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AI in Project Management:
Practical Starting Points
Use AI to gain time for strategy, relationships, & results
Melonie Poole
September 3, 2025

You’re the Hero,
AI is the Power-Up

AI is the cape, but humans are — and will remain — the superheroes.
"The future of work isn't about AI taking jobs; it's about AI elevating human potential."
"Project managers, empowered by AI, can transform mundane tasks into strategic opportunities."
"Embrace AI as a partner, not a threat, to unlock unprecedented productivity and innovation."

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Presentation Roadmap
1
Me & My Journey with AI
2
Shifting the Mindset: Working with AI
3
Breaking Down AI: Concepts, Models, & Tools
4
Prompting with Power & Purpose
5
Day in the Life Real-World Examples
6
3 Things to Try (Demos!)
7
Q&A

3

Me & My Journey with AI

4

✨About Melonie Poole
I’m a communicator, collaborator, and problem solver who thrives where people, process, and technology meet.
With experience in customer success, project management, and data-driven programs, I build strong relationships, simplify complexity, and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Roles and titles I've held —> Variety is the spice of life!
Project Manager
Scrum Master
Operations Manager
Director of Operations
Program Manager
Event Manager
Collaboration Consultant
Customer Success Manager
Client Success Lead
Firefighter (kidding, maybe!)
At the end of the day, I am energized by bringing people together to solve problems and accomplish great things!

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📎My AI Journey
🔍 Early Exploration (2023–2024)
  • First experiments with ChatGPT
  • Curiosity: "What can this really do?"
💡 Work Integration (Mid-2024)
  • Used AI for reports, notes, project tasks
  • Trained colleagues on basics
📈 Scaling Impact (Late-2024)
  • Rolled out org-wide AI training
  • Focused on responsible use, prompt skills, integration
🎯 Leadership & Advocacy (2025)
  • Utilizing AI for many/most activities
  • Tracking time saved & quality gains
  • Empowering and encouraging project leaders to use AI so they can focus more on strategy, relationships, and impact

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Shifting the Mindset: Working with AI

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🪄Identity Shift

From Project Management & Tracking —> To Value Delivery & Impact
Be More Strategic
From tracking to leading
Experiment
Try AI tools, keep what works
Higher Quality
Excellence amplified by AI
Efficiency Focus
Optimize everyday workflows
“AI is not going to replace humans, but it will allow us to do more, to achieve more.”
- Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft)

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🤖AI on Your Team,
Not in Your Seat
AI is a teammate that extends your capacity, speeds up execution, and sharpens decision-making - empowering you to do your best work
From
Tracking activities
Admin overhead
Project manager
To
Tracking value & benefits
Strategic leadership
Project leader

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💖You Bring What AI Cannot
While AI empowers and augments our capabilities, certain uniquely human attributes remain indispensable for effective governance, delivery, and strategy.
Judgment on
Trade-offs
Stakeholder & Team Member Empathy
Coaching Through Ambiguity

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Leading Through AI’s Workforce Transformation
AI brings rapid shifts, but Project Managers keep projects — and people — moving forward with stability and purpose.
Workforce Disruption
Talent Shifts
Stakeholder Sensitivity
New Roles Emerging

As AI changes the landscape, PMs become even more essential - not less - as the translators between technology, strategy, and people.

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Breaking Down AI: Concepts, Models,
& Tools

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🧩Why it's important for PMs to understand AI concepts and terminology
1
2
3
4
5
1
Speak the language of AI
2
Boost productivity
3
Anticipate risks
4
Lead responsibly
5
Deliver greater impact

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🛠AI Terms: The Basics
Core Concepts
  • AI (Artificial Intelligence) – Computers performing tasks that normally require human intelligence.
  • ML (Machine Learning) – AI that improves by learning from past data and outcomes.
  • Generative AI – Creates new content like text, images, code instead of only analyzing.
  • LLM (Large Language Model) – Large text-trained AI models like ChatGPT that read, write, and converse.
  • NLP (Natural Language Processing) – Enables AI to understand, interpret, and respond to human language.
Working with AI
  • Prompt – The question or instruction you give an AI tool.
  • Prompt Engineering – Crafting prompts to guide AI to better results.
  • Context Engineering – Supplying background info like project goals and deadlines so AI is more accurate.
  • Copilot – An AI assistant that supports your work (e.g., drafting, summarizing, planning).
  • Agent – An AI that can plan and take multiple steps toward completing a task.

