As the world fights a pandemic, every organisation is struggling to stay afloat. And the pressure lies directly on project managers as they are the ones responsible for ensuring timely delivery.

They (experts) say flexibility and resilience are the way forward. However, how can you cope up with these changes if you don’t even know what they are? Let’s get you acquainted with these changes so you can prepare your team and your organisation to brace for impact. There are online project management courses that can help you do that more effectively, but let’s give you a kickstart.

1. Digital Transformation and Remote Teams

With the advent of technology, a digital revolution is surfacing in every domain; project management is no exception. Remote work was already on the precipice of change, and the pandemic forced this unprecedented shift.

In an effort to protect employees, several organisations have gone remote. And they are saying that even if Covid-19 is no longer a threat, they’ll prefer to stay remote due to the increased productivity and better work-life balance this model offers.

But the real question is — does that pose a challenge to industries?

Well, along with remote working comes digital transformation. And digital transformation is good, it is the first step towards better productivity and enhanced growth. So no, this does not pose a challenge until professionals are up-to-date with these trends. To stay abreast of these changes, everyone ranging from project managers to supply chain and marketing managers need to learn about the emerging tools and technologies. So what are you waiting for? Get learning!

1. Bridging the Gap Between Projects and Strategy

Every project has a measurable start and end date, and the role of a project manager is to shepherd the project through the finish line. In recent years, however, this role has taken a new meaning. Project managers are no longer limited to overseeing the tasks and ensuring timely delivery; they also need to apply broader strategies and initiatives.

And project managers who strive to put their skills to better, more strategic use need to understand the relationship between project management and strategy. Doing so will allow you to see how projects are related to each other and how you can make smarter decisions moving forward.

This is where accredited online project management courses come in handy. By providing extensive exposure to the strategic aspect of project management, these courses ensure you are well-versed and well-equipped to make such decisions.

1. Change Management is Taking Over

Change has become the new constant. With changes being thrown at organisations left and right, the internal processes, services, strategies, and structures are in disarray. Change management is the only tool in the box that can help organisations get out unscathed from the other end.

There are steps you can take and strategies you can make to manage your projects even in times of substantial organisational change. For instance, you can make change management a part of your project plan, which outlines the steps and protocols your team will be required to follow. More flexibility in your approach can prove to be highly beneficial; perhaps you can even adopt a hybrid project management approach, which brings us to our next point…

1. The Emergence of Hybrid Project Management Approaches

Have you been following a typical project management methodology your entire career? Well, get ready to have your mind blown. While a specific methodology may have varied among project managers, a reliance on ONE SINGLE framework was the norm.

However, in recent years, organisations have become increasingly agile in their approaches. Some have even merged different methodologies and are calling it hybrid approaches that are unique to the needs of the industry. In fact, everyone ranging from software development to marketing and supply chain are leveraging this model of project management to increase flexibility and achieve better results.

An online project management certification course from IIM can help you gain in-depth knowledge about the hybrid project management approach. By exposing you to every evolving strategy, this course aims to make you familiar with all major methodologies you may encounter in the corporate world.

1. Increased Emphasis on Soft Skills

Analytical and organisational skills have always been of prime importance for project managers. However, a project manager’s job does not end with completing the project scope and creating a budget. At the core of this job lies an understanding of people and how to manage the resources in a way to yield the best results. This is where possessing soft skills in combination with hard skills can come in handy.

Effective and agile project managers must be able to anticipate the needs of their team, understand their challenges and motivations, and identify roadblocks before they impact the project’s progress.

The best part about pursuing the online project management certification course from IIM? This course hones not only your technical knowledge and hard skills but also soft skills like communication and people skills, which are, as you can see, imperative to the job.

1. Evident Impact of AI and Data Analytics

We live in a very virtually aware world where artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics have characterised much of the 21st century. This impact is resulting in the automation of mundane tasks that currently fall under the purview of a project manager, including resource allocation, budgeting, project balancing, scheduling, etc.

Some people still may be on the fence about leveraging AI and data analytics, but these changes come bearing great potential. By automating low-value-added tasks, these technologies allow project managers to focus their efforts on completing tasks that are of greater importance to the organisation, increasing the likelihood of timely delivery and achievement of strategic goals.

Brace Yourself for Impact

The future of project management is here, and it’s coming fast; get on board, get learning, or get ready to be left behind. There are several online project management courses that you can pursue to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills.

However, if you want to go with the expert-recommended, best in the class course in the industry, sign up for the online project management certification course from IIM. Offered on the Talentedge platform, this course is provided by the eminent faculty of IIM, which helps prepare for these trends and understand the changing role of project managers.