New Frontiers
for Project Management – Nanotechnology

By David L. Pells

Professional project management (PM) continues to grow rapidly in usage and demand worldwide, in most organizations and across all industries.  This is especially true in high technology and information technology (IT) organizations, but in may other industries as well.  The world is also rapidly changing, due to the global economy, climate change and other factors.  What do these changes mean to project-based organizations and PM professionals?  Most of these changes will require information technologies, offering new challenges and opportunities for both traditional and IT-related project management.

There are many new industries that offer “new frontiers” for projects and PM around the world.  Most have been emerging slowly during the last ten years, but are now expanding rapidly due to other forces or converging influences.  These new frontiers are also based on some significant emerging forces and trends in economics, technology, or society.  Examples of these forces are climate change, nanotechnology, and the drive for future (alternative) energy sources, among others.

These trends that are generating new and growing industries with significant future impact.  Trillions of dollars will be invested in these areas in coming decades.  Each of these emerging sectors will also have a significant impact on our society, personal lives and professional careers.  The demand for project managers, and IT project management in particular, should increase dramatically in these fields. 

Last month, we looked at Climate Change.  In this month’s editorial, we take a quick look at Nanotechnology and it’s implications for industries, projects and PM.

Read complete editorial in English