ClearPM

Let me just say up front, this article isn't a scholarly research piece.  It's just my opinion on how I see the future of project managment.  Please read on.

PMI published a book back in October entitled Project Management Circa 2025.  According to their earlier press release, the book:

brings together 41 project management experts to envision and describe the practice of project management across regions and industries, in the year 2025. The book ... is the first of its kind to discuss what future changes can be expected in the use of project management, and how organizations around the world might be impacted by these changes. 

They also created a Facebook page to stimulate community and discussion around the book and the topic in general.  The page contains interviews, videos, and comments, all of which got me thinking, how do I see project management in 2025?  (Just so you know, I haven't read the book yet.)

I believe, in general, much will remain the same.  Project management as a profession will grow and even flourish as more and more businesses of all types and sizes around the world recognize the value in managing outcomes to benefit their business and improve their bottom lines.  Many processes will continue to be required as projects cannot be managed well without them.  These include communication management, risk management, schedule management, cost management, and human resource management, among others.

However, I see four trends right now that will have a significant impact on project management in 2025. 

1.  Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 includes tools such as blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and so many others.  Social bookmarking, web based tools with integrated social communities, the list seems endless (actually, Go2Web20.net lists 3,094 different web 2.0 tools and applications).

According to Wikipedia (an early Web 2.0 tool itself):

The term "Web 2.0" (2004–present) is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web.  Examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies.  A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, in contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.

These tools will bring a significantly greater level of interaction among the project manager, team members, and other stakeholders.  Conceivably, their use could improve the recognition of stakeholders by exposing projects to a larger audience.  But the biggest impact will be on communication.  More people, from end users to non-team member experts, will know more about what's happening and how it impacts them.  The tools will make it easier for them to provide input and easier for the project manager to provide feedback, open discussions, set up face-to-face meetings, etc.  The tools we utilize to manage our schedule, resources, budget, and risk, as well as the sources of information we use to generate and manage these entities, will be impacted by Web 2.0.

2.  Individual Contributors.

By this I mean I expect to see a rise in the power and influence of many individual, independent contributors instead of a few "experts" or the corporate employee.

Solo consultants and freelance or contract PMs have been around for some time and that population and their impact will continue to grow.  As more and more companies employ project management as a practice and the number of projects managed remotely continues to grow, the number of "non-employee" PMs will rise along with it.

I think also, as a direct result of the socialization of the web, companies will rely less on employee PMs and more on the person who can do the job.  Personal branding will have an impact here as PMs with established presence will be the ones turned to first.  PMs who have an established reputation as an excellent project manager, with certification, with experience, who can handle remote/virtual teams, who have demonstrated communications expertise, will be more visible and have first shot at available PM gigs.

3.  Education.

Over the past 15 years, project management has truly come into its own with most companies performing project management is some form or fashion.  It's grown from something only the big government contracts require to something even the smallest effort can derive benefit from.  Now we see hundreds of training programs and university certification, bachelor of science, and masters degree programs.  As the PM profession grows, the need for education will grow.  I know some PMI chapters sponsor high school project management educational programs, and I believe I've read about schools that include project management training in their high school curriculums.  I expect this trend to continue.  In 15 years I think high school level project management educational programs will be commonplace.

4.  Public Visibility.

I like to get a little pat on the head once in awhile, you know, like a puppy who learns to go outside instead of on the carpet.  "Good job, boy!  Keep it up."  When a project is pulled off well, everything works, it's on time and the company saves money, the customer is happy and the users are not complaining, the public recognition goes right to the most appropriate person...the CEO!  Okay, maybe not the most appropriate person but probably the most visible.  I know, that's a major part of what the big honcho is paid for, to be the public face of the company.  And yes, I understand that the upper level manager always gets credit for the accomplishments of the less-upper level people on the team.

But still, wouldn't it be great to see regular business magazine articles that spotlight the project manager who was able to bring everyone together to get the thing done?  I think that internally businesses recognize that a PM was critical to a successful project, but otherwise we rarely hear about PMs who do a great job.  PMI and many PMI chapters do a good job of recognizing successful projects as well as their managers and teams.  There might be other organizations who also recognize PMs.  I think in the future PM recognition will become more visible.

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I'm sure other people see other trends affecting project management circa 2025, and who knows if any of them will be right.  Robert Burns said, "There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing."  Let me know what you think about these trends I've identified or what you see for the future of project management.