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📊AI Terms: Diving Deeper
Data & Information
  • Training Data – The “study material” an AI learns from.
  • Bias – When results are skewed because of unfair or incomplete training data.
  • Embedding – Turning text into numbers so AI can compare and find meaning.
  • Token – Small chunks of text (words or parts of words) AI uses to process input/output.
  • Inference – The stage where AI applies what it has learned to produce an answer.
Applications
  • Chatbot – AI-powered conversation tool (like customer support bots).
  • Workflow Automation – AI handling repetitive tasks such as reporting or scheduling.
  • Predictive Analytics – AI forecasting outcomes like risks or delays.
  • Knowledge Management – AI organizing and retrieving company or project info.
  • AI Governance – The policies that ensure AI is used responsibly and ethically.

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🔬Advanced AI Terms
Advanced Concepts
  • Fine-Tuning – Custom training a model on your company’s data for better relevance.
  • RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) – AI looks up info from trusted sources before answering.
  • Hallucination – When AI produces a convincing but false response.
  • Model Parameters – The internal “settings” that shape how AI processes data (often billions).
  • Scalability – How well AI can handle growing workloads or bigger projects.
Advanced Applications
  • Latency – The delay between asking AI a question and getting an answer.
  • Multimodal AI – AI that can work with different input types (text, images, audio).
  • Explainability (XAI) – Making AI’s decisions transparent and understandable.
  • Observability – Monitoring how AI is performing in real time (accuracy, reliability).
  • Ethical AI – Ensuring AI is used fairly, responsibly, and without harm.

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🧠AI Models
Large AI models are the “engines” that power the tools you use. Each has different strengths, but they all help with tasks like writing, summarizing, analyzing, and forecasting.
Why this matters for PMs
Tools you already use (like Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, or Jira) may be powered by one of these models.
Each model has different strengths (speed, accuracy, creativity, safety), which can affect the quality of results.
Knowing the “engine under the hood” helps you choose the right tool for the job.

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🧰Common AI Models & Tools
OpenAI – GPT-4 / GPT-4o
Strength: Strong communicator & content creator; powers ChatGPT & Microsoft Copilot
Anthropic – Claude 3 Opus
Strength: Excellent at long document analysis & structured outputs
Google DeepMind – Gemini
Strength: Great for research & reasoning; integrates with Google Workspace
Microsoft – Copilot
Strength: Built directly into Teams, Outlook, Excel; helps automate daily PM tasks
PMI Infinity – GPT-4o
Strength: PMI's vetted knowledge base to give project managers fast, secure, standards-aligned support
Meta – LLaMA 3
Strength: Flexible, open-source family of models for research & custom solutions

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⚖️Using AI Tools Responsibly
As PMs, it's crucial to integrate AI not just effectively, but also ethically and securely. Understanding these areas ensures you're leveraging AI responsibly for your projects.
Tools
  • Use approved, secure tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise).
  • Check if AI is already built into your existing platforms (Teams, Outlook, Jira, Google Workspace).
  • Avoid unverified or “free” tools for sensitive project data.
Licensing
  • Confirm your organization’s licenses before introducing a new AI tool.
  • Be aware of usage limits that may affect large projects.
  • Open-source models require IT support to host/manage securely.
Responsible AI
  • Protect sensitive data — don’t paste confidential project details into unapproved tools.
  • Verify outputs — AI can make mistakes (“hallucinations”); review before sharing.
  • Check for bias — especially in hiring or decision-making contexts.
  • Stay transparent — let stakeholders know when AI was used to draft or analyze content.

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Prompting with
Power & Purpose

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⚡Prompting - Keep it Simple!
The goal: Get AI to deliver ready-to-use results.
Be Clear - spell out exactly what you want.
Add Purpose - give AI the "why" or audience
Shape the Output - tell AI the format you need
Example: "Summarize this project status report into 3 executive-level bullet points for senior leadership. Write it in plain, non-technical language, and format the output as a table with two columns: Key Point and Business Impact."

