Project management is without a doubt one of the most important areas of a business. Staying on top of things and completing projects on time is imperative in nearly every single industry. Just like every business area, project management is going through a lot of changes and we are seeing a lot of trends that will shape the industry for years to come. This article is going to look at some of these trends in project management that are shaping 2018.
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The Importance of Security
As more and more operations in project management go online, there is an increased risk that they could be compromised due to a leak or data breach. Data breaches are up around 75% over the past few years, and this shows no signs of slowing down. These not only put the data and information of you and your clients at risk but also your reputation and could end up costing you a lot.
Because of this threat, it is important to take security very seriously at your company. You should provide cybersecurity training, should utilize strong passwords and ensure only those who need access to sensitive information to work have it.
The Increased Use of Tools
One of the most helpful trends in the space is the growing availability of a variety of different tools to help your project management team be more efficient, cost-effective and streamlined. These tools can do a wide variety of things such as track the progress of a project, help team members communicate and collaborate and many can even handle more technical aspects like free syslog aggregation and management.
There are dozens of different providers of these tools, and some companies have even created their own. With various pricing options, you are sure to be able to find a tool (or numerous tools) that fit your budget and needs alike.
Growing Number of Remote Teams
In the past, project management used to be confined to boardroom meetings as most people would work at the office for their full 40 hours a week. However, this is changing in a large way. Not only are more people opting to work as freelancers or contractors, but about 70% of people are working remotely at least once a week.
This is a trend we don’t see slowing down, so it is up to project managers to adapt to the growing number of teams that could potentially be situated all over the world. Thankfully, tools like Asana, Trello, and Slack make it easy for teams to work together, no matter where they physically may reside.
Using Analytics and Data More Than Ever
Running a business successfully is all about making the right decisions at the right time. In the past, many choices were made on gut feelings or by looking at a limited amount of information. However, those days are long gone. Nowadays, business decisions often rely on using analytics and data to make the right call.
No matter the type of business you operate or the industry you operate in, there is a good chance analytics will play a role in how you make decisions. Whether you look at how many visitors your site gets, your conversion rate, your cost per acquisition or anything in between, the role of data and analytics in business has never been greater.
Harnessing the Power of New Technology
Technology is innovating incredibly quickly, so it is no surprise that being able to harness this technology successfully is one of the biggest trends in project management. While there are many new technologies and more to come out soon, some of the most important in the space revolve around A.I and machine learning.
A I can have massive implications in the project management space. It is starting to find its way into many different tools which are using A.I to automate a variety of different tasks like assigning certain people to tasks, creating reports, streamlining processes and other important but mundane tasks.
Hopefully, this article has helped you learn and understand some of the many project management trends that are shaping 2018 and beyond.
Image Credits: Project Management from SFIO CRACHO/Shutterstock