Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence and the PMO

Each year we produce a new Inside PMO Report. The aim is to tackle themes that are tricky or a challenge for the PMO (see previous reports here). With the latest report, we choose a theme which is perhaps not a challenge for PMOs - mainly because it doesn't appear on the critical to-do pile. . . . Yet! Artificial intelligence is one of those subject areas that are easy to dismiss as a pipedream - or something that is way out there in the 'future'. Yet, some PMOs are already starting to experiment with the possibilities that AI - and the many different associated technologies - can bring. If you're unsure if artificial intelligence is something that applies to your PMO, let us rephrase it. Artificial intelligence is all about data - and if there is one thing that the PMO works a lot with, it's the reporting of data. In our latest Inside PMO Report (available to download here) we start at the beginning and answer the fundamental questions: What problems are we trying to solve with AI? How do we get started with AI? What pitfalls do we need to be aware of? How does this change the PMO role? What AI technologies should we be interested in? Are these AI technologies a threat or an opportunity for the PMO?   Get started with your AI understanding and journey with PMO Flashmob's latest webinar on the subject:
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Inside PMO \\ AI PMO – Threat or Opportunity?

Technology continues to make advances that can be embraced or ignored (at least temporarily) by our PMOs. The latest bunch of technologies include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Machine Learning (ML) and Predictive Analytics (PA). Few PMOs have embedded these technologies, with many more not fully understanding what the technologies can do, but concerned by the scare stories that the PMO roles will disappear within the next 5 years. In the latest report, we take a look at how these technologies can be used within the PMO; how to get started and how the PMO is changing.
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Cyril – The PMOBot

This is the session to take a look at if you're a bit of a technophobe. You've probably heard about Artificial Intelligence and dismissed it as science-fiction that has no place in the workplace. To be honest, I was like that too, yet there's definitely something in it and it probably will be changing the way we work in the future - and probably not as far away as we think. Robotic Process Automation or RPA, is one of the those AI technologies that definitely has benefits for the PMO. Who wouldn't like to see some of the more repetitive, boring parts of the job get automated and completed in minutes? There are lots of conversations at the moment about something like RPA putting people out of a job which, let's be honest, if the whole PMO job was a process we should quite rightly be put out of a job but it isn't and I can't see that happening as long as there are people in projects. What it will do is give us time. More time to do the things we should be doing that really makes a difference to the business. Again, this might be a challenge for some PMOs which are very much a transactional model, however, this is the opportunity to change that and make bold steps forward. In this session, we introduce Cyril. Cyril is our BOT, he's the one that has started automating some of our repetitive processes here at PMO Flashmob and PMO Learning. The session is for novices and technophobes. People that are passionate about PMO and pretty clueless about RPA. This is the place to start understanding, in baby-steps, with our BOT in his toddler-phase. This is the start of PMOBot.
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Future PMO Today – Our Journey to Understanding AI

Join us as we take a journey through the future PMO today – touching on data; AI; RPA, machine learning; analytics – with Martin Paver, the creator of Project:Hack in conversation with Lindsay Scott. We’re having a chat about the kind of things the PMO practitioners got involved in at Project:Hack as we start to understand “the art of the possible”. We want to talk about how the PMO is evolving and changing with the use of new technologies; new skillsets and new roles. Both Martin and Lindsay will be sharing what’s been happening in this space over the last 18 months, so it’s your chance to get up to speed and make sense of it all!
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Project Data and Stories for the PMO

At the end of June, in the hottest day of the year, a few PMO Flashmobbers attended a weekend event that PMO Flashmob and PMO Learning were sponsoring. The Project: Hack organised by the Project Data Analytics Meetup team is a two day event aimed at getting the project community closer to the data science community so skills can be combined and magic can start to happen. The next one is in October (12th and 13th) if you're interested, take a look here. We'll be letting you know what magic we created soon but in the meantime we wanted to share some insights from a Masterclass that took place on the day. These were one hour sessions from the people that really know their stuff. In this one, Rishi Sapra talks about storytelling with data and he shares some real practical advice and resources. Here's what we learnt: Why Stories? The reason why storytelling is synonymous with data is the need for people to understand what the data is telling them and take action based on the insights the data is revealing. There's a whole raft of reasons why its needed and if you're interested in stuff like neuroscience and psychological reasons here's one article to read to get you started.
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Project Data Analytics and the PMO

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be fascinated by all the talk about project data analytics and what can be achieved with data science. You’re probably feeling slightly overwhelmed with it all too – data models; analysis, visualisation – gosh where to start?! In March, the PMO Flashmob Mini-Masterclass was all about Project Data Analytics. Presented by Martin Paver, pretty much the go-to guy for data analytics in a project context, we got 90 minutes of a rollercoaster of a ride. Martin gave us a really great overview of: How data is being used in projects at the moment The technology that drives analytics - AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning The foundational knowledge you need Loads of brilliant examples of how this all works in a project environment How to get prepared for a project data analytics - plus the pros and cons And how project data analytics figures in our world - the PMO:   Watch the session and see the presentation from the evening - be prepared to have your socks knocked off.  
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