How Artificial Intelligence Helps Manage Projects
Overview of the current application of artificial intelligence for project management
It may seem surprising, but the issue of using artificial intelligence for project management has been around for more than 30 years. Back in 1987, a landmark article by William Hosley, “ Using Artificial Intelligence Applications for Project Management, ” was released. In the same year, under the auspices of NASA, a study was completed on the effectiveness of the application of artificial intelligence in project management.
Meanwhile, a large number of solutions have recently appeared that can be conditionally divided into two classes:
Let's consider some of them:
PMOtto.ai
In 2017, Allan Rocha and Ricardo Vargas introduced PMOtto, a personal virtual assistant for the project manager, combining chatbot functions and an interface for interacting with project management systems and project portfolios, for example, with Microsoft Office 365 Project Online. Project participants can freely communicate with PMOtto via smartphone or web chat. Report the status of tasks, inform about risks, request the necessary information. PMOtto recognizes speech and text, and converts it into commands for information systems. In addition, PMOtto can give recommendations on the implementation of the project, based on the results of machine learning and the algorithms implemented in it. The developers claim that PMOtto is a combination of various profiles with over 20 years of project management experience!
Lili.ai
The French startup Lili.ai, created with the aim of introducing artificial intelligence methods to optimize project budgets and increase project management efficiency, represents Lily, a virtual project management assistant. Lily performed well, received several awards, including the CogX AI Rising Star Award, is a participant in the prestigious X-Prize. Lily maintains a professional blog liliai.blog
Chatbot “Ivan from Design PRACTICE”
In 2018, the Center for Distance Learning of the Group of Companies “Project PRACTICE” presented a prototype of the virtual assistant to the project manager - the chatbot “Ivan from Project PRACTICE”. Working through Telegram, Ivan (@ivanpm_bot) could share his experience in implementing project management, provide, upon request from the project manager, templates for project documents.
Autodesk Construction IQ
Construction IQ (formerly known as Project IQ) is an intelligent assistant for construction projects that use the Autodesk BIM 360 platform. Using machine learning methods, Construction IQ collects and analyzes data on the quality and safety of construction sites, possible project risks . For example, it identifies jobs with a high probability of a shift in deadlines and other risks. Construction IQ extracts information from recorded project data - the results of observations and audits, technical supervision logs, photographs, terms of reference, reports of contractors and other project documents. All this is used to identify, analyze and prioritize project risks. The results of the risk analysis performed by Construction IQ are presented to users in Project Home - a single window that displays key information about the project, including progress on the work, an interactive model of the facility, camera data, etc.
Bitrix24
Software robots help to manage projects using the Bitrix24 solution - they can create new tasks for the project, assign or change responsible executors, update the status of task execution, send the necessary letters and fulfill other tasks.
On the Bitrix24 platform, Bitrix24 functionality has also been developed. Assisett , which allows you to work with popular voice assistants, such as Yandex Alice or Google Assistant. Using Bitrix24.Assisetnt you can distribute tasks to employees and colleagues, schedule appointments, communicate in Bitrix24. Chat.
Artificial Intelligence Helps Agile Projects
An international team of researchers presented at the 41st International Conference on Software Development (ICSE) 2019, held in Montreal, Canada in May this year, the architecture of the virtual assistant agile projects. A virtual assistant could come in handy for flexible teams in identifying backlog elements, updating elements, sprint planning, monitoring sprint performance and risk management. Pre-published work is available on the arXiv website .
Virtual Assistant Platforms
One of the most advanced platforms for creating virtual assistants for project managers and other chatbots is the Azure Bot Service , which provides comprehensive tools for creating enterprise-level solutions.
Another example is Dialogflow . Dialogflow toolkit combined with systems such as Redbooth , can be used to manage projects.
Smart projects
Domestic intellectual project management system Smart Projects is a family of products that provide support for the full cycle of project management. Smart Projects uses technologies such as multi-agent systems, ontologies (knowledge bases) and a network-centric approach to build complex planning and management systems.
Aurora
Aurora is focused on creating optimal project schedules and networks. The system uses artificial intelligence technology to preserve and apply planning rules and knowledge. Users can also expand their knowledge of the system with rules specific to a specific subject area. The system was originally developed for NASA to help solve critical planning problems with complex constraints. Subsequently, it was widely used in other organizations. Aurora is particularly effective for large projects with complex constraints and resource requirements.
Liquid planner
LiquidPlanner is another example of a dynamic smart scheduler. LiquidPlanner automatically adjusts the expected completion dates for project tasks, in case of changing expectations, also when resources are redirected to other projects or when other works get a higher priority.
Infosys Nia Contracts Analysis
Infosys Nia is an artificial intelligence platform that automates business processes and IT processes, allows customers to use artificial intelligence technologies for a wide range of tasks. The Nia Contracts Analysis module, which is part of it, uses machine learning and semantic modeling to help manage contracts, speed up contract verification and reduce the risk of contract execution. The use of such an intelligent application becomes especially effective in the case of really complex project contracts, consisting of tens or even hundreds of pages with multiple reservations, various price schemes and delivery conditions, the presence of additional agreements that may change over time.
