Profession Highlights
Throughout the year, we conduct research and publish thought leadership and content to keep our members informed of the latest trends in their profession, including notable projects and programs around the world and the people who drive them to success. Highlights from 2018 included the following stories.
Success in Disruptive Times
Advances in technology are disrupting traditional industries and changing the functional roles of workers. An organization’s future is in the hands of those who bring projects to life; but just employing best practices may not be good enough anymore. We asked: what are the next practices organizations are trialing to prepare for their future?
The 2018 Pulse of the Profession® provided an early perspective on the trends that are changing the value-delivery landscape, how project practitioners are adapting and how organizations are responding.
Read the 2018 Pulse in-depth report: Success in Disruptive Times.
In addition, PMI explored the impact of disruptive technologies (AI, 3D printing, robotic process automation and others) on the success of project delivery itself. Contrasting innovators—organizations that have a mature digital transformation strategy, are risk-tolerant and have committed to major transformation or an important new product, service or technology—to laggards—those that are risk-averse and much slower to embrace and adopt disruptive technologies—we found that innovators enjoyed greater project success. Further, both executive leaders and PMO directors cited the project manager’s role as ‘advocate for the new technology’ with the expectation the project manager would ‘become an authority’ when working with disruptive technologies.
Read the 2018 Pulse in-depth report: Maximizing the Impact of Disruptive Technologies on Projects.
The Project Manager of the Future
Becoming an authority on disruptive technology is not the only skill required by the project manager of the future. PMI’s Pulse of the Profession® in-depth report shows that building a true digital capability today requires a combination of technical skills, as well as soft skills like innovation and collaboration.
Review the 2018 Pulse in-depth report: The Project Manager of the Future.
Thought Leadership Reports, Disruptive Technology Series
Navigating the New Normal
Released at the seventh annual PMO Symposium®, PMI’s 2018 Thought Leadership Series reports explore disruptive technologies and how organizations are using them to achieve their strategic goals in these rapidly changing times.
The reports in this series are:
- Forging the Future: Evolving With Disruptive Technologies, produced in partnership with Accenture;
- The Next Generation PMO, written in partnership with Capgemini Government Solutions; and
- The C-Suite Outlook: How Disruptive Technologies Are Redefining the Role of Project Management, written in partnership with Forbes Insights.
Review the 2018 PMI Thought Leadership Series on disruptive technologies.
From the PMI-published PM Network® magazine
PM Network’s annual deep dive into the project management job outlook focuses on industries, describing what trends are affecting telecommunications, finance, construction, IT, healthcare, aerospace and defense, and energy. The outlook points out where agile approaches are hot, what other skills are being sought, and in what industries transformation and innovation are having major effects.
Smart city projects, aimed to make urban areas “future-proof,” have evolved into strategic programs with multiple stakeholders and measurable outcomes. Experts say these projects must address multiple urban challenges, such as traffic congestion and the need for Wi-Fi hot spots.
In 2016, noncash transactions overtook cash payments for the first time, and mobile payment projects are being spurred by this growth in demand. These projects require rapid innovation, strong collaboration between tech firms and financial ones, and a constant awareness of security risks and regulatory issues.
Digital nomads give up their permanent homes for a life of travel, even while still working. Those choosing this lifestyle must plan for communication risks. Networking and professional development are still important.
Recognizing Excellence in the Profession
The PMI Project of the Year Award recognizes memorable projects that deliver lasting benefits by solving a business challenge, preventing a future crisis or meeting an array of stakeholder needs.
The 2018 award went to Project Legacy – Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System Replacement Medical Care Activation.
New Orleans veterans and their families lost their healthcare facility after Hurricane Katrina destroyed it. The new facility, dubbed Project Legacy as a tribute to veterans, opened on time and under budget. In its first 18 months, it completed more than 500,000 outpatient encounters, over 1,000 surgical procedures and more than 10,000 bed days of care.
The PMO of the Year Award honors a PMO that has demonstrated superior organizational project management abilities by adding value to its organization through its support of successful strategic initiatives and a positive impact on business results.
We honored Telstra for its Capital Planning and Delivery function – created in 2012. This is a dedicated capability within Telstra’s Finance and Strategy organization, with a clear purpose: support the annual capital investment allocation, prioritization and planning processes to better assist investment programs and projects.