Standards Development

Scope

This standard proposal outlines artificial intelligence (AI) concepts, applications, and implications, as well as benefits, risks, governance framework, and scope for use by organizations within the context of project, programme, and portfolio management (P3M). This proposed standard is intended to supplement the other TC 258 standards and is in direct alignment with standards prepared by ISO/TC 258. This document provides guidance for organizations on what to consider when adopting or looking to improve on existing AI technologies that directly support P3M. This proposed standard is applicable to any organization, including public, private, and charitable, as well as to any type of project, regardless of purpose, delivery approaches, project or programme lifecycle model used, complexity, size, cost, or duration. This document also provides (P3M) practitioners (including top-level management, project managers, PMO’s, etc.) with AI-related guidance and consideration in the areas of security, privacy, transparency, and bias, as well as related data governance, ethical and risk considerations.

Purpose

The purpose of this new work item proposal (NP) is to propose the development of an ISO Standard
addressing the adoption of AI tools and practices within the P3M profession.
In a recent report published and presented by the ISO/TC 258 Technical Development Group (TDG) at
the 2024 Plenary Meeting (ISO/TC 258 N 866), the TDG concluded that AI was a technology that had
the greatest potential impact on all project management processes, and the project risk management
lifecycle processes were the most likely to benefit from AI capabilities. The report goes on to note that
AI is often identified as a “disruptive technology” or innovation that is significantly changing how
industries and markets are structured or are restructuring and how P3M practitioners are thinking and
interacting. The TDG report cited conclusions that were identified by researchers from the University of
Southampton, UK, in their 2022 article “Artificial Intelligence in Project Management”. The following are
some of the conclusions regarding AI in project management:
• AI enhances problem-solving and decision-making in projects;
• AI improves efficiency;
• AI has the potential to increase project success [risk management];
• AI technology reduces unknowns [risk] in complex projects.
The TDG report also mapped the project management processes of ISO 21502 against the following
disruptive technologies, to determine which technologies could potentially impact how projects are
managed. These disruptive technologies included big data analytics; simulation; industrial internet of
things (IIoT); autonomous robots; cybersecurity; 3D printing & additive manufacturing; artificial
intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). The report also identified the potential benefits,
implementation considerations, and risks associated with the application of AI in P3M. The report
stressed that the business case for the application of AI must be informed by the organizational
infrastructure and technology infrastructure investment required to support AI functionalities. Equally
vital is the human skill set necessary to optimize the benefits of AI.
Recognizing the importance of standards in shaping development and use of AI the National Institute of

Standards and Technology recently published NIST.AI.100-5 “Trustworthy and Responsible AI: A Plan
for Global Engagement on AI Standards”. The publication identifies top-priority AI-related topics where
global stakeholders have identified a pressing need for a standard. Areas identified that are of
particular interest to the P3M community include: terminology and taxonomy; mechanisms for
enhancing awareness and transparency about the origins of digital content; risk-based management of
AI systems; Security and privacy; transparency among AI actors about system and data characteristics;
training data practices; and incident response and recovery plans.
The application of AI within the P3M community is still in its infancy; however, the pace of change is accelerating. A recent Gartner Report: “Build a Generative AI Roadmap for Your Portfolio Management
Life Cycle” dated 1 July 2024 notes that AI is expected to significantly change the role and structure of
P3M efforts; the report speculates that:
• By 2026, 70% of P3M-related job titles will shift from a portfolio, program, project (3P’s) hierarchy to
role-based descriptors due to the increase of AI in strategic portfolio management.
• By 2028, PMO leaders will rely on AI to predict project delays and budget overruns with an accuracy
of over 90%, enabling proactive mitigation strategies and increasing portfolio resilience.
• By 2030, 80% of project management (PM) work will be eliminated by AI.
However, keeping these predictions in this context though; AI is meant to enhance human capabilities,
not replace them. P3M practitioners are involved in many aspects that AI can’t replicate, such as
emotional intelligence, stakeholder management, and creative problem-solving in unique situations.
Recognizing the impacts of AI on the P3M community and understanding the opportunities that AI
presents are all critical aspects to begin to unveil within this new standard.