Projectified

Startups need to stay lean to deliver results in today’s stagnant global economy. As they reassess how to manage projects, startups are refining how they use agile. Guests discuss how their ways of working have evolved to meet the changing needs of their projects—and the marketplace—and how they’re finding opportunities to incorporate AI into agile.Key themes[01:53] FutureFit AI’s agile journey: Refining ways of working as company maturity increased[07:36] Learning how to tailor agile for each project[10:04] Incorporating AI into agile[14:44] Why agile and startups are a great match[16:25] Embracing agile to pivot fast and meet a changing marketplace and customer needs[20:59] Improving agile to align ways of working across teams[24:02] Tips for startup survival: Be data-driven, willing to learn and ready to navigate complexity and uncertainty

Learn how project managers can thrive in the AI era by building AI acumen, marketing their expertise, and treating AI tools as virtual colleagues. Discover practical ways to enhance project management skills with AI, prepare for future success, leverage AI expertise for career growth, and empower professionals through AI integration.

Explore the effects of technology on team well-being in today's work environment. Learn about setting boundaries, watching for tech burnout, and balancing project demands. Discover the pros and cons of technology for project professionals and the importance of reflection for creating balance.

Guests on the podcast share their career journeys in project management, from switching industries to seeking advice for career moves. Lessons learned from missed opportunities, the importance of asking for help in new positions, and the benefits of transparency and vulnerability are discussed. Strategies for navigating career transitions, overcoming challenges in new roles, adapting to different work cultures, and setting goals for success are highlighted.

Technology is helping project teams make a positive social impact—an accelerator for addressing everything from the effects of climate change to gender equality. Guests discuss how they’re using tech in two projects: One helps adolescent girls develop skills in STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts and math—to create future tech leaders and build a more inclusive sector. The other project pairs tech tools with Indigenous knowledge to ensure local communities can more safely travel across Canada’s arctic region.Key themes[01:21] How UNICEF is preparing girls for futures in tech[06:39] Using tech tools to gather feedback from stakeholders across the globe[09:10] Measuring the Game Changers Coalition’s direct and indirect social impact[14:26] Using tech in your project? Ensure it’s making a real difference[16:14] Pairing tech with Indigenous knowledge: How SmartICE works with communities to measure sea ice thickness[21:41] Engaging with stakeholders to create customer-centric project processes[23:14] Embracing continuous improvement to develop better tech and training practices[27:16] How project managers can focus on the social impacts of any project—no matter the sector

Project teams discuss the challenges of climate-resilient infrastructure and the skills required for success. The focus is on Peru's reconstruction program post-El Niño, emphasizing community engagement and knowledge transfer for long-term resilience.

In this podcast, experts discuss job opportunities in IT, renewable energy, and construction for project professionals. They also talk about the essential skills needed in project management, the impact of AI on the field, and the trends shaping the industry for 2024 and beyond.

In today’s ever-evolving project environment, project professionals need to be flex-ready problem solvers. But how do they learn to choose the right ways of working—or know when to anticipate the need to adapt to change? Guests discuss how they empower project professionals at their organizations to become strategic decision makers—whether it means tailoring ways of working to fit projects and teams or implementing new tech tools.Key themes[02:19] Updating CDW’s PMO for greater collaboration, knowledge sharing and upskilling among project professionals [05:34] How continuous learning encourages greater autonomy [08:21] Empowering project professionals with clear guidelines, expectations and ownership of initiatives [13:13] Delegation and trust: Two must-haves for empowering project and program managers [14:52] How Airbus’ engineering PMO focuses on tailored, empathetic project support[17:42] Why empowerment leads to better engagement and project outcomes[19:56] What you need to know to choose the right ways of working for your team[21:46] How PMO leaders can encourage teams to embrace unknowns in new tech or ways of working

There’s a glaring gender gap, in both artificial intelligence and project management. But as demand for AI talent surges, there’s an opportunity to close those gaps. Ahead of International Women’s Day, our guests discuss the gender gaps they’ve experienced in their careers in tech, how greater team diversity helps minimize algorithmic biases in AI projects, what they’ve learned from leading AI initiatives and building their AI expertise, and ways to help more women pursue careers in AI.Key themes[02:36] Bridging the gender gap: How diversity benefits AI initiatives[05:21] Identifying and mitigating risks in generative AI projects[07:52] Top advice to women in tech: Know your worth, be yourself and continue to learn[12:55] Building AI knowledge in a changing business landscape[16:15] Minimizing AI algorithmic biases with multiple perspectives[19:08] Ways to help more women kickstart their careers in AI

Guests discuss the importance of continuous learning in project management, balancing work and upskilling, top skills to improve, and how PMO leaders can assist project professionals in their continuous learning journeys.