Top 6 Project Management Trends to Watch in 2025

Fast-paced markets, shrinking budgets, and increasing shareholder scrutiny are just a few of the factors piling pressure onto today’s project managers. Projects are also becoming more complex, thanks to the increasing integration of emerging technologies like AI, heightened regulatory requirements, and the necessity for adaptability in volatile economies.

It is imperative that project managers keep an eye on what is around the corner in the industry so they are prepared to take advantage of new processes or avoid pitfalls. TechRepublic spoke to industry experts to find out the top trends to watch in 2025.

Trend 1: Increase in hybrid project teams

Alan Zucker, Founding Principal of consulting firm Project Management Essentials

“I see interest in hybrid project management continuing to increase in 2025. Interest in agile is waning, and many agilists say it is dead. Hybrid projects combine elements of one or more project approaches. For decades, project managers have pragmatically blended processes and practices based on context and specific project needs.

Hybrid allows project managers to move away from the binary waterfall-agile world to one where patterns of practice include lean, kanban, and DevOps. Successful project managers must make intentional choices when deciding how to execute their projects.”

SEE: Explore the key features and benefits of hybrid project management.

Trend 2: Squad-based teams reduce bureaucracy

Jack Skeels, CEO of training firm AgencyAgile

“The shift to squad-based teams reflects growing dissatisfaction with traditional approaches and the perceived ineffectiveness of agile as it’s often implemented. Leaders and stakeholders are weary of overly complex management structures and expensive project management software tools that fail to deliver meaningful results.

Instead, leaders are embracing simpler, more effective models: small, self-managed teams—typically small squads of five to 15 people. These small teams embody the original spirit of agile by collaborating and getting things done quickly with innovation.

The model encourages a culture of innovation, collaboration, and responsiveness to change—key traits for businesses competing in fast-paced markets.”

Trend 3: Move to decentralized project management

Molly Beran, founder of project management consultancy Projects By Molly

“I expect to see a lot of organizations re-thinking their approach to creating centralized Project Management Offices. In the past few years, PMOs have been all the rage—companies rush to set them up, build templates and processes, and then usually start to see them slowly wither.

Why? There are many reasons, of course, but I find that one of the most prevalent reasons is that while there is a rush to stand-up tools and processes, there are rarely enough people skilled in project management to actually use the tools and get the work done.

Also, in the rush to set up an office, it’s really typical for companies to lose sight of their larger strategic or organizational priorities. In a sense, they get so caught up in creating a centralized PMO that they forget why it exists in the first place—to get the work done that best aligns with the strategic priorities of an organization.

I predict that in 2025 and beyond, companies will start pulling back on centralized PMOs and go back to more decentralized project management, where each department or area has in place experts who understand the core business processes, and also get asked to manage projects.”

SEE: Read TechRepublic’s guide to the top project management certifications.

Trend 4: Focus on AI literacy among project managers

Cornelius Fichtner, president of Project Management PrepCast and host of The Project Management Podcast

“Project managers should experience a ‘rude awakening’ as they recognize the limitations of their current generative AI interactions. The difference between successful and struggling projects hinges primarily on the project manager’s depth of AI understanding.

Many project managers forget that they not only need to use AI on their projects, but they will also be asked to lead projects intended to bring AI capabilities to various departments in their company. They need a really broad and solid understanding of what AI is and can do in order to serve stakeholders from marketing and finance as these departments are augmented with AI.”

SEE: 9 Best AI Project Management Tools for 2024

Trend 5: Accelerated job training through AI

Justin Tan, IT Project Management Office leader at Thermo Fisher Scientific

“Imagine AI systems that can instantly generate comprehensive project plans based on the context and conditions, predict potential risks with greater accuracy, optimize resource allocation, and provide contextual decision support that historically required years of professional experience.

Junior professionals without extensive traditional experience will leverage such AI-powered platforms to access institutional knowledge and best practices, effectively compressing years of learning into actionable recommendations—accelerating learning and project execution capabilities.

From my experience playing a key role in leading digital transformation initiatives, the most successful organizations will be those that strategically integrate AI not as a replacement for human intelligence, but as a collaborative tool that amplifies human potential.”

SEE: Read more artificial intelligence coverage from TechRepublic.

Trend 6: Resource management software grows in importance

Michele Badie, Professional Development Strategist at Skills Recharged

“We’ll continue skills-centric resource management discussions, and action plans to connect the right skills to the right tasks while ensuring teams thrive and stay on task. Real-time tools—for example, resource planning software, AI-driven allocation, employee well-being, and collaboration and communication tools—will support making resource allocation seamless.

At the same time, project managers, as integral parts of the process, will focus on balancing workloads to prioritize mental health and job satisfaction. In 2025, there will continue to be an amplified focus on not just getting the work done—it’s about ensuring your people avoid decision fatigue or burnout and succeed in their roles, too.”

SEE: TechRepublic Premium’s Mental Health Policy.

Will project managers be replaced by AI?

AI is unlikely to replace project managers entirely, but it is reshaping their roles. Research indicates that while AI can automate administrative tasks like scheduling, data collection, and reporting, it lacks severely in other human elements that are essential for effective project management.

These human elements include making decisions and empathy, which assists with team motivation and conflict resolution—two things project managers do almost daily.

Professor Adam Boddison, the Chief Executive of Association for Project Management, told TechRepublic in an email: “Hybrid work environments demand stronger digital communication and leadership skills, while sustainability and diversity initiatives are becoming integral to organisational strategies. Project management is, in effect, future-state planning.

“With APM research showing that over 50% of businesses anticipate an increase in the number of projects they undertake over the next three years, the importance of the project profession is clear. The role of the skilled project professional will be pivotal across all industries.”

It has been predicted that 25 million new project professionals will be needed by 2030 to keep up with industry demand. Check out TechRepublic’s guide on how to become a project manager to find out whether the role would suit you.