Drive Better Business Outcomes By Learning How to Avoid These Project Management Pitfalls
By Alex-Rodov on May 8, 2025 3:00:11 PM
Topics: News
How to Simplify Workflows with Effective Project Pipeline Management
By Alex-Rodov on Apr 21, 2025 11:58:25 AM
Topics: News
5 min read
Orchestrating human-AI collaboration in Microsoft Planner
By Alex-Rodov on Nov 21, 2024 12:59:30 PM
How Microsoft Planner is shaping the future of work management
Project Manager agent is an end-to-end work orchestration experience in Planner that leverages generative AI to streamline the journey from idea, to plan, to done. This is the first time the groundbreaking automation capabilities of Microsoft AutoGen will be available to customers at scale.
The new Project Manager agent will be rolling out to public preview in the Planner app in Teams in the coming weeks. To explore these capabilities, customers are required to have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and also need to ensure their current Microsoft 365 licensing allows them access to Microsoft Loop.
Introducing the Project Manager agent
A team of agents working together
Project Manager agent in Planner orchestrates multiple agents like a project manager. Working directly with task-specific execution agents, Project Manager agent assures tasks are completed efficiently. This GenAI-powered system uses task decomposition, planning, and a multi-agent orchestration to enhance team productivity.
The system brings together specialized agents, each with their own expertise, to work collaboratively on various tasks with humans in the loop to review and guide outcomes. These agents communicate and cross-check each other's work, much like a team of experts refining each other's contributions.
At Microsoft Research, pioneering work on AutoGen has demonstrated the benefits of multi-agent systems. Project Manager agent puts these ideas into practice, streamlining completion of complex tasks:
- Specialized Expertise: Each agent is a specialist, ensuring high-quality outputs tailored to specific tasks. Specialized agents make output more reliable and predictable while preserving the dynamic nature of agentic systems.
- Team Collaboration: Agents communicate and cross-check each other's work, much like a team of experts refining each other's contributions. Adversarial agents are specifically designed to challenge each other's work to produce more refined and detailed results.
- Problem Solving: AutoGen research demonstrates that multi-agent systems significantly enhance problem-solving capabilities, enabling them to tackle more complex tasks effectively. For instance, the integration of multiple agents improves performance in math problem-solving (MATH), real-world reasoning (AFLWorld), and sensitive coding tasks (OptiGuide).
- Contextual Awareness: Certain agents provide context from your team's existing content, integrating historical data and insights into the current plan. Research on AutoGen shows that multi-agent systems facilitate improved contextual awareness and understanding by integrating multiple retrieval mechanisms, enabling a more interactive and dynamic approach to information retrieval.
While in preview, Project Manager agent has access to a small set of "built-in agents" that are tuned to complete common information work tasks. Project Manager agent is scalable, and we are excited to expand the set of available agents and capabilities over time.
Human-AI collaboration
Whether asking Copilot a simple question or automating a complex workflow, teams in every industry are accelerating work with Generative AI. Collaboration is already a pain-point for many teams and the introduction of AI into workflows can further confound the problem. We believe that Planner’s familiar and accessible collaborative work management concepts and tools can effectively streamline human AI collaboration. Project Manager agent leverages Planner to plan, execute, and iterate agentically in an environment where the human team maintains control.
Work Breakdown – When presented with a complex goal or task, Project Manager agent identifies a set of steps to achieve it. This structured approach not only breaks tasks into manageable pieces but also distinguishes work suitable for autonomous agents from higher-value or complex tasks requiring human input. Under the hood, Project Manager agent will be collaborating with multiple agents to deliver the desired outcomes. Complex task execution requires creating a plan, intelligently sequencing actions and dependencies, and maintaining a memory system to store the status of individual steps and their outcomes.
Assign to Agent – The user is always in control of exactly what and how much work is assigned to Agents. Project Manager agent is flexible and can handle single tasks or orchestrate longer flows. At any time, team members can pause agent work and make manual adjustments as needed.
Human in The Loop – During task execution, Project Manager agent can identify situations where more information or context is required from the team. In such situations, Project Manager agent will compile a list of questions that, when answered, will unblock the Agents working on the task. If the system lacks the tools to complete a task altogether, Project Manager agent can provide advice and assistance to the team member working on the task.
