This document discusses redesigning project management around brain science. It argues that current PM methods do not account for human factors and are missing the human element. The document outlines three building blocks of cognitive readiness - cognitive, emotional, and social intelligence enabled by mindfulness. It advocates applying neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and social psychology to guarantee a scientific approach and deeper understanding of cognitive readiness. The need for redesign is emphasized by over $5-7 trillion annually lost to failed projects due to human factors. The redesign involves designing processes, metrics, interfaces, and skills training around how the brain operates to optimize PM performance.

1. Redesigning PM Around the Brain
Dr. Josh E. Ramirez, NPPQ, PMP; Rebecca A.
Winston, JD
CEO, Institute for Neuro & Behavioral Project
Management; President, Winston Strategic
Management Consulting

2. View of Cognitive
Readiness Research
Approach: Highlights the
need for redesign

3. The Building Blocks of Cognitive
Readiness
Three Building Blocks of Cognitive Readiness:
Cognitive intelligence, Emotional intelligence, Social
intelligence and are enabled by Mindfulness.
Neuroscience and Cognitive and Social Psychology
based approach should guarantee the scientific
condition of the research and a more complete
understanding of what means to be cognitively ready
to perform and be successful.
How do we achieve the necessary understanding and
achievement of a cognitively ready project manager?

4. The Need for Redesign
• Over $15 trillion a year in global GDP is projects
• Between $5 and $7 trillion a year in failed schedule
and cost objectives is due to human factors
• No more time for anecdote and guessing, we need
to bring science and discipline to project
management

5. Definition of a Project: a Temporary
Endeavor
Megías, A., Navas, J. F., Petrova, D., Cándido, A., Maldonado, A., Garcia-Retamero, R., &
Catena, A. (August 01, 2015). Neural mechanisms underlying urgent and evaluative behaviors:
An fMRI study on the interaction of automatic and controlled processes. Human Brain
Mapping, 36, 8, 2853-2864.

6. There's only one way to increase project performance:
start with the source of information processing - the
computer between your ears.
(Side note: relying on AI or data alone will not solve it.
Computers give us data, humans make decisions.)

8. One Issue: Humans are Optimized for Survival
Not Always Logic

9. Computer processing is logical and rational
yielding an accurate and consistent output
Information
Input
Logical
Output

10. Processing is bypassed due to
time-pressure
Information
Input
Incomplete
Output

11. • Self-awareness for achieving more comfort in utilizing a
complete decision-making process
• Achieving mental openness to the variety of inputs
during the project management decision-making
process through mindfulness, as self-awareness
enhances this openness
• Avoidance of self-judgment, bias, fear, learned
behaviors or other disruptive thought processes—
avoidance of cognitive dissonance
Rewire to Incorporate the Intelligences to
Enhance a Logical Decision-Making
Process
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

12. What does this mean?
All our project management methods, which are based on the rational
model of human behavior, are missing the human element and are not
designed for optimal performance.
Thus, we need to redesign project management around the brain

13. From Project Management
to
Project Science

14. Applying Science to Project Management

15. Behavioral Economics & Behavioral
Finance…
…Now Behavioral Project
Management

16. Some Behavioral Results
• 18 percent change in human decisions due
to reframing
• 80 percent increase in
prediction accuracy
• 35 percent increase in employees
following procedures
• 25 percent increase in
monthly schedule forecast
accuracy

17. The Human Factor Impacts
Projects More
70% Impact
70% Impact
30% Impact
30% Impact
Behavioral
Behavioral
Technical
Technical

18. The Redesign Part

19. Designing Processes Around the Brain

20. 4 Major Modalities
Design
processes to
account for
how the brain
operates
Processes
Processes Formulate
metrics that
measure
human
factors with
project
factors
Metrics
Metrics
Design
human
interfaces
around the
way humans
think
Interfaces
Train
employees in
debiasing
methods
when using
processes,
interfaces,
and metrics
Skills

21. We’ve Started the
Project Science Revolution
Together we can accelerate the performance of
projects worldwide

22. The NPPQ Credential

23. Other Members
of the Team
Many others to thank
also!
Ivano di Filippo
Carl Belack
Jesus Martinez Almela
Jodi Bull Wilson, PhD
Shari De Baets, PhD

24. Contacts, Links, and Social Media
www.cognitivereadiness.world
www.behavioralpm.com
www.neural-plan.com
Email:
josh.ramirez@nbpmi.com
rebeccawinston@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshramirezpmp/
www.linkedin.com/in/rwinston/
Twitter: @BehavioralPM
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/behavioralprojectm
anagement/

25. www.isipm.org