By Joseph Harisson
Project management is changing every year as new approaches stem from the new ideas and technologies. Staying on top of your game is becoming harder for Project Professionals without keeping up to speed with the latest technological developments.
Many companies are looking for new ways to improve their development cycles. The technology trends of 2019 can help you make the right decisions about investments, team building, and reorganization. Here’s a collection of viral trends that may make a difference for your business strategy this year.
#1 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
This trend has been on the lists for the past several years, and is still here in 2019. The potential of these new technologies is so huge, each industry is discovering its abilities in regards to project management solutions.
AI can help your project management capabilities by making predictions about the tasks completed within certain periods of time, the resources used to get the projects done, and automation of numerous tasks thus optimizing the process, and much more.
In fact, all of the above is just the beginning. As AI and Machine Learning are taking over the tasks we used to designate dozens of people for, project financing is possibly having a bright future.
#2 In the Clouds
Internal or on-site servers are becoming outdated at the speed of light. Cloud is the trend, and it’s not going anywhere. More and more companies are switching to using project management systems in the cloud. In 2019, anyone who hasn’t done that is likely to feel the pressure and experience profit reduction.
The only industries which may avoid cloud project management solutions, may be those with extreme secrecy factors. Most companies will soon realize how much faster and cheaper the cloud-based systems are for their needs. And SaaS companies will need to focus on more targeted SEO solutions.
When it comes to cross-company interactions, a cloud is a must-have. The work can be done without providing another company access to the internal solutions. In 2018, the number of cloud project management systems has already exceeded the local systems’ demand. In 2019, the difference will become more obvious.
#3 Advanced Data Analytics and Presentation
In 2019, data analytics requires an upgraded approach with project professional being on the lookout for tools, which can help them analyze data and present it in the right manner to executive management.
While such project management software as Trello and Asana are helping managers present the data and organize the work process, they don’t connect the presentation layer to the real data. In 2019, we can expect a rise of data-rich presentation layers since the need for data and its analytics is growing within the project management context.
#4 Better Information Gathering
Information gathering tools are expected to be top of the list of technologies employed by project professionals. The specific type of accurate market research acquired in a short timeframe can put the company ahead of the competition (with the right analytics, of course).
Cloud-based software which tracks the team progress and allows interactions isn’t enough anymore. In 2019, we’ll be looking at technology constantly updating and adapting itself to the market’s changes. Data is always changing. It’s important to track the changes and avoid outdated and ineffective information.
#5 More Workflow Automation Tools
With AI and Machine Learning helping the teams optimize the workflow, the desire for automation processes is on the rise. Workflow automation tools are expected to be in high demand in 2019. Freeing team members from the routine tasks is vital for project management needs since it’s becoming harder to find the right staff.
The demand for project managers will likely exceed the “supply”, thus making automation tools a necessary solution. Older and experienced project managers are retiring while new employees are lacking experience. When looking for workflow automation software, it’s highly important to check if it’s adaptable to market changes.
#6 Going Virtual
With the rise in cloud systems, virtual collaboration is slowly becoming more predominant than physical communication. Online team software systems are expected to suit the requirements of the virtual team and work processes. With that the need for physical offices will decline.
The software designed for connecting team members from all over the world is in high demand. Skype for video conferencing is likely to stay in the past. Many enterprises will be investing in customized teamwork software to simplify the collaboration while cutting many unnecessary costs, such as office rent.
#7 Mixing Agile and Traditional Project Management
Cloud-based project management is becoming easier to access. Many businesses are adopting an Agile development framework. Research has shown that the Agile method improves employee communication, allowing the teams to inspect and adapt to changes faster and easier. Agile has a high ROI for small and medium-sized teams.
In 2019, enterprises are likely to adopt Agile faster than small businesses. With the appearance of workflow automation software, Agile is becoming more useful for teams of different sizes.
Modern technologies will help companies adopt hybrid PM methods (mixing Agile and Traditional approaches) to complete projects depending on the context.
Final Thoughts
Some of the most common reasons why many projects fail, are poor time management, lack of resources, the project complexity, and absence of specialists. The new technologies are helping project managers solve the majority of the above-mentioned problems.
If you manage to stay ahead of the trends and improve your project management skills while keeping the ever-changing industry demands in mind, you are likely to succeed in 2019.
If you’re still deciding on the best project management software to use, visit this All Project Management Reviews site.
About the Author:
Josh Harisson has 10 years of experience in IT industry as a web developer and cloud computing expert researching extensively for techendo.com. He frequently writes about IT and branding efforts. In his free time, you will often find him taking a walk, or playing video games.
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