Hi there.

Ed here.

There's a story from the Space Race that perfectly captures what I've been seeing in PMOs lately.

NASA, as the story goes, invested $1,000,000 developing a pen that would write in zero-gravity.

The Russians?

They grabbed a pencil.

While the story might be fictional, it brilliantly illustrates a challenge I'm seeing project managers grapple with: sometimes we overcomplicate solutions to straightforward problems.

As your PMO explores AI implementation, this principle becomes increasingly relevant.

I was reminded of this recently when reviewing a PMO's AI adoption strategy.

They were planning to implement a complex, multi-tool automation system for resource allocation.

The cost? Six figures.

The timeline? Eight months.

Meanwhile, another PMO I work with achieved similar results using their existing project management tool and a basic ChatGPT integration.

Their investment? A few focused workshop sessions and a $20 monthly subscription.

The difference wasn't in the technology – it was in the approach.

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The "Pencil Principle" for PMOs

The best AI implementation for your PMO isn't necessarily the most sophisticated one.

It's the one your team will actually use.

Start with what you have.

Today.

Right now.

That free ChatGPT account?

It's your pencil.

Those recurring status reports eating up your Thursdays?

That's your zero-gravity problem.

Here are three quick AI wins your PMO can implement this sprint:

1. Meeting Documentation Automation: Stop spending hours on meeting minutes.

   Record your stakeholder meetings (with permission), transcribe them using Whisper, and let AI create structured action items and decision logs.

2. Risk Assessment Templates: Feed your historical risk registers and mitigation strategies into ChatGPT.

   Create smart templates that help PMs identify potential risks faster and suggest proven mitigation strategies.

   A program manager I worked with cut risk assessment time by 60% using this approach.

3. Status Report Generation: Transform your raw project data into clear, stakeholder-ready updates.

   A PMO director I mentor automated their weekly executive updates using a simple prompt framework, saving each PM about 2 hours per week while improving consistency across reports.

The key?

Start with your processes first, technology second.

Document your current workflows.

Understand your pain points.

Then let AI amplify what's already working.

Remember: Your team's expertise in project delivery is your greatest asset.

AI should enhance that expertise, not replace it.

Got a "pencil solution" of your own? Hit reply and share your story – I love featuring real PM experiences in future newsletters. Your practical insights could help other PMOs avoid the $1,000,000 pen trap!

-Ed

Let’s learn together.

OK. That’s all. Talk to you next week.

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AI Disclosures: The content of this email was almost entirely by me, Ed, a human. Some content has been edited by AI for clarity and brevity.