Future Trends in Project Management with Le Bihan Consulting

Florian, what does Le Bihan do?

We help companies to increase their project and portfolio management maturity level through the use of modern software solutions. We support our customers in the evaluation of suitable PM software and in the design and implementation of software solutions such as cplace. In this way, we act as an innovation driver for mid-sized companies and corporations from various industries.

Why did you choose to become a cplace partner?

Several key factors played a central role in our decision to become a cplace partner. Firstly, the technical product quality of cplace with its modern tech stack is exceptionally high, and secondly, we are convinced by the professional vision of a flexible platform that can be adapted to any use case – often No-Code or Low-Code is sufficient. In addition, our companies share similar values that form the basis for a long-term and successful partnership: together, we want to deliver solutions that address our customers’ issues at their core and have the potential for long-term, positive change in PPM. Our “No-Nonsense Approach” is to work closely with our customers to identify their real needs, rather than just programming requirements.

How has the partnership changed or evolved in recent years?

Over the years, we have partnered on a number of projects and achieved successes in various industries. We are proud of how our cplace team in Le Bihan has grown continuously – both in consulting and engineering as well as in sales. In the future, we want to expand our partnership and help even more customers successfully implement their projects with next-generation project and portfolio management.

In your experience, what are the key factors for selecting the right PM software and implementing it successfully?

Of course, it is important that the software meets the needs of the end users or at least provides acceptable workarounds. However, an efficient evaluation process requires a clear focus on the core processes and problems that a new software should address. This requires a clear prioritization. In evaluation projects, we also recommend that the complexity of the software be taken into account when making decisions and compared with the requirements and capabilities of the users. A system that can do everything but is not manageable in terms of complexity will not be successful in the long run.

The same applies to usability, which has become much more important: understandable and operable software is more important to users than pure functionality. Software scalability is also important for organizations that want to continuously improve their maturity level in tool-based project management. Software solutions that can accommodate future growth in PPM, rather than providing a fixed framework that the company may outgrow in the future, are particularly suitable. At the same time, tools must be evaluated for their ability to integrate with the existing project and system landscape. It is worthwhile to think about the system architecture and integration into the company’s IT at an early stage.

In our experience, the basis for a successful implementation of the selected PM software is above all high-quality requirements and realistic schedules – and a good team spirit. We generally recommend that our customers have the implementation accompanied by professional change management to ensure acceptance and smooth integration into working practices.

How do you see the PPM market evolving in the future and what trends do you see?

The PPM software market has been evolving for years. In many cases, project management tools are no longer stand-alone solutions, but are seamlessly integrated with solutions in other areas of the enterprise. In addition, Low-Code and No-Code are becoming increasingly important, allowing companies to be more flexible in responding to changing requirements and adapting software solutions accordingly. And all of this can be done by non-technical users as well – the keyword being Citizen Development.

The industry will take a major step forward with the integration of advanced AI technologies, which are well on their way to becoming integral components of PPM software solutions rather than supporting tools. Currently, AI technologies such as large language models are still reaching their limits, especially when it comes to processing large data contexts from PM systems. However, the momentum is building, and it is expected that AI will permanently change the day-to-day work of many project managers, for example by increasing the efficiency of decision making or making project planning more effective by automating routine tasks.

There is also great potential in risk management: AI can help identify and proactively address potential problems. In order to make the most of artificial intelligence in your organization, we believe there are two basic requirements. First, there must be a solid data foundation on which the organization can build in order for AI technologies to reach their full potential. Second, organizations need to empower their people to use AI in a professional way. At Le Bihan, we have laid the groundwork in recent months and look forward to supporting our clients in this evolution.