With the new year now upon us, it is a good time to take stock of the changing world of project management.
As Agile continues to mature, and relatively newer methodologies, like DevOps, see wider adoption throughout the technology world, what other trends are worthy of note in 2017? It is important for project managers to stay abreast of the industry as it benefits your career path as well as your day-to-day duties.
So let’s look more closely at a few recent innovations and emerging insights from the practice of project management. Hopefully, they provide a few worthy ideas to help you become better at your profession.
Agile Project Management Is Here to Stay
In 2017, it will be 16 years since the Agile Manifesto was first published. There is no denying Agile is now embedded into the DNA of many technology organizations, large and small. Terms like Sprint and Scrum are now part of the vernacular of software development; in fact, many project managers are now referred to as Scrum Masters.
Simply put – Agile is here to stay.
Project Managers Are Now Business and Marketing Experts
No longer merely navigating Gantt charts, today’s PMs need to bring a variety of other skills to the table. Business acumen is important as they help translate the needs of their clients and stakeholders into impactful software applications and updates. Marketing insight and strong communication skills are required in an era of collaboration ushered in by the growth of DevOps.
As explained by the Project Management Institute (PMI): “Solid PMs must have a multidisciplinary skill set that includes effective communications skills, analytical thinking, strategic initiative, a business mindset and technical finesse.”
Design Thinking Influencing the Problem-Solving Process
Innovative thought patterns from the world of design continue to help technology organizations transform their business. The PMI elaborates: “Design thinking encourages innovative solutions by drawing on approaches from engineering and design and combining them with ideas from the arts, social sciences, and the business world.”
Distributed Teams Becoming Commonplace
A Cloud-connected society allows workers to contribute to a project no matter their location – even on a different continent. PMs need to modify their management techniques to ensure these geographically disparate teams stay efficient and productive. Expect this trend to continue beyond 2017.
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