Project Management World

AI is no longer “future tech”; it is a real tool project teams are using today to work faster, reduce risk, and make better decisions.

In this online PMW session, Dr. Shih-Yu Chang will share practical, real-world ways project and program managers can apply AI across everyday workflows: from prioritizing tasks and forecasting schedule risks to improving resource planning and trade-off decisions.

You will also get a clear, non-technical overview of the technologies powering today’s AI tools (LLMs, RAG, and multimodal AI), plus case-driven examples that connect directly to project outcomes and ROI.

You’ll leave with actionable guidance to help you evaluate readiness, identify high-impact use cases, and take the next step with confidence.

The talk will wrap with actionable steps to help you assess readiness and confidently start adopting AI in your project workflows.

Format: 30-minute talk + 15-minute Q&A
Who should attend: PMW members, leaders, project managers, coordinators, and startup founders.

Speaker: Dr. Shih-Yu Chang teaches AI and Data Science across universities in the Bay Area and consults with businesses on applying AI and DS to real-world challenges.

Most Project Management environments are built for execution: plans, timelines, delivery. This workshop brings in what’s often missing: the holistic cycle that actually creates impactful and innovative work.
Learning will include the PM Edition of a creativity framework
This framework is seasonal.

We’ll cover:

• 🍂 SHED: let go of outdated beliefs and “this is how we do it” assumptions, freeing you (and the org) to think differently.
• ❄️ SENSE: tune into real signals: stakeholders, constraints, team dynamics, and your own to imagine new possibilities.
• 🌱 SPROUT: divergent thinking + tiny experiments to unlock options and de-risk decisions fast.
• ☀️ SCALE: convergent thinking to prioritize, systemize, and build the supporting structure to deliver what works.

You will leave with both a personal and a practical sense of what to include in your next project, plus a set of reflective prompts you can use for a fresh way to lead projects that is both rigorous and alive.

Facilitated by Paula Amiama (Unlearn Studios), a creativity and embodiment coach with a background in innovation and experience as a global Product Owner for Learning & Skilling, blending practical organizational realities with human-centered tools that unlock momentum.