In the season finale of AI-Driven PM, Rick Morris takes listeners on a journey into the future of AI in project management, with a special focus on the game-changing potential of AI agents. Reflecting on the rapid advancements in AI, Rick shares his excitement about OpenAI’s anticipated release of AI agents, expected as soon as January 2025. These agents are set to automate complex project management tasks, from managing data to autonomous information gathering and sophisticated workflow management.

Rick outlines specific ways agents can enhance project management: from real-time analysis of project timelines and resourcing, predictive modeling to preempt project bottlenecks, to sentiment analysis on project communications to monitor stakeholder satisfaction. He gives a compelling example of agents autonomously assessing project health by examining risk logs, tracking updates, and providing project managers with targeted insights and actionable recommendations.

He also explores how agents can simplify the often arduous administrative tasks in Agile workflows, envisioning agents that handle everything from cost analysis to sprint reports, allowing project managers to focus on strategic insights. For Rick, AI agents offer an opportunity to automate repetitive tasks, reduce human error, and allow PMs to focus on forward-looking analytics and high-impact decision-making.

Rick closes the season by inviting listeners to provide feedback and insights for season two, with a promise to explore these AI tools further as they come online. Looking ahead, he anticipates collaborating with leading experts, diving deeper into practical AI applications, and creating a hands-on, interactive learning experience for project managers ready to integrate AI into their practices.

Joe Ours Webinar: https://centricconsulting.com/ub_nat_ai_agents_wbnr/

In this episode of AI-Driven PM, Rick Morris explores the transformative potential of AI in portfolio management, sharing insights from his extensive experience with over 150 implementations of project and portfolio management tools. Departing from the typical format, Rick focuses on the theoretical side of portfolio management and how AI can reshape decision-making in this area.

The episode emphasizes that while many organizations invest in portfolio management tools to address project management issues, they often underestimate the quality of data required. Rick discusses common issues, such as the challenges in defining project scoring and ranking criteria, especially in balancing metrics like ROI, risk, and strategic alignment. He argues that AI can alleviate this by analyzing vast datasets to develop optimized, data-driven criteria and innovative project insights.

Rick highlights specific AI capabilities, such as leveraging historical project data for predictive analytics, which allows for accurate forecasting of ROI and risk. He also introduces the concept of dynamic, ongoing portfolio balancing through simulation models and scenario analysis, made possible by AI’s processing power. Ultimately, he sees AI as a game-changer that enables PMs to refocus on strategic oversight rather than manual data handling.

Rick wraps up by reinforcing that AI won’t replace project managers but will elevate those who know how to harness it effectively. This episode is a compelling vision of how AI can redefine the role of PMOs in strategic alignment and operational efficiency, preparing project managers for a future where AI-driven insights become integral to decision-making.

In this episode of AI-Driven PM, Rick Morris dives into the powerful potential of operationalizing lessons learned in project management using AI. He discusses how most organizations invest countless hours documenting lessons learned, only for them to sit unused in spreadsheets or on SharePoint. Rick shares insights into how AI can transform this valuable, yet often untapped, data into actionable risk assessments and smarter decision-making tools. He also introduces a prototype developed by Centric Consulting that automates the process, pulling insights from historical project documentation to predict risks and optimize future projects. Tune in to explore how AI can truly fulfill the promise of lessons learned and change the way we manage projects.