Project Manager & AI Exercises
Fill in the blanks to test your knowledge.
The PM role is splitting into an administrative layer (being automated) and a ___ layer (becoming more important) — PMs must invest in the second
Stream 1 — Administrative: status reports, plans, RAID logs. AI is compressing this work.
Stream 2 — : stakeholder navigation, team motivation, decision-making. This is becoming more valuable.
Strategy: use AI for Stream 1 to free up time for Stream 2.
Status report AI output quality depends entirely on the quality of the raw ___ the PM provides — specific facts, not polished prose
Wrong input: "Things went okay this week."
Right input: specific raw — actual events, numbers, named issues, explicit flags.
Example: "SAP integration needs 6 weeks not 4 — flag this as HIGH risk."
Result: 90-minute manual report becomes a 20-minute AI-assisted report.
The scheduling technique that models optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic delivery dates based on which risks materialize is called ___-adjusted scheduling
-adjusted scheduling models three scenarios:
- Optimistic: everything goes as planned
- Realistic: the two most likely risks materialize
- Pessimistic: three highest-impact risks materialize simultaneously
Benefit: makes schedule uncertainty visible to decision-makers rather than hiding it in a single deterministic date.
An escalation email must always include the specific ___ needed from the executive and the deadline for that decision
An effective escalation email includes:
1. A direct statement of the issue (no alarming language)
2. Quantified impact
3. Options with honest pros and cons
4. A recommendation
5. The specific needed from the executive, with a deadline
Goal: the executive has the information to act — not to panic.
When a risk becomes an issue, AI-assisted ___ cause analysis prevents the same class of problem on future projects
cause analysis for issues:
1. Identify what caused the issue (list possible causes)
2. Determine which cause is most likely
3. Ask: what should have been done during planning to detect this?
4. Ask: what process change prevents this class of risk in future?
AI structures the analysis — the PM validates with organizational context.
The stakeholder communication format that converts raw meeting notes into decisions, action items with owners, and open items is called ___ minutes
minutes convert raw notes into:
- Decisions made
- Action items with an owner and a due date
- Open items requiring follow-up
AI prompt: "Convert these meeting notes to structured minutes. Do not editorialize — only include what is in the notes."
Time advantage: 30-45 minute manual task becomes 5 minutes AI-assisted.
When AI coding tools increase development velocity, the project bottleneck shifts from implementation to ___ clarity and QA coverage
Before AI tools: implementation was the constraint — developers needed more time.
After AI tools: clarity is the constraint — is the specification good enough for AI to implement correctly?
Implications: invest more in BA requirements quality and QA capacity.
Caution: traditional estimates based on pre-AI velocity may no longer be accurate.
The communication plan that addresses user fears, training, go-live support, and post-go-live feedback for a project that changes how people work is called a ___ management communication plan
A management communication plan covers four phases:
1. Pre go-live: awareness building, addressing fears
2. Training announcement and approach
3. Go-live week communications
4. Post go-live support and feedback channel
AI value: draft all phases simultaneously — the PM reviews and adapts.