Vijay Kanabar

Project Management Director Makes AI Techniques in PM Practice, Education a Priority

What is your area of expertise? 
My career began as a chemical technologist in the sugar industry, primarily focusing on operational responsibilities. Interest and expertise in project management grew as I transitioned into academia. While teaching capstone courses where students work in teams to create innovative projects, I observed that the bottlenecks were not due to a lack of technical knowledge (or hard skills) but rather deficiencies in leadership and communication competencies. These soft skills, increasingly recognized as “power skills,” are often overlooked in projects. For instance, when we admire the “Jenga” Data Science building at Boston University, a well-architected carbon-neutral construction project, we often forget that it was brought to life by dedicated project leaders and highly skilled adaptive teams. I have focused on this aspect as an area of expertise recently, particularly within the realm of agile project management. To deepen my understanding, I pursued certifications such as PMI-ACP and CSM and continue to research the intersection of agile project management and artificial intelligence.

Please tell us about your work. Can you share any current research or recent publications?
Let me simply reflect on the past 12 months as a case study. I have a recent paper and a book that highlights my research and relate to our earlier discussion. A co-authored book, The AI Revolution in Project Management, published by Pearson, explores how generative AI can be leveraged to enhance project team productivity. Additionally, my research paper titled “Needs Analysis and Requirements Delivery: Guiding the Development Approach with an Intuitive Framework” was published in the ASEE Proceedings. It offers project practitioners insights on whether to use a traditional waterfall predictive approach, an adaptive agile approach, or a hybrid method for project development. Finally, my research in pedagogy resulted in a well-received paper titled “An Empirical Study of Student Perceptions When Using ChatGPT in Academic Assignments,” published by Springer.

What are you currently working on?
That’s a great question. Firstly, I am continuing to explore the emerging field of AI and project management, with a particular focus on multi-modal prompting. Secondly, I am researching how to effectively introduce AI in academia to students, enhancing their learning experience and preparing them for the future.

What courses do you teach?
I currently teach Project Management (MET AD 642) and Agile Project Management (MET AD 649), both online and on campus. But I have taught all courses in the project management program at some point or another in my career at BU. This helps me acquire a well-rounded perspective.

Please highlight a particular project within one of your courses that most interests your students.
In all of my courses, students are required to undertake real-world projects. One particularly engaging project, inspired by my consulting experience at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, involves students conducting business analysis and implementing project requirements for a website. This website focuses on specialty areas such as cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, and mental wellness. This hands-on project allows students to apply their knowledge in a practical setting, making it a favorite among them.

Tell us about the most recent changes to the curriculum for MET’s graduate programs in project management.
To maintain our leadership in graduate project management education, we recently implemented two key enhancements to our curriculum. First, we integrated artificial intelligence to boost our students’ capabilities in this field. Even our foundational courses teach students how to leverage AI responsibly. Second, we introduced a built environment curriculum and will soon support students pursuing PMI-CP certification. This initiative centers around a new course, Built Environment and Infrastructure Development (MET AD 540). With a significant number of our students coming from this industry sector, we are pleased with the growing interest in this field.

In your opinion, what are the distinguishing characteristics of BU MET’s graduate programs in project management? What sets us apart from the competition?
Boston University Metropoltian College’s graduate programs in project management stand out due to several key factors. We were among the earliest institutions to offer education in project management to practitioners. Initially, our offerings consisted mainly of non-credit courses, but we successfully transitioned to virtual education and our credit-bearing programs successfully addressed the needs of professional project managers seeking a masters degree.

As a result, we are now ranked among the best degree programs in project management in the USA. Students choose Boston University because of our reputation as a thought leader in this field. Our faculty comprises practitioners and globally recognized authors who have published several books on project management. They are dedicated to ensuring student success both during their studies and after graduation and we support them with in-depth career preparation and certifications.

What are the career outcomes of the project management graduate programs?
There will always be more projects than project managers. Leaders in the rapidly growing AI and infrastructure sectors, for instance, need competent project leaders to deliver products and complete projects effectively. Project managers and associates are in high demand across all industries, and they will continue to play an essential role in driving success and innovation.

How do MET’s project management graduate programs prepare students to obtain their PMP® certification, whether paid or unpaid versions?
Every Saturday, we offer a complimentary preparatory exam overview for students and alumni of our project management programs. It is rewarding to see students attend these sessions and hear from those who have successfully earned their credentials. They share their study strategies, describe how they passed the exams, and discuss the positive impact on their careers.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes, I frequently ask students to write an email to me from the future in an exercise called “Postcard from the Future.” For instance, they date it December 31, 2028, and start with, “Professor, Happy Holidays! I want to share some news and updates about my life and career since we last communicated at Boston University at Starbucks…” This exercise challenges students to dream and establish baseline goals for their future. I receive emails saying things like, “I am running my own e-commerce business,” or “I am still working at the same company, have climbed the career ladder, and now have a family with a lovely daughter.” This exercise is incredibly rewarding, as it showcases the wonderful growth taking place at Boston University.