How IoT Will Change Project Management

Nowadays, it’s hard to keep up with so many technology advancements, as digital solutions for business constantly offer massive innovations. However, the corporate world wouldn’t be able to survive on the market without them because the fast pace of the technological revolution started to fundamentally change business process management. But nothing caught organizations and customers off guard like the transformational power of IoT.

What is IoT?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the new way of interacting with the world via technology. To put it simply, IoT is a unique concept which is supported by sensors, programs, hardware, etc. in order to connect every device (with an active network infrastructure) to the Internet. This includes more than mobile and laptop devices, as IoT is able to connect almost anything, from coffee makers and wearable gadgets to the individual machine parts.

According to Gartner projections, 8.4 billion connected “things” were supposed to be used worldwide this year. Which means the connections we are familiar with are slowly changing, hence, people and machines are beginning to share an unbreakable bond.

How IoT Impacts Project Management  

Although IoT usage is still in the development phase, Ericsson and Stringify expect to see 28 to 30 billion connected IoT devices by 2020. Considering these changes are doomed to arrive, let’s examine to what extent the IoT will impact current Project Management operations.

Project Collaboration

Due to interconnected systems and people, team collaboration will sense drastic changes. Though remote work is already an option many companies adopted since the Internet allows them to manage talent across the world, with IoT, the collaboration will become even easier than it is today. All of the shared data will automatically reach all team members no matter the location.

Big Data Will Become Easy to Handle  

Given that this system operates automatically, the IoT will instantly crunch big data to provide measurable analytics in real-time. In other words, project management will get a chance to rapidly make smart decisions reinforced by empirical data.

This implies that project managers will have a significant role in both IoT and team management, considering they will have to motivate and encourage employees to accept these changes. While productivity is expected rise due to a fast exchange of information, IoT projects differ from the traditional staff’s routine.

Project Timeline Lasts Longer      

Contrary to existing project timeline durations, IoT projects will not be finished so quickly. The project timeline will not be considered as complete on its implementation because there must be a plan in the case of a mechanic or other unexpected failure. Therefore, managers have to accept the role of a supporting team leader throughout various departments.

Integration of New Methods

The IoT will impact more than just the employees’ work routine, it will also make changes in the business network, database, and entire systems in use. Of course, networking will become simplified, however, companies will have to integrate new methods (aka standards) for making data from one establishment understandable to another. In summation, managers will have to be willing to incorporate new analytic standards that will enable them to transfer comprehensive data to other organizations.

Conclusion    

Changes are coming, and they are coming fast. Although IoT is yet to become part of most businesses, all paths lead toward massive IoT adoption. Meaning, in the near future, project management will experience significant changes that can support business growth, but only if prepared for IoT benefits.