exercises, and monitoring systems for suspicious or unusual events.
Try this: It’s important to involve IT when considering any new technology, and AI is no exception. Once you’ve identified a potential business case for AI’s capabilities, look for opportunities to trial potential tools in partnership with your IT group so they can maintain control over security and data privacy.
PMAlliance, Inc uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project portfolio management.