Psodavision
The PsodaVision artificial intelligence application, which implements machine vision technology, allows you to synchronize physical and digital Kanban boards. The application remembers images on a physical board and then play it digitally.
Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf will help the project manager to form the optimal project team or develop people for effective collaboration and successful implementation of the project. Using artificial intelligence technologies, Cloverleaf compares the personal qualities and skills of the project team members to help make the right decisions for its work, complementing the functions of an HR partner.
Pinestem
PineStem is another intelligent tool primarily focused on software development projects that helps the project manager form an optimal team of programmers. PineStem will tell you which employees are best suited for a particular project based on their past work experience. The efficiency of using PineStem increases as more projects and tasks are recorded in its database.
PineStem can be useful in Agile projects, where it monitors the progress of each sprint and daily informs the team members about the work done, about whether they are in time taking into account the remaining tasks and the errors that arise. Based on the analysis of current data and past experience, PineStem determines the team’s performance and possible overtime, which gives the project manager the opportunity to take corrective measures in a timely manner to bring the project back on track.
TARA.ai
TARA AI is an artificial intelligence platform that uses machine learning to help organizations and project managers plan and implement projects. The system will offer options for implementing the project within the allocated budget, will help with the selection of project team members. During the implementation, it will help to re-plan the project, for example, in case of a change in the functional volume.
The above list of examples far from exhausts the ever-increasing influence of artificial intelligence on project management. Meanwhile, the question of replacing the project manager with artificial intelligence can hardly be relevant. Artificial intelligence frees up time from routine and technical tasks. Allows the project manager to concentrate on areas that are difficult to formalize, for example, managing communications and expectations, conflict resolution, strategic planning and others. In addition, the introduction of artificial intelligence requires a sufficiently high level of culture and discipline of project management. Artificial intelligence works with data, and this data must be reliable and timely provided.
Successful projects!
1. Hosley, WN (1987). The application of artificial intelligence software to project management / Project Management Journal, 18 (3), 73–75
2. Harris, RM, Shaffer, SC, Stokes, J., Goldstein, D. (1987). Application of expert systems in project management decision aiding / Scientific and Technical Report
3. Lahmann M., Keiser P., Stierli A. (2018) AI will transform project management. Are you ready? / PWC Report
4. Auth, G., Jokisch, O., Durk, Ch. (2019) Revisiting automated project management in the digital age - a survey of AI approaches / OJAKM, Volume 7, Issue 1, 27–39
It may seem surprising, but the issue of using artificial intelligence for project management has been around for more than 30 years. Back in 1987, a landmark article by William Hosley, “ Using Artificial Intelligence Applications for Project Management, ” was released. In the same year, under the auspices of NASA, a study was completed on the effectiveness of the application of artificial intelligence in project management.
Meanwhile, a large number of solutions have recently appeared that can be conditionally divided into two classes:
- virtual assistants to the project manager
- artificial intelligence in project management systems
Let's consider some of them:
1. Virtual assistants to the project manager
PMOtto.ai
In 2017, Allan Rocha and Ricardo Vargas introduced PMOtto, a personal virtual assistant for the project manager, combining chatbot functions and an interface for interacting with project management systems and project portfolios, for example, with Microsoft Office 365 Project Online. Project participants can freely communicate with PMOtto via smartphone or web chat. Report the status of tasks, inform about risks, request the necessary information. PMOtto recognizes speech and text, and converts it into commands for information systems. In addition, PMOtto can give recommendations on the implementation of the project, based on the results of machine learning and the algorithms implemented in it. The developers claim that PMOtto is a combination of various profiles with over 20 years of project management experience!
Lili.ai
The French startup Lili.ai, created with the aim of introducing artificial intelligence methods to optimize project budgets and increase project management efficiency, represents Lily, a virtual project management assistant. Lily performed well, received several awards, including the CogX AI Rising Star Award, is a participant in the prestigious X-Prize. Lily maintains a professional blog liliai.blog
Chatbot “Ivan from Design PRACTICE”
In 2018, the Center for Distance Learning of the Group of Companies “Project PRACTICE” presented a prototype of the virtual assistant to the project manager - the chatbot “Ivan from Project PRACTICE”. Working through Telegram, Ivan (@ivanpm_bot) could share his experience in implementing project management, provide, upon request from the project manager, templates for project documents.
Autodesk Construction IQ
Construction IQ (formerly known as Project IQ) is an intelligent assistant for construction projects that use the Autodesk BIM 360 platform. Using machine learning methods, Construction IQ collects and analyzes data on the quality and safety of construction sites, possible project risks . For example, it identifies jobs with a high probability of a shift in deadlines and other risks. Construction IQ extracts information from recorded project data - the results of observations and audits, technical supervision logs, photographs, terms of reference, reports of contractors and other project documents. All this is used to identify, analyze and prioritize project risks. The results of the risk analysis performed by Construction IQ are presented to users in Project Home - a single window that displays key information about the project, including progress on the work, an interactive model of the facility, camera data, etc.