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🔍Practical Prompts for Project Managers
Weekly Status Report
Clear: Summarize the project update.
Purpose: For executives who need a high-level view.
Output: One-page report with headings: Progress, Risks, Next Steps.
Risk Log
Clear: Organize a list of risks.
Purpose: For the project team to prioritize and manage risks.
Output: Table with columns: Impact, Likelihood, Mitigation.
Stakeholder Update
Clear: Draft a short project update.
Purpose: For non-technical stakeholders who need plain language.
Output: Email format with 3 concise paragraphs.
Lessons Learned
Clear: Analyze project notes for insights.
Purpose: For the PMO to improve future projects.
Output: 3 bullet points under the heading “Lessons Learned.”

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📤Uploading & Using Your Content with AI
Leverage AI by understanding how to safely upload your project content for enhanced productivity and insightful analysis.
What You Can Upload:
  • Project plans, status reports, risk logs
  • Meeting notes or transcripts
  • Policies, templates, playbooks
  • Data (within approved tools and guidelines)
Best Practices:
  • Check your organization's privacy policies!
  • Use approved platforms - Copilot Work, for example
  • Give context
  • Review outputs
Examples:
  • "Turn this risk log into a table with the top 5 highest-impact risks and suggested mitigation strategies."
  • "Compare these two project charters (File A and File B) and highlight the key differences and overlaps in scope."

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Day in the Life
Examples

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🧵AI Woven Into the Work
1
1
Planning & Setup
Charter drafts, user stories,
risk brainstorming
2
2
Delivery Support
Combine plans, surface dependencies, testing checklists
3
3
Reporting & Tracking
Status reports, extract data from images, meeting summaries
4
4
Communications
Executive updates,
speeches, talking points
5
5
Creativity & Inspiration
Generate visuals,
polish presentations

AI is not the shiny add-on. It's the woven-in enabler - helping you move faster, deliver better, and spend more time on what matters most: people.

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Practical Prompts in Action: Day in the Life
I typically use AI tools 10-15 times per day and likely save 3-4 hours per day. I'm reclaiming 30-50% of my workweek - using this "redeployed time" to focus on strategy, communication, decision-making, etc.
For each of the following examples, I'll quickly go through:
Tool(s) Used
The Prompt(s)
Why I Used It
The Results
Time Saved

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1️⃣Example 1: Prompting for Better Prompts
Even seasoned users sometimes need help crafting the perfect prompt. AI can guide you in asking the right questions to get the best output.
1
Tool(s) Used
Any AI Chat Tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Tell me how to write a prompt if I need to [describe your specific challenge or desired outcome]?"
3
Why I Used It
Sometimes I struggle to remember the "formula" for a great prompt, or I'm unsure how to phrase a request for a unique challenge.
4
The Results
Consistently delivers effective prompt structures tailored to my needs, significantly improving initial AI interactions.
5
Time Saved
Approximately 5 minutes per prompt by reducing iterations and follow-up adjustments.

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2️⃣Example 2: Consolidating Project Data
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Work)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Based on these three PowerPoint documents (uploaded 3 PPT files), please provide a consolidated list of Risks, Issues, and Dependencies. Put the data into an Excel format."
3
Why I Used It
Doing a project health check and need to quickly extract and consolidate project information from multiple presentation files into a structured format for stakeholder review.
4
The Results
Clean, organized Excel spreadsheet with all risks, issues, and dependencies from three separate presentations, properly categorized and formatted.
5
Time Saved
8 hours to manually go through, slide by slide, each PPT and copy/paste from the slides to an Excel spreadsheet

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3️⃣Example 3: Risk Prioritization & Scoring
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Excel)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Evaluate each item in the list and assign a criticality score from 1 to 20, where 1 is least critical and 20 is most critical. For each item, provide a brief explanation of why you assigned that score, considering factors such as timeline sensitivity, impact on project success, and resource requirements."
3
Why I Used It
Need to quickly prioritize a long list of project risks and issues with objective scoring criteria for stakeholder discussions.
4
The Results
Comprehensive risk assessment with numerical scores and clear rationale for each item, enabling data-driven prioritization decisions.
5
Time Saved
6 hours to review each item, determine a scoring system, then apply a score to each one along with the reason for the score

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4️⃣ Example 4: Tool Comparison & Analysis
1
Tool(s) Used
ChatGPT
2
The Prompt(s)
"Compare popular roadmap tools across these dimensions: core features, collaboration, customization, integrations, ease of use, scalability, governance/permissions, pricing, and best-fit use cases. Present the results in a comparison table plus a short summary."
3
Why I Used It
Need to evaluate and compare multiple project management tools for a tool selection decision, requiring comprehensive analysis across multiple criteria.
4
The Results
I got a comparison table that allowed me to quickly find the tool that would align with the majority of our requirements.
5
Time Saved
Approximately 8-10 hours of research, tool demos, and analysis that would normally require extensive vendor meetings and documentation review.

