How can AI automate project management?

Welcome to Automating project management with AI! This course will show you how to use AI tools to make project management easier and better.

We’re going to build an automated, AI-powered system for managing projects in Airtable, but the lessons will work with any project management tool you prefer, like Asana or Monday.com.

Common ways AI is used for project management

Good project management means keeping things organized, planning ahead, and being able to adapt when things change.

While regular project management tools help teams work together, AI takes everything to the next level. It can automatically handle routine tasks, help with team communication, and make the best use of your resources in ways that humans simply can't match on their own.

AI is typically used for things like:

1. Automating routine tasks: AI handles repetitive tasks like status updates, reminders, and notifications, reducing human error and freeing up time for strategic planning.

2. Data generation for smarter planning: AI-driven data workflows enable project managers to generate and upkeep better data, allowing for more accurate project forecasts.

3. Resource and cost management: AI helps you assess who's available and what resources you have, then assign them in the best way possible. This makes it easier to finish projects on schedule and stay within your budget.

Challenges of using AI in project management

While AI can help a lot with project management, there are some challenges to think about:

• Data needs: AI tools need good, complete data to work well. If your data is missing information or has mistakes, AI might give you wrong answers.

• Getting teams on board: When you start using AI tools, your team will need to learn new ways of working. Some people might prefer their old ways of doing things.

• Following the rules: You need to make sure AI tools are fair and transparent, and that they follow data privacy laws.

Course overview

Throughout this course, you'll learn to transform your project management workflow with AI across four key areas.

Each tutorial builds upon the previous one, giving you a complete system for managing projects with AI by the end of the course.

1. AI for project planning and scheduling

Learn how ChatGPT can turn project proposals into fully specified plans. We'll show you prompting techniques you can use to set realistic deadlines, figure out which tasks need to be done first, and assign the right people to each job, all with AI.

2. Automating tasks and managing workflows

Build automations in Airtable that handle routine project tasks. You'll create systems that automatically categorize tasks, adjust schedules, and manage workflows, saving you time and improving accuracy.

3. Project tracking and reporting

Learn to use Airtable's AI tools to track your projects better. You'll create simple dashboards to see how your project is going, measure important things like progress and team workload, and automatically create reports for everyone involved.

4. Communication and collaboration tools

Using an AI-powered tool called Lindy, you'll automate the creation of meeting summaries, distribute updates across channels, and maintain clear communication with all project stakeholders.

AI tools we’ll be using in this course

We’ll be using a small set of tools in this course to bring AI to your project management workflows. If you use a different set of tools, don’t worry—you can still apply the methods and concepts in this course to your tech stack.

The tools we’ll be using include:

• ChatGPT – We’ll work with ChatGPT to manage the bulk of our project planning, resource allocation, and scheduling.

• Airtable – Acts as our database and interface system for project tracking and reporting. We’ll also use Airtable’s AI and automation tools to support data-driven project insights.

• Lindy – We’ll use Lindy to automate our communication and collaboration workflows, helping us go from meetings to email recaps, Slack updates, and meeting note storage.

Things to consider before diving into this course

• Current workflow assessment: How do you currently manage projects? Identify areas where AI could address inefficiencies or challenges.

• Team readiness: Is your team open to adopting AI tools? Consider the training and support needed to facilitate this transition.

• Data preparedness: Do you have access to quality data necessary for AI tools to function effectively? Assess your data management practices.

By thinking through these points, you'll be better prepared to integrate AI into your project management practices.

Now without further ado, let's explore how AI can make project management more efficient, accurate, and scalable!

Head on to the next tutorial when you’re ready. We’ll work with ChatGPT to go from a project proposal to a fully scoped project plan with task timelines, resource allocations, and more.

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This tutorial was created by Garrett.