The New Focus on Project Management

This trend, which traces its origins back to the Industrial Revolution, when many formerly distinct roles were standardized, has accelerated dramatically in recent decades due to the advent of computers and widespread digitization. These innovations have done more than just connect formerly isolated business areas through data-driven processes; they have also catalyzed cross-disciplinary collaboration and a reduction in hierarchical company structures, fundamentally changing how businesses operate and are managed. While this blurring of lines isn’t universal, it has created opportunities for refined skill sets and disciplines to operate across these newly permeable boundaries. Data science is one such discipline, but perhaps even more important (while also lesser known) is project management, which has emerged in recent years as singularly equipped to meet the challenges of this new landscape.

Originally the domain of construction site supervisors and software development leads, project management tools and principles have become essential for navigating the unprecedented complexity and volatility across industries. Organizations of all sizes now leverage these methodologies to break down complex challenges, adapt to sudden market changes, and efficiently coordinate resources and stakeholders as they grapple with a world whose increasing interconnectedness and unpredictability has made frameworks like project management indispensable for achieving strategic objectives.

Project management as a formal discipline emerged in the mid-twentieth century, driven primarily by the needs of large-scale engineering and construction projects. Its origins trace back to techniques developed for the Manhattan Project during World War II and the subsequent development of tools like the Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) in the 1950s.

The discipline built on these foundations and expanded into adjacent industries throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with the formation of professional organizations like the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 1969 helping to standardize practices. With the arrival of personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s, the field was revolutionized, leading to specialized software tools and the integration of project management principles into broader business strategies and methodologies.

As project management principles and tools grew more refined and accessible, their value for optimizing business processes spread across diverse sectors, from IT and healthcare to marketing and education. This broader applicability meant many non–project managers started to adopt the techniques as a way to become more efficient and productive in their daily work. At the same time, as project management expanded beyond its origins as a specialized discipline with rigid methodologies, it encountered an array of new contexts that challenged its traditional balance of structure and flexibility. To maintain effectiveness, the field had to incorporate more pliable approaches capable of responding to new markets, technologies, and customer expectations.

Here we highlight three key areas where project management expanded as it became something closer to a universal skill set applicable to virtually any field: (1) a more iterative approach to the production process; (2) a greater focus on user-centric design; and (3) a more dynamic and comprehensive use of data.

1. Agile approaches: Flexibility aligned with structure

One of the most significant shifts in project management has been the rise of Agile methodologies, an approach that started in software development and emphasizes flexibility, continuous improvement, and close collaboration with stakeholders. Now disconnected from its base in tech, its skills, tools, and principles are applied broadly and tactically across industries.

For instance, marketers use Agile principles to respond to market trends and customer feedback more quickly. Educational institutions are applying Agile methods to curriculum development and crafting learning experiences that are more responsive and adaptive. Healthcare organizations, meanwhile, have also adopted Agile practices to streamline administrative processes and improve patient care.

The key to Agile’s wide applicability within project management lies in its focus on iterative progress, open communication, and nimble responsiveness to change. This approach addresses a key challenge in adapting project management principles to new fields: striking an optimal balance between structure and adaptability. While conventional project management methodologies often presumed predictable conditions and well-defined requirements, contemporary projects rarely follow such linear progressions during execution. The challenge is amplified by the fact that clients frequently struggle to articulate comprehensive requirements at a project’s outset.

Agile methodologies respond to these concerns by offering a framework that embraces change and promotes iterative development. By breaking projects into smaller, manageable cycles, Agile allows teams to respond quickly to new information and changing requirements as they align project outcomes more closely with stakeholder needs.

2. Design thinking: User-centric problem-solving

Another approach gaining traction across industries is design thinking. While not native to project management, design thinking has become a key component in the project manager’s tool kit that’s proven particularly useful for projects requiring innovation or complex problem-solving. The central contribution of design thinking is its focus on user empathy and creative problem-solving, which encourages teams to deeply understand end user needs before developing solutions.

Unlike Agile’s emphasis on iterative development and delivery, design thinking brings a more exploratory and open approach to the early stages of projects, which can improve problem definition and create more flexible project plans and strategies. With design thinking’s user-centric focus, project managers have adapted its principles to enhance stakeholder engagement through techniques like interviews, observation, journey mapping, and other strategies that encourage deep empathy with end users.

Used in project management, for instance, a small business owner might apply design thinking to product development and customer service improvement and then use the classic project management tools for business expansion or new product launches. Later, they could implement Agile methodologies for more responsive business operations.

In healthcare, doctors and nurses use design thinking to improve patient experiences before applying traditional project management skills to manage complex treatment plans. A nonprofit, meanwhile, might use design thinking to plan a community outreach program as a way to ensure that the project truly meets the needs of the community it aims to serve.

3. AI and project management: The next frontier

The innovations brought by Agile and design thinking in project management—such as adaptability, user-centricity, and iterative improvement—align closely with the capabilities of AI in enhancing decision-making and process optimization. AI extends these principles by offering data-driven insights, predictive analytics, and automated task management, increasing project efficiency further while enabling more responsive and intelligent project execution.

Specifically, AI is enhancing traditional project management tools like parametric estimation and Monte Carlo simulation by providing more accurate inputs, processing larger datasets, and offering real-time adjustments based on evolving project conditions. This refinement allows for better alignment between estimation methods and project realities, helping to bridge the gap between rigid forecasting tools and the dynamic nature of projects resulting from today’s diverse organizational cultures and varying work methodologies.

In the construction industry, AI-enhanced project management tools are already revolutionizing cost estimation and risk assessment. For instance, an AI system could analyze historical data from similar projects, current market trends, and real-time information about supply chain disruptions to provide more accurate cost estimates and risk profiles.

In the pharmaceutical industry, AI-powered project management tools are transforming drug development timelines and resource allocation. For example, an AI system could analyze vast amounts of clinical trial data, regulatory requirements, and historical project outcomes to provide more precise estimates for drug development phases, while also factoring in the collaborative nature of research teams.

It’s important to recognize that, despite project management’s technological and conceptual advances through Agile, design thinking, and AI, the human element remains central to project success across all roles. The ability to effectively communicate, build relationships, navigate conflicts, and inspire teams is still the bedrock of successful project delivery, regardless of one’s specific job title.

For these reasons, project management has become an essential skill set for many nonmanagerial and most managerial positions across industries. As projects grow more complex, businesses increasingly struggle to keep workflows on time and within budget, creating demand for professionals with a holistic approach that combines both technical knowledge and soft skills. Professional development certificates in project management offer multiple benefits: demonstrating and expanding skills, increasing employability, facilitating career growth and higher salaries, and adding value to businesses.

The Project Management: Strategy Essentials certificate program at the University of Chicago Professional Education targets these industry needs. Designed for project managers, team leaders, and professionals seeking to upskill, this adaptable and forward-thinking program trains graduates in current best practices while also preparing them for future innovations in the field.