It is important that project managers keep track of what is happening in the industry so that they are prepared to take advantage of new processes or avoid pitfalls. TechRepublic talked to industry experts to find out the top trends to watch in 2025.
Trend 1: The rise of hybrid project teams
Alan Zucker, founding principal of consulting firm Project Management Essentials
“I see interest in hybrid project management continuing to grow in 2025. agile is dying out, and many agilists say it is dead. Hybrid projects combine elements of one or more project approaches. For decades, project managers have practically mixed processes and methods based on context and specific project needs.
Hybrid allows project managers to move from the binary waterfall agile world to one where practice patterns include lean, Kanban, and DevOps. Successful project managers must make deliberate choices when deciding how to execute their projects.”
See: Discover the key features and benefits of Hybrid Project Management.
Trend 2: Squad-based teams reduce bureaucracy.
Jack Scales, CEO of training firm Agency Eagle
“The shift to squad-based teams reflects growing discontent. Traditional approach and the perceived ineffectiveness of Agile as it is often implemented. Leaders and stakeholders are fed up with overly complex management structures and expensive project management software tools that fail to deliver meaningful results.
Instead, leaders are embracing simpler, more efficient models: smaller, self-organized teams — typically small squads of five to 15 people. These small teams embody the true spirit of agile by collaborating and getting things done faster with innovation.
The model encourages a culture of innovation, collaboration and responsiveness to change — critical attributes for businesses competing in fast-paced markets.
Trend 3: Move to decentralized project management.
Molly Baron, founder of project management consultancy Projects by Molly
“I expect that many organizations are rethinking their approach to creating centralized project management offices. In the past few years, PMOs have been all the rage—companies have rushed to set them up, create templates and processes. do, and then they usually begin to look slowly wilted.
Why? There are of course many reasons for this, but I find that one of the most prevalent reasons is that while there is a rush of stand-up tools and processes, there are very few people in project management who actually use the tools. Can and did work
Also, in the rush to set up office, it’s really common for companies to overlook their larger strategic or organizational priorities. In a sense, they get so caught up in building a centralized PMO that they forget why it exists in the first place—to perform work that aligns with an organization’s strategic priorities.
I predict that in 2025 and beyond, companies will begin to phase out centralized PMOs and move back to more decentralized project management, where each department or region has experts who understand the core business processes. are, and are also called upon to manage projects.”
See: Read TechRepublic’s guide Top project management certification.
Trend 4: Focus on AI literacy among project managers.
Cornelius Fichtner, President of Project Management Precast and host of the Project Management Podcast
“Project managers must experience ‘naive awareness’ as they recognize the limitations of their current creative AI interactions. The difference between successful and struggling projects rests primarily on the project manager. Depth of understanding of AI.
Many project managers forget that not only are they required to use AI on their own projects, but they will also be asked to lead projects that aim to bring AI capabilities to various areas of their company. . They need a really broad and solid understanding of what AI is and can do to serve marketing and finance stakeholders as these departments grow with AI.”
See: 9 Best AI Project Management Tools for 2024
Trend 5: Accelerated job training through AI
Justin Tan, IT Project Management Office Leader at Thermo Fisher Scientific
“Imagine AI systems that can quickly generate comprehensive project plans based on context and conditions, predict potential threats with greater accuracy, optimize resource allocation, and can provide contextual decision support that has historically required years of professional experience.
Junior professionals without extensive traditional experience will leverage such AI-powered platforms to access institutional knowledge and best practices, effectively compressing years of learning into actionable recommendations.
From my experience playing a key role in leading digital transformation initiatives, the most successful organizations will be those that strategically integrate AI not as a replacement for human intelligence, but as a collaboration that Enhance human abilities.
See: Read more Artificial intelligence coverage From TechRepublic.
Trend 6: Resource management software is growing in importance.
Michelle Badi, Professional Development Strategist at Skills Recharged
“We will continue to discuss skills-based resource management, and action plans to align the right skills to the right tasks, ensuring teams thrive and stay on task. Real-time tools— For example, Resource planning softwareAI-powered allocation, employee wellness, and collaboration and communication tools—will help make resource allocation seamless.
At the same time, project managers, as an integral part of the process, will focus on balancing the workload to prioritize mental health and job satisfaction. In 2025, the focus will be on just getting things done—it’s about making sure your people avoid decision fatigue or burnout and are successful in their roles.”
See: TechRepublic Premium’s Mental Health Policy.
Will project managers be replaced by AI?
AI is unlikely to completely replace project managers, but it is reshaping their role. Research shows that while AI can automate administrative tasks such as scheduling, data collection, and reporting, it severely lacks other human elements that are essential to effective project management.
These include human elements. Making decisions And Compassionwhich helps with team motivation and conflict resolution—two things project managers do almost every day.
Professor Adam Bodison, chief executive of the Association for Project Management, told TechRepublic in an email: “Hybrid work environments demand strong digital communication and leadership skills, while sustainability and diversity initiatives become integral to organizational strategies. Project management is, in fact, future state planning.
“APM research shows that over 50% of businesses expect to increase the number of projects they undertake in the next three years, highlighting the importance of the project profession. The role of skilled project professionals is critical across all industries. Will be.
It is predicted. 25 million new project professionals will be needed by 2030. To keep up with industry demand. Check out TechRepublic’s guide. How to Become a Project Manager To find out if this role is right for you.