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5️⃣ Example 5: Creating Playbooks
1
Tool(s) Used
ChatGPT, Copilot (Work)
2
The Prompt(s)
"I am working on a Playbook for an AI platform we are launching. We need to build playbook or response plan to handle issues such as hallucinations or latency spikes. The goal is to define monitoring responsibilities, outline response steps, and establish escalation procedures."
3
Why I Used It
Need to create comprehensive operational playbooks for a new AI platform launch, covering incident response and operational procedures.
4
The Results
I used the Word document created by ChatGPT, uploaded that into Copilot (Work), and asked Copilot to "fill it out". This was a draft document I then shared with a team member so we could collaborate and complete it.
5
Time Saved
6 hours to research best practices for a support/monitoring playbook then fill it out based on information known about our internal AI platform

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6️⃣ Example 6: Videos to Communicate Asynchronously
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Work), Gamma
2
The Prompt(s)
Copilot - The head of our department introduced the "super worker" concept, emphasizing the importance of using AI tools to augment productivity rather than replace jobs. I want to let the rest of the team know about this. Please create a short presentation outline. Gamma - I put the outline from Copilot into Gamma to create a presentation. (I saved the presentation as a PDF.) Copilot - Using the PDF, please create a video.
3
Why I Used It
I wanted to find a fun, asynchronous way to let the team know about the opportunity to learn from others about how they are using AI, along with the opportunity to share their own AI experience.
4
The Results
I sent the video link via Teams/Outlook and made sure everyone knew it was less than 2 minutes. 90% of the recipients viewed the video and I got lots of comments about how excited they were to learn more about using AI. (I have since used this process for other asynchronous updates!)
5
Time Saved
8 hours to create an outline based on the email, design and build slides, write a script/voiceover then record and sync slides and edit the video. I also saved the team from another meeting (10 hours???).

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7️⃣ Example 7: Testing Checklists
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Excel)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Based on the user stories and descriptions in the attached file, create a detailed testing checklist."
3
Why I Used It
As we were preparing for the production release, we needed to ensure the AI platform we developed was thoroughly tested across all user scenarios and requirements.
4
The Results
We got a structured checklist that covered all user stories with specific test cases, acceptance criteria, and validation steps, ensuring comprehensive testing coverage.
5
Time Saved
Approximately 4-6 hours of manual review of user stories and creation of detailed test scenarios that would typically require collaboration between PM and QA teams.

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8️⃣ Example 8: Project Health Check
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Web)
2
The Prompt(s)
"I'm reviewing an existing project and want to start with a health check. What key areas should I review (e.g., scope, schedule, budget, risks, stakeholders, team dynamics, governance, tools, data quality, etc.)? For each area, outline best practices and specific questions I should ask."
3
Why I Used It
I was performing a health check of a large project and wanted to follow a structured, best-practice process to ensure I reviewed and evaluated objectively.
4
The Results
An Excel checklist that allowed me to systematically review and evaluate each key area.
5
Time Saved
Approximately 5-7 hours of research and framework development that would typically require consulting multiple PM methodologies and creating custom assessment criteria.

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9️⃣ Example 9: Smartsheet Formatting Tips
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Web)
2
The Prompt(s)
"In Smartsheet, is there a way to format the Gantt bars so they are a different color depending on status?"
3
Why I Used It
I was consolidating several project plans into one Smartsheet report and wanted to be able to visually see/present where we had missed milestones, phases at risk, etc.
4
The Results
I got a step-by-step process that only took a couple of minutes to put into place.
5
Time Saved
30 minutes for research and trial-and-error

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🔟 Example 10: User Story Details
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Work)
2
The Prompt(s)
"We have a new feature for our custom AI platform called conversation renaming. Please give me a user story title, description, and acceptance criteria."
3
Why I Used It
We frequently add new features and tasks/activities for an agile project for an AI platform. AI helps me create the basics for a user story so I can populate all of the key fields in Azure DevOps. I ask the product owner, manager or developer to validate.
4
The Results
A user story title, description written in the right format (as a…., I want to…., so that I can…), and acceptance criteria. I copy and paste these into ADO.
5
Time Saved
20 minutes per user story

