Project Management Trends to Watch Out for in 2017

Project management has always been an ever changing domain. From simple pen n papers to sophisticated software, it really has come a long way.

One BIG reason for its ever changing nature is the ever changing work culture across industries & advancement in technology. As people’s expectations, needs and business practices evolve, it’s only fair for smarter project management tools to come up.

So, let’s talk about a few things which I believe will become BIG this year, in the field of Project Management.

Automation

Simple & recurring tasks such as time sheet fill ups & daily updates are tedious & boring.

Hence, the focus has now shifted towards introducing automation into all this. Pre-scheduled reminders, status alerts etc are now a reality.

Few companies are even one step ahead by adding bots into play, for product/service/website launches, initial stages of customer handling etc. Expect this to go BIG this year.

Remote Workstations

Even though this has got nothing to do with technology, remote working culture will become even more popular with time.

A research shows that employees who spend some part of their time working remotely, are more engaged with their jobs. And being engaged results in much more productivity than otherwise.

Working remotely requires pro-activeness & self motivation to do your work effectively, without being asked. And off late, folks are loving that freedom. Nobody likes the ‘watch-over-my-shoulder’ approach anymore.

Hence, remote working culture will show no signs of slowing down in near future.  

Collaboration

It’s a well documented fact that, more the collaboration… better are the results. And it’s not a surprise that everyone has been giving increased focus on multi-user collaboration, when it comes to handling projects.

This trend is set to become even bigger this year with wider adaptations across industries. There’s so much more you can achieve with a group of people working together for a common cause.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Like everything else, AI is set to make BIG inroads into the world of Project Management this year. It’s just inevitable, like it or not.

At times when users get overwhelmed with the huge amount of data a project management tool gives out, AI will be like a breath of fresh air.

In short, it will make decision making a lot easier by making best use of the data available.

Another trend which just missed my shortlist is the ‘Mobile Only‘ approach. I think it’s too soon to talk about it. There’s still a year or two, till the entire project management world shifts to mobile devices.

Do you see any other trends going BIG this year? Did I miss anything? Please leave your suggestions below. I would appreciate it.