Project management

It is not only society and the economy as whole entities that are affected by the digital shift; in fact, every single company will have to undergo profound changes sooner or later. Digitalisation is only successful when it is viewed as an integral process, in the course of which major interventions must be permitted. As a result, the project management has to be adapted to keep up with the new circumstances.

The digitalisation process is integral in the sense that all the collaborators need to accept the digital transformation and be included in it. Without a shift in the mindset of the entire staff, from the very foundations all the way to the executive leadership of the company, this radical revolution will not be possible.

Against this backdrop, four factors are pivotal to the success of the digital transformation: firstly, the executive level must provide a clear and transparent strategy; secondly, openness is the order of the day when it comes to implementing new digital processes that may potentially disrupt familiar structures; thirdly, a utility-oriented prioritisation of the digitalisation stages is necessary, and fourthly, a stable foundation is required for the management of the digital workflows – one that must, however, offer sufficient flexibility.

Accordingly, these points are relevant when choosing the right project management method. Based on this, as a general principle, it is helpful to select a method that has already proven successful in practice. Beyond this, it should also allow for the project to unfold in a standardised, controlled manner, thus providing clear instructions for action; it should be focused on the user, take an integral approach and should include all the stakeholders in the company. However, it should also be flexible enough that management do not need to intervene.