By Linky van der Merwe

“If your organization is not good at project management, you’re putting too much at risk in terms of ultimately delivering on strategy.”

Mark A Langley, President and CEO of PMI

The PMI’s “Pulse of the Profession” is the premiere global survey of project management practitioners which then charts the major trends for project management now and in the future. Based on research across different industries, some important insights came to light.

Watch the video or continue reading below.

#1 The future of value delivery is a spectrum of approaches:

• Predictive
• Iterative
• Incremental
• Agile
• Hybrid

#2 Project professionals will learn in new ways and broaden their skills like:

• Strategic advisor
• Big thinker
• Innovator
• Communicator
• Versatile manager

#3 Organisations will rely on their project professionals to take advantage of disruption – not just react to it.

The impact of digital transformation on project work is massive and some things you can do are:

• Become a leader and true business partner in your organization
• Ask the right questions
• Deliver the business benefits of the projects you manage

Soft skills have become critical for project managers even more than 5 years ago and mature organisations who have invested more in their project management talent see strategic value from it.

Current state reveal trends such as:

• Only 58% of organisations fully understand the value of project management
• Only 41% or organisations with an enterprise-wide PMO report that it’s highly aligned to the organisation’s strategy.
• 93% of organisations report using standardized project management practices which reduces risk and leads to better outcomes.
• 72% of PMO leaders feel certification is very relevant for mid-career project managers as it requires ongoing professional development, allowing PM’s to evolve, enhance and grow a variety of skills including technical, leadership and digital skills.
• 71% or organisations report greater agility over the last 5 years which is helping them to stay competitive
• 1 in 3 organisations report high benefits realization maturity whereby tangible and intangible benefits should be considered.

According to the Pulse of the Profession there has been an evolution from ‘best practices’ to ‘next practices’ that encompass what is likely to come in future.