10 Hot Global Trends IT Pros Need to Know

by Fahmida Y Rashid

More project managers and developers will adopt the Agile methodology for software development. They will also realize Agile has its own challenges and is not intended to be a cure-all for any type of software development project. Organizations need to do it right, including picking the right projects, to benefit.

Organizations will continue outsourcing operations, but they will also pay more attention to associate risk and conduct better due diligence, such as in contract management.

Organizations will shift formal training programs to emphasize a more effective use of social learning technologies, such as wikis, blogs, videos, and podcasts, and community approaches, such as coaching and mentoring.

While informal training becomes more popular, formal programs will need to be more reality-based and directly applicable to the participants projects. The lecture mode is dead; PMs will demand concrete steps to immediately apply to their projects.

With more and more complex projects using virtual teams, managing resources, time, and features is not enough. PMs will need communication and other leadership skills to keep projects on time and on budget.

Project managers will have greater mobility when it comes to growth opportunities overseas. India and China require competent and experienced PMs to manage large and complex infrastructure projects. The Middle East will also be more attractive as planned mega-projects are initiated.

Project Management Professional, a formal credential issued by the Project Management Institute will remain the most popular certification in this field. However, organizations will value proven experience and demonstrated competency beyond just having the credential itself. While PMs can earn PMP certifications, organizations will demand it less in favor of concrete experience and evidence of success in prior projects.

Organizations will assign change management experts to projects to facilitate the kinds of organizational changes that is required before a new product or service can be adopted. PMs will eventually take on a more direct role to ensure product adoption.

Organizations will emphasize project sponsorship responsibilities when working with remote teams, especially in South Asia. Projects have been less than successful because the roles of the project sponsor was unclear or undefined.

The process for project manager hiring, assignment, promotion, and professional development will become codified within the organization. The competency models need to be company-specific to assess and manage talents.