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1️⃣1️⃣ Example 11: Project Plan/Timeline
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Work)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Based on this Excel document (export of user stories from Azure DevOps), can you suggest a high level project plan with phases, milestones, and dates. Put the output into Excel format."
3
Why I Used It
We sometimes are managing a project in an agile fashion but also need to develop a timeline or Gantt chart. This is one of the ways I do that.
4
The Results
Excel worksheet with with Phases, Objectives, Milestones, Target Dates, and Key Activities/Deliverables - a great starting place for a project plan and timeline to share with leadership
5
Time Saved
4 hours to gather and review the data manually and build out the timeline data

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1️⃣2️⃣ Example 12: Smart Meeting Notes
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Teams)
2
The Prompt(s)
"(based on a recorded meeting) - Give me the key takeaways and action items by user story or topic. Include a section for any decisions that were made."
3
Why I Used It
I never use the standard "meeting recap" because it is typically too long and will not be read. I provide notes following 90% of the meetings I facilitate - the notes include the key takeaways and action items only.
4
The Results
I get notes then paste into either OneNote or Microsoft Loop so they can be referred to in the future. I then email them out to the meeting attendees.
5
Time Saved
1 hour to manually pick out and organize the information I like to summarize and communicate

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1️⃣3️⃣ Example 13: Status Update Script
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (PowerPoint)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Create script and talking points for this slide. Make the script in my style. Ensure the script will take no longer than 3 minutes to present."
3
Why I Used It
We roll up project status across all of our projects and use PowerPoint every week to communicate where things are. Each team member gives an update for their project(s). Some team members tend to read everything on the slide, which takes more time than we have available, so I gave this prompt to the team to help them prepare for and deliver a short, impactful update on the status meeting.
4
The Results
A short script with key updates, next steps, milestones, and risks/dependencies.
5
Time Saved
?? - our meetings are a lot shorter and more effective this way!

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1️⃣4️⃣ Example 14: Clean Up Excel Column
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Excel)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Remove all of the HTML and markup in the Description column please."
3
Why I Used It
When I export from Azure DevOps, sometimes the Description column contains HTML tags and other markup. This is probably a setting in ADO :) but I just ask Copilot to clean it up for me!
4
The Results
A clean Excel worksheet with the HTML and markup removed.
5
Time Saved
20 minutes to do global find and replace for all of the different tags

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1️⃣5️⃣ Example 15: Thank a Team Member
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot (Work)
2
The Prompt(s)
"Create an image that wishes Vansh the very best and thanks him for his positive contributions. Make it AI-themed and include festive elements."
3
Why I Used It
I wanted a way to say farewell to a summer intern during one of our weekly team meetings. I shared this on a team call as we all wished him the best.
4
The Results
A perfect image to share!
5
Time Saved
2 hours to manually create something using the tools I have and can use (but it wouldn't look nearly as good!)

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1️⃣6️⃣ Example 16: Images, Icons, & Graphics
1
Tool(s) Used
Copilot, ChatGPT, Sora, Gamma (Gamma includes a lot of different models to choose from)
2
The Prompt(s)
(this is just one example but I create a LOT of images and icons!) - "Create an icon that says "POC Done".
3
Why I Used It
❤️❤️❤️This is by far my favorite part of using AI tools and where I have a lot of fun. I enjoy finding ways to communicate complex issues and situations and I frequently use images and icons to do that.
4
The Results
An icon that represented what I wanted to communicate.
5
Time Saved
4 hours to manually create something using the tools I have and can use (but it wouldn't look nearly as good!)

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🎬3 Things to Try (demos!)
AI won't replace program/project leaders — it gives us leverage
1
Ask AI instead of "googling it"
2
Try one workflow this week
3
Use AI for something creative or fun, like generating a custom image for your status report or thanking the team for their hard work on the latest sprint!

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💡Q&A and Open Discussion
  • What part of your job do you wish AI could help with?
  • What's holding you back from exploring and experimenting more with AI?
  • What tips or tricks would you like to share?

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I hope this presentation has given you practical insights into how AI can power up your project management journey. If I can help you along that journey, please reach out!

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