Integrating Feedback – Project Manager agent won’t always complete tasks perfectly on the first attempt. Once initial agent work is complete, the team can review the task and leave comments on the content. When the review is complete, Project Manager agent will orchestrate iteration on the content, incorporating the feedback.
Safety and privacy
Generative AI systems have unprecedented capabilities, which introduces novel risks into Microsoft's products and services. The Planner team is committed to proactive and continuous mitigation of these risks. We employ a handful of key strategies to ensure that we responsibly deploy generative AI:
- Impact Assessment: We audit new generative AI products in accordance with Microsoft’s responsible AI standard, identifying harms the system could potentially cause.
- Redteaming: We thoroughly evaluate new products for risks identified in the impact assessment throughout the development process. Ahead of release, our redteaming results are reviewed by a joint Microsoft-OpenAI Deployment Safety Board, as outlined in Micrisoft’s AI Safety Policies.
- Harm Mitigation: Project Manager agent has multiple redundant checks to prevent harmful content, including harm-specific classifiers and a dedicated responsible AI agent.
Additionally, your data remains private when using Project Manager agent. Customer data is governed by the commitments we make in the Microsoft’s Data Protection Addendum, Microsoft’s Product Terms, and the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
The future of work management
As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more advanced features and capabilities to be integrated into Planner. The vision is to create a truly intelligent work management platform that not only supports project managers but also empowers teams to achieve their best work.
The orchestration of human-AI collaboration with AutoGen in Planner represents a significant leap forward in the field of work management. Project Manager agent is a testament to the potential of AI to transform the way we work, making it more efficient, productive, and collaborative. As we look to the future, we are excited about the possibilities that AI holds for work management and beyond.
Book a Free Consultation to Explore How New PM Agents Integrate Seamlessly with Your Workflow!
Topics: News
1 min read
Explore Copilot in Planner for planning, managing, and tracking projects
By Alex-Rodov on Nov 21, 2024 12:29:48 PM
Topics: Featured News
2 min read
Boost your project’s success with the Baseline feature in the new Microsoft Planner
By Alex-Rodov on Nov 21, 2024 11:22:18 AM
Baseline is now available in the new Microsoft Planner premium plans (formerly known as Project for the web projects). With the capability, users can capture the state of a plan at a specific moment. It serves as a reference point against which the project's current progress is compared. As your project evolves, referring to this Baseline helps you determine if you're on track or if adjustments are necessary.
Topics: Tips
4 min read
A day in the life of a Senior Program Manager using Microsoft Planner
By Yuri Frid on Nov 21, 2024 10:17:33 AM
8:30 AM
Alex starts his morning by checking My Day in Planner for a single view into what he needs to accomplish today. He sees a task assignment tied to the Meal Kit Launch Plan he’s leading: “Prep status report for cross-org Quarterly Business Review (QBR) next week.”
At the beginning of the launch project, Alex established a project baseline and received stakeholder approval. Timelines are running one week behind, so Alex will explore options to get back on track.
Topics: Featured Tips
3 min read
A day in the life of a Marketing Manager using Microsoft Planner
By Yuri Frid on Jul 16, 2024 10:45:53 AM
Topics: Featured Tips
4 min read
Advanced Project Planning with Microsoft Planner: Dependencies and Critical Path in Timeline View
By Alex-Rodov on Jul 15, 2024 11:27:56 AM
Topics: Featured Tips
1 min read
Microsoft unveils GPT-4o for Azure, new AI apps in fight against Google, Amazon
By Yuri Frid on May 22, 2024 10:02:28 AM
Microsoft said users will now be able to develop their own copilots — essentially AI-powered programs — using GPT-4o to make apps that can respond to images, voice, and text. The Windows maker also said it will make its preview of Copilot in Azure available to all customers in the next couple of weeks.
Topics: News
5 min read
Mastering Organization: How to Use Microsoft Planner
By Yuri Frid on May 21, 2024 10:25:42 AM
Discover how to effectively utilize Microsoft Planner to enhance your organizational skills and boost productivity.
Topics: News
2 min read
top 10 Microsoft Project Management Solutions
By Alex-Rodov on Feb 15, 2023 9:54:45 AM
Microsoft Project Management Solutions are some of the most popular tools available today to help organizations manage their projects effectively. These solutions offer features such as task and resource management, collaboration tools, and much more. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 Microsoft Project Management Solutions that can help organizations to achieve their goals.
Topics: Insider Featured
1 min read
value stream based financial reporting for industrial automation
By Alex-Rodov on Feb 13, 2023 11:43:25 AM
Industrial automation is a rapidly growing sector, with increasing demand for more efficient and effective production processes. In this context, value stream-based financial reporting is becoming an increasingly important tool for organizations looking to optimize their operations and achieve improved financial performance.
Topics: Featured
2 min read
Microsoft Power Platform for Project Management Office
By Alex-Rodov on Feb 8, 2023 11:12:52 AM
Microsoft Power Platform is a low-code platform that enables organizations to build custom business applications quickly and easily. The platform is particularly well suited for project management offices (PMOs), as it provides a range of tools and features that can help PMOs to streamline their processes, improve project visibility, and make better decisions.
Topics: Featured
1 min read
What are the components of Project Management Data?
By Alex-Rodov on Feb 7, 2023 11:02:45 AM
Project management data refers to the information and data used to manage and control projects. There are several key components of project management data, including:
12 min read
Top 5 Project Management Solutions for 2021
By Alex-Rodov on Feb 8, 2021 5:26:28 PM
In this blog post I would like to review some of the Project Management solutions and we will take a quick look at the following:
Topics: Insider
7 min read
3 min read
Building Up Your Freelance Business During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Yuri Frid on Aug 12, 2020 7:45:29 AM
Topics: News Tips
2 min read
4 min read
BIG TECH FOR SMALL BUSINESS
By MEL on Dec 19, 2019 11:31:00 PM
Small businesses have always struggled to keep up with their corporate counterparts. From scouting the right talent to carving out a competitive edge in saturated markets, SBOs face many challenges. Technology has always been at the forefront of these and is an area where many independent business owners often feel intimidated. Fortunately, as we dive deeper into the digital age, technology has become more accessible for businesses of all sizes. And there are a few things that companies, both large and small, can’t afford to skip.
Topics: News
1 min read
1 min read
NYC Microsoft Project Meetup Group
By MEL on May 1, 2018 11:34:00 PM
Staying with the theme of keeping Project and Portfolio Management community up-to-date with relevant news, events, ideas and downloads; we are proud to announce the creation of the New York City Microsoft Project Meetup Group. If you are in the New York City area and are a Microsoft Project User, then please join our Meetup Group to be notified of our monthly meetups. Meet ups will include Tips and Tricks, Customer User Presentations and refreshments!
Topics: News
1 min read
Introducing Agile in Microsoft Project
By MEL on Nov 1, 2017 10:51:00 PM
If you haven't heard the news yet, we are happy to announce that Microsoft has released new ways to work on Agile projects in Microsoft Project. The Microsoft Project integration with Microsoft Planner lets you connect Project tasks to a Planner plan and track detailed work in Planner. With agile in Project, you can use agile methods to track your projects in Project Online Desktop Client. You can create new agile projects or apply agile views to your existing waterfall projects. You can track your projects using Scrum and Kanban methodologies, including viewing task boards, creating backlogs, and tracking sprints, as well as viewing reports on agile statistics. Click here to read more about it!
Topics: News
2 min read
TIG Level Now on the SharePoint App Store: Free One Button Resource Engagement Leveling Solution
By MEL on Nov 1, 2017 12:09:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Introducing Project Management 365™
By MEL on Aug 9, 2017 12:57:00 AM
From Agile to Waterfall and internal projects to projects for customers...Project Management takes many forms and needs a wide variety of tools. Luckily for us, Microsoft has got everyone covered! Please take a look at our re-vamped website to see everything that Microsoft has to offer for Project Management and let Trusted IT Group help make your PM practice more efficient and productive.
Topics: News
2 min read
Trusted IT Group Acquires Offsiteteam’s VSTS Practice and Introduces Project Management 365™
By MEL on Aug 9, 2017 12:20:00 AM
Trusted IT Group, a Microsoft Gold Project and Portfolio Management Partner, announces their acquisition of the Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) practice from the Florida based company Offsiteteam. The acquisition aligns with Microsoft’s recent announcement of the four solution focus areas:
1. Modern Workplace
2. Data and Artificial Intelligence
3. Apps and Infrastructure
4. Business Apps
Trusted IT Group will now provide services across all Microsoft Cloud Project Management solutions for Businesses of all sizes. Trusted IT Group also introduces into the market Project Management 365™: The complete Microsoft 365 Project Management Solution offering that is fully aligned with modern Digital Cloud Transformation strategy.
As the Project Management community is rapidly changing, the need for a complete and collaborative technology story is in demand more than ever before. “Acquiring the VSTS expertise expands our Agile service offerings to the Project Management Community,” says Managing Partner and Owner of Trusted IT Group, Alexander Rodov. “By including VSTS in our Project Management 365™ solution offering, we enable organizations to take advantage of Microsoft technology satisfying the variety of Project Management methodologies like Agile (Scrum, Kanban, XP), PMI PMBOK®, etc.”
In addition to VSTS, Project Management 365™ includes traditional Microsoft Project Management tools such as Project Online, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, Power BI, Azure, Flow, Teams, Planner, Dynamics 365 Project Service Automation and PowerApps. The current service offerings for Project Management 365™ keep the Enterprise and Small to Medium Businesses in mind by including Custom Solutions to Configuration Wizards and Managed Services. “We’re very excited to grow our partnership with Microsoft as we align with the newly announced solution focus areas,” says VP of Sales and Marketing of Trusted IT Group, Daniel Norkin. “As the Project Management profession evolves, Trusted IT Group is positioned to ensure Project Management success by providing innovative solutions across the entire Microsoft stack.”
Topics: News
1 min read
1 min read
Project and Project Server June 2017 Updates Released
By MEL on Jul 6, 2017 1:09:00 AM
On June 13, 2017, the Public Update (PU) for Project Server 2013 and 2016 were released for June 2017. Client updates were released June 6th and Server updates on June 13th. The client updates release on the first Tuesday of the month and server on the second Tuesday release schedule. To read more about it, please click here.
Topics: News
1 min read
Project Online: Upgrade your Project Professional Client now
By MEL on Jul 6, 2017 1:02:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Please join me in welcoming Amit Khare - Director of Managed Services
By MEL on Jun 1, 2017 1:14:00 AM
We are so pleased to announce that Amit Khare has joined Trusted IT Group as the Director of Managed Services. Trusted IT Group and our customers will greatly benefit from having Mr. Khare's deep functional and technical knowledge of Microsoft Project technologies and solutions. Below is his quick biography:
Over 12+ Years of experience in Microsoft Project Server 2003/2007/2010/2013, Microsoft Office SharePoint server 2003/2007/2010/2013, As part of Implementation, Configuration & Solution development, Testing in Microsoft Enterprise Project Management/Content Management environment. Project experience also includes Resource management, customer interaction, and project quality related activities.
Interested to learn more about our Managed Services? Click here find out what's included.
Topics: News
1 min read
Free Power BI Health Check Content Pack!
By MEL on Jun 1, 2017 1:12:00 AM
For a limited time only, Trusted IT Group is running a promotion that new and existing customers enrolled into our Managed Services (before July 1, 2017) will receive our Managed Services Health Check Power BI Content Pack at no additional cost. Please email us here to find out more information.
Topics: News
1 min read
Are your projects client facing? Need a way to automate the flow from sales to project delivery? Introducing Dynamics 365 Project Service Automation
By MEL on May 4, 2017 1:17:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Visio Online—anywhere, anytime access to your diagrams
By MEL on Mar 1, 2017 1:19:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project and Project Server February 2017 Updates Released
By MEL on Feb 24, 2017 1:20:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Evolving Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection with URL Detonation and Dynamic Delivery
By MEL on Feb 7, 