The 7 Rungs to Get to the Top of the AI Knowledge Ladder
Keep on learning and you'll keep on climbing.
Today, we are overwhelmed with information — the hardest thing to do is to take and deconstruct it.
As project managers, we are processors. We break down large, complex tasks into bite-size chunks so people can understand how to get from point A to point Z. It’s ingrained in our brain functions to provide people with a plan.
The problem is that when you’re trying to adopt AI, it’s hard to know which steps to take to lead your organization in the right direction.
I’ve given you some hints in previous newsletters, but I will try to combine them all so you can see the next step in your AI adoption. Also, I know there are tech-savvy project managers and those who are not. I’ll show you steps for PMs who aren’t out there blazing code and making AI do neat tricks.
The first few rungs (what a goofy word) may seem familiar since we covered them in previous issues of this newsletter, but that’s a good sign.
Let’s explore the seven rungs to get to the top of the AI ladder.
Rung 1: AI-first thinking is the edge that sets you apart
The first step is to embrace an “AI-first” point of view, but what exactly is it?
For most people, it may be a small change. When I launch a browser now, I set it to Claude.ai. — before it went to Google Search. My day starts with AI.
For development-savvy project managers, you should incorporate AI into your daily workflows. Explore AI-driven development platforms and try project management tools with an AI component. AI should be a part of your project team and not just an afterthought.
If you are trying to understand AI, you should familiarize yourself with AI tools (ChatGPT) and concepts (what is an LLM?). Start using some simple tools like Otter.ai to record and transcribe meeting notes. Try some free software trials to automate these routine tasks.
Once you're comfortable, you can move from dipping your toes in the AI water to diving into the AI data lake.
Rung 2: Supercharge teamwork with AI-driven collaboration
As a leader, you’ll need to spearhead initiatives at your organization to encourage them to embrace AI.
This second rung involves having an AI team or working with a contractor to implement an AI project.
If you are comfortable with AI tech, you can start collaborating with data scientists and analysts on the project. You can push for more AI projects in your organization regardless of your AI knowledge. Work with management to implement them. 92% of the Fortune 500 has adopted AI. Your company shouldn't want to be left behind.
In my past jobs, I worked closely with developers. As project managers, I showed them what we needed for reporting and task completion. Now, I’m just refocusing on AI-driven solutions and working with them to understand AI capabilities.
Rung 3: Fuel your success with continuous growth and adaptation
The world of AI is constantly changing. Even though we try to stay on top of everything, new changes happen daily.
As a project manager, you must always learn about new AI tech. It seems to appear out of nowhere.
AI conferences are just starting to become available. You should try to attend them, either in person or virtually. Also, look into webinars and training sessions to keep honing your AI skills. If you are a developer-inclined project manager, you could become a speaker at these events once you are skilled enough.
If you're not tech-savvy, keep learning about AI and machine learning. Find online AI courses (free and paid) that can help you grasp AI and give you ideas on how to implement it in your workplace.
Rung 4: Let AI lead the way to smarter decision-making
Everyone is afraid of letting go of the wheel, and letting AI make decisions on your project seems like a daring feat.
But, if you're a project manager with data scientists, use AI to analyze complex datasets. Then, you build tools to evaluate project decisions. Establishing a process to look at datasets is in the wheelhouse of a project manager. With a team, you can build models to predict risks, allocate resources, and forecast project success or failure.
If you can't build the tools for custom evaluations, use AI tools like Monday.com or Asana. These tools can recommend actions based on your project's data. AI can then assist you in making decisions regarding risks, resources, and timelines.
Rung 5: Build an environment where innovation is the norm
You always wanted to be a cheerleader, right? As a project manager spearheading AI, you may need to be its biggest supporter.
Your team should be innovative and look for new ways to solve problems. You should ask them to push the AI envelope and break out from the normal solutions. If you have a grasp on the technology, work with the team on how you can use AI to solve your team's problems in unique ways. You can even dive into creating and showing off your own solutions.
If you're a novice with tech, you can still help your team. Find examples of AI-driven projects and gather information. You can also hold brainstorming sessions with your dev team. Discuss current projects and ideas for using AI to help with other projects.
Rung 6: Use AI as a co-creator, not just a tool
As we're climbing the ladder, when you're getting near the top, you'll implement more AI if you're a geek.
AI development is leading to agentic AI - this is where AI makes decisions independently. You can create multi-agent AI systems with the latest models and some Python skills. They will work as a team and review and refine each other's output. An example is if you created two AI project managers. You would give them a task to build a building with all the data. Then, they would discuss the timeline, resources needed, and any other data you want. Then it would create the output in a format you could review and ask the AI questions about. These AI agents become project team members. It's like having a staff member without paying them.
We've reviewed project management software that uses agents as an easier route. Programs like Taskade have pre-built tools. They feature agentic AI in a user-friendly format. You don't have to get your hands dirty coding—they are already set up for use. But you get the same AI collaboration in a slick format. These programs have a learning curve. But these agents have some pre-made scripts and scenarios to start with.
Rung 7: Evaluate AI’s performance and shape future decisions
The final rung is to evaluate how AI is influencing your projects regularly.
You should check the data and analytics. They will show if AI is being used well, if there are improvements, and if better decisions are being made. After you review the data, adjust your organization's approach to future AI projects to improve them. The data will show you what is successful and what needs improvement.
If you don't want to see the data, you can still check how AI affects your project workflows and outcomes. Find examples in your organization's project management. Look for more ways AI can improve your project results.
Closing thoughts
This article provides a path to implementing AI at your organization. Use it if you need a game plan or to convince management to adopt AI.
It may seem that if you want to be really good at AI you need to start coding and have a PhD in neural networks. But that's not the case. You can look online (LinkedIn, YouTube, PMI). Many project managers know the terms and concepts. They leave the coding to the devs.
Like gearheads who talk about cars, some fans tinker. Then, there are aficionados. They know more than most and are like SMEs (Subject Matter Experts).
As a project manager, you need to look at AI as a whole and understand the big concepts. Once you have done this, you can decide if you want to take a deeper dive to learn more.
Regardless, if you put in the effort - you'll know more about AI than 80% of your peers at this stage since it's so new.
Just think, in five years from now you'll be one of the people who are early adopters of AI for project management.
AI-Driven Tools for PMs
Metaview - Automatic, AI-powered notes for interviews.
Fortune App - AI accounting software for business decision-making.
Hedy is an AI-powered meeting assistant.
AI News PMs Can Use
AI development and agile don't mix well, study shows
Generative AI Projects Fail Amid High Costs and Risks
Watch: A conversation on AI's impact on the workforce
Cool ChatGPT Prompt for PMs
Position AI as Augmentation Tool
I am the project manager for Project [X]. I want to encourage my team to start using AI tools as part of their project work. I need some phrases to communicate to my team, who are a bit wary about AI, that the generative AI tools we introduce are just supportive tools, not replacements for their jobs. They are somewhat hesitant about integrating AI into our projects, and I want to ensure the language we use helps build trust and comfort with the AI technology.
I have started a new Newsletter called Gen X Retirement.
This Newsletter was built to solve the pain point of a lack of easy-to-understand retirement information that focuses on the “forgotten” generation (Gen X) that is rapidly approaching its golden years.
If this sounds like something that interests you, you’re welcome to sign up!
