For successful organizations to remain competitive in today’s dynamic business landscape, they need to deliver projects faster, adapt to shifting priorities, and improve their data-driven decision making. Staying ahead of the competition requires organizations to leverage advanced technology to drive efficiency, provide deeper insights, and achieve strategic alignment. Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a practical and indispensable tool that portfolio leaders can use to tangibly improve their project management and decision-making capabilities.
AI’s transformative potential lies in its ability to automate routine tasks, analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, and generate actionable insights that empower leaders to make smarter decisions with confidence. It can uncover hidden opportunities, optimize resource allocation, predict potential risks, and provide a level of adaptability that is critical in today’s unpredictable markets. As organizations face increasing operational complexity, AI has emerged as a technological asset that not only enhances operational performance but also supports innovation and resilience.
A three-step plan can help portfolio leaders looking to integrate AI into their workflows, and help them utilize AI-powered functionality to elevate their project management practices, achieve better alignment with strategic goals, and remain competitive. By following these steps, portfolio leaders can harness the power of AI to drive meaningful transformation and support organizational success.
For successful organizations to remain competitive in today’s dynamic business landscape, they need to deliver projects faster, adapt to shifting priorities, and improve their data-driven decision making. Staying ahead of the competition requires organizations to leverage advanced technology to drive efficiency, provide deeper insights, and achieve strategic alignment. Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a practical and indispensable tool that portfolio leaders can use to tangibly improve their project management and decision-making capabilities.
AI’s transformative potential lies in its ability to automate routine tasks, analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, and generate actionable insights that empower leaders to make smarter decisions with confidence. It can uncover hidden opportunities, optimize resource allocation, predict potential risks, and provide a level of adaptability that is critical in today’s unpredictable markets. As organizations face increasing operational complexity, AI has emerged as a technological asset that not only enhances operational performance but also supports innovation and resilience.
A three-step plan can help portfolio leaders looking to integrate AI into their workflows, and help them utilize AI-powered functionality to elevate their project management practices, achieve better alignment with strategic goals, and remain competitive. By following these steps, portfolio leaders can harness the power of AI to drive meaningful transformation and support organizational success.
Step 1: Identify and Close Knowledge and Skill Gaps
The first and most crucial step to successfully integrating AI into project and portfolio management is identifying and addressing knowledge and skill gaps within your organization. AI tools can provide transformative benefits, but their effectiveness depends on the readiness of the teams tasked with using them. Portfolio leaders must take the lead in assessing their team’s capabilities and equipping them with the skills necessary to thrive in an AI-driven environment. This begins with a clear evaluation of current skill levels across key areas, such as data analysis, strategic planning, and technology integration. Leaders should identify gaps that could hinder successful adoption and create a roadmap for addressing them.
As AI in project management involves much more than automation, it requires an understanding of how insights are generated and used. For example, an AI tool might make project recommendations based not on the highest ROI potential, but because of its prioritization score and strategic alignment with organizational goals. Making sure teams understand these rationales enables them to trust and act on AI recommendations.
As AI is constantly evolving, leaders who remain informed about its advancements can better guide their teams and ensure that their organization has the groundwork for a successful AI integration and can utilize its full potential for project and portfolio management. Training and development programs are essential, as they help teams understand how AI algorithms process data and generate insights, and how to interpret and act on the recommendations provided. Leaders should also look beyond their immediate teams and engage with stakeholders across the organization to ensure that everyone understands how AI tools integrate into workflows and contribute to shared goals.
Step 2: Enable and Partner with Others in the Organization
For AI tools to deliver their full value, portfolio leaders must collaborate with other teams, departments, and stakeholders to ensure a seamless and impactful AI integration. AI adoption is most effective when it becomes a shared initiative, integrating seamlessly into the broader organizational ecosystem. Portfolio management often involves multiple tools and teams, and by fostering a culture of shared understanding and cooperation, leaders can break down silos and create an environment where AI serves as a unifying force for organizational success.
Collaboration is especially important when integrating AI into existing workflows. AI-powered SPM solutions like OnePlan operate as a central hub for decision-making and execution, connecting with platforms like Microsoft Teams, Azure DevOps, Monday.com and Asana and offering a “single pane of glass” for portfolio management. By consolidating inputs from various departments, these AI-equipped solutions enable portfolio leaders to view and manage projects, programs, and epics holistically. This interconnected approach ensures that AI insights are informed by comprehensive, real-time data.
Beyond platforms, successful collaboration includes aligning processes and goals. Engaging stakeholders in discussions about AI integration – such as through roadmap workshops- helps clarify the benefits and ensures everyone is aligned. For instance, if a data analytics transformation program is a priority, involving relevant teams early in the planning stages allows them to contribute valuable input and resources, enhancing project execution.
Leadership plays a crucial role in driving organizational alignment and prioritizing AI initiatives. By articulating how AI supports strategic goals and facilitates collaboration, leaders can secure buy-in and encourage cross-functional cooperation. Highlighting AI’s ability to enhance strategic decision-making and deliver measurable ROI strengthens the case for broader organizational support, while regular communication and feedback loops ensure that all parties remain engaged and that AI adoption continues to meet evolving needs.
Step 3: Accelerate and Advance AI Adoption Incrementally
The final step in successfully integrating AI into project and portfolio management is to accelerate adoption through a structured, incremental approach. While AI offers transformative capabilities, adopting it at scale requires careful planning, consistent progress, and a focus on continuous improvement. Portfolio leaders must strike a balance between advancing adoption quickly enough to maintain competitive advantage while ensuring that the implementation is deliberate and sustainable.
AI adoption often starts with experimentation and exploration. Starting small, with focused use cases, allows organizations to demonstrate quick wins and build confidence in AI’s capabilities. For instance, OnePlan’s portfolio hierarchy allows organizations to start by applying AI to a single portfolio. Teams can use AI to identify and prioritize projects, define dependencies between epics and features, and evaluate resource requirements. By demonstrating these quick wins, portfolio leaders can build momentum and generate buy-in across the organization. As teams grow comfortable with these capabilities, the scope of AI’s application can be expanded to more complex processes, such as resource optimization or predictive analytics.
This incremental approach also allows organizations to adapt to challenges and refine their processes over time. AI adoption is rarely without hurdles – technical issues, resistance to change, and gaps in understanding are common obstacles. By advancing in stages, portfolio leaders can address these challenges as they arise, ensuring that the adoption process remains on track. Regular feedback loops provide valuable opportunities for refinement and improvement.
Continuous improvement is critical in this phase. AI technology evolves rapidly, with new features and capabilities emerging regularly, meaning that organizations must stay updated on new features and capabilities to maintain a competitive edge. By collaborating with solution experts, organizations can optimize their use of AI tools and scale adoption more effectively. OnePlan’s expertise in project and portfolio management, combined with its industry recognized leadership, provides a best practice-based foundation for organizations seeking to advance AI adoption.
Conclusion
AI is reshaping the landscape of project and portfolio management, giving portfolio leaders new opportunities to enhance efficiency, insight, and strategic alignment. The question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to do so effectively. With the right tools, approach, and strategy, AI can become a cornerstone of successful project and portfolio management, helping organizations position themselves for success in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven world.
OnePlan’s success in integrating AI into project and portfolio management is reflected in its market leadership. Recognized as the Microsoft Global PPM leader for five consecutive years, OnePlan has also earned recognition from industry analysts like Gartner, Forrester, and Info Tech. With a positive reputation built from years of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges organizations face in portfolio management – as well as hundreds of satisfied clients – OnePlan has demonstrated its ability to deliver solutions that drive real-world results.
To explore OnePlan further, reach out directly for a consultation with a member of our team. Whether you are ready to dive in or just exploring, OnePlan is here to support your journey towards strategic portfolio management excellence.