Bitrix24
Software robots help to manage projects using the Bitrix24 solution - they can create new tasks for the project, assign or change responsible executors, update the status of task execution, send the necessary letters and fulfill other tasks.
On the Bitrix24 platform, Bitrix24 functionality has also been developed. Assisett , which allows you to work with popular voice assistants, such as Yandex Alice or Google Assistant. Using Bitrix24.Assisetnt you can distribute tasks to employees and colleagues, schedule appointments, communicate in Bitrix24. Chat.
Artificial Intelligence Helps Agile Projects
An international team of researchers presented at the 41st International Conference on Software Development (ICSE) 2019, held in Montreal, Canada in May this year, the architecture of the virtual assistant agile projects. A virtual assistant could come in handy for flexible teams in identifying backlog elements, updating elements, sprint planning, monitoring sprint performance and risk management. Pre-published work is available on the arXiv website .
Virtual Assistant Platforms
One of the most advanced platforms for creating virtual assistants for project managers and other chatbots is the Azure Bot Service , which provides comprehensive tools for creating enterprise-level solutions.
Another example is Dialogflow . Dialogflow toolkit combined with systems such as Redbooth , can be used to manage projects.
2. The use of artificial intelligence in project management systems
Smart projects
Domestic intellectual project management system Smart Projects is a family of products that provide support for the full cycle of project management. Smart Projects uses technologies such as multi-agent systems, ontologies (knowledge bases) and a network-centric approach to build complex planning and management systems.
Aurora
Aurora is focused on creating optimal project schedules and networks. The system uses artificial intelligence technology to preserve and apply planning rules and knowledge. Users can also expand their knowledge of the system with rules specific to a specific subject area. The system was originally developed for NASA to help solve critical planning problems with complex constraints. Subsequently, it was widely used in other organizations. Aurora is particularly effective for large projects with complex constraints and resource requirements.
Liquid planner
LiquidPlanner is another example of a dynamic smart scheduler. LiquidPlanner automatically adjusts the expected completion dates for project tasks, in case of changing expectations, also when resources are redirected to other projects or when other works get a higher priority.
Infosys Nia Contracts Analysis
Infosys Nia is an artificial intelligence platform that automates business processes and IT processes, allows customers to use artificial intelligence technologies for a wide range of tasks. The Nia Contracts Analysis module, which is part of it, uses machine learning and semantic modeling to help manage contracts, speed up contract verification and reduce the risk of contract execution. The use of such an intelligent application becomes especially effective in the case of really complex project contracts, consisting of tens or even hundreds of pages with multiple reservations, various price schemes and delivery conditions, the presence of additional agreements that may change over time.
Psodavision
The PsodaVision artificial intelligence application, which implements machine vision technology, allows you to synchronize physical and digital Kanban boards. The application remembers images on a physical board and then play it digitally.
Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf will help the project manager to form the optimal project team or develop people for effective collaboration and successful implementation of the project. Using artificial intelligence technologies, Cloverleaf compares the personal qualities and skills of the project team members to help make the right decisions for its work, complementing the functions of an HR partner.
Pinestem
PineStem is another intelligent tool primarily focused on software development projects that helps the project manager form an optimal team of programmers. PineStem will tell you which employees are best suited for a particular project based on their past work experience. The efficiency of using PineStem increases as more projects and tasks are recorded in its database.
PineStem can be useful in Agile projects, where it monitors the progress of each sprint and daily informs the team members about the work done, about whether they are in time taking into account the remaining tasks and the errors that arise. Based on the analysis of current data and past experience, PineStem determines the team’s performance and possible overtime, which gives the project manager the opportunity to take corrective measures in a timely manner to bring the project back on track.
TARA.ai
TARA AI is an artificial intelligence platform that uses machine learning to help organizations and project managers plan and implement projects. The system will offer options for implementing the project within the allocated budget, will help with the selection of project team members. During the implementation, it will help to re-plan the project, for example, in case of a change in the functional volume.
3. Conclusion
The above list of examples far from exhausts the ever-increasing influence of artificial intelligence on project management. Meanwhile, the question of replacing the project manager with artificial intelligence can hardly be relevant. Artificial intelligence frees up time from routine and technical tasks. Allows the project manager to concentrate on areas that are difficult to formalize, for example, managing communications and expectations, conflict resolution, strategic planning and others. In addition, the introduction of artificial intelligence requires a sufficiently high level of culture and discipline of project management. Artificial intelligence works with data, and this data must be reliable and timely provided.
Successful projects!
4. Useful links
1. Hosley, WN (1987). The application of artificial intelligence software to project management / Project Management Journal, 18 (3), 73–75
2. Harris, RM, Shaffer, SC, Stokes, J., Goldstein, D. (1987). Application of expert systems in project management decision aiding / Scientific and Technical Report
3. Lahmann M., Keiser P., Stierli A. (2018) AI will transform project management. Are you ready? / PWC Report
4. Auth, G., Jokisch, O., Durk, Ch. (2019) Revisiting automated project management in the digital age - a survey of AI approaches / OJAKM, Volume 7, Issue 1, 27–39
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