Digital natives – the end of project management?

Projects often take longer than expected, are too expensive, or do not deliver the promised quality. Young managers, so-called digital natives, have therefore bid farewell to traditional project management to aim for speed, interconnectedness and mobility.

The expression “digital natives” usually refers to people who became accustomed to digital media in childhood. A large section of this generation is now shaping today’s working world and calling for a modernization of traditional forms of work. Digital natives have their own outlook on life and prefer self-realization, flexibility and spontaneity over conventional status symbols such as owning your own home or a car. This means that the models and concepts of the working world need to be scrutinized with regard to their continued suitability. Moreover, younger people increasingly strive to separate their private and professional lives as little as possible, so that they can balance their day-to-day lives in line with their wishes. The motto “sharing is caring” aptly summarizes digital natives’ outlook on life, and this is reinforced by the continual use of digital media.

If you consider the effects of this generational change in the context of projects, the question that needs to be asked is if conventional, traditional project management methods can satisfy the demands of digital natives.

According to Hanisch (2011Target not accessible), the most frequently encountered reasons for the failure of projects include structural problems, power struggles, complexity, lack of resources, methodical inflexibility, communication and leadership. Some of these causes are fully attributable to the way in which digital natives work. Conventional, traditional project management methods rely on strong scheduling and cost agreements and rigid project organizational structures, which are frequently hard to reconcile with the lifestyles of many digital natives. Lack of flexibility in structures, rigid hierarchies, strictly methodical project approaches and micro-management conflict with the open, flexible and spontaneous method of working of many digital natives.

With further investigation into the way in which digital natives work, it can be concluded that digital natives and their work ethic may help to ensure that projects are less likely to fail in the future.

Complex projects in particular, which are less time-led and more driven by spontaneity and creativity, could be very successful when applying these attitudes. There is also the idea that project team members working virtually at locations and times that are suitable for them and for the success of your project can lead to better project performance. Furthermore, an open, honest and friendly atmosphere within the project team is fundamental, as are project managers who allow their team the necessary scope for self-management and submission of feedback.

This approach is not new and is already being put to use by countless companies in their pursuit of business agility. This shows that project management is not redundant as a business method, but that it does require significant adaptation to bring it into line with the modern age and lead to successful projects.

Prof. Katinka Weissenfeld speaks on this topic at Connecta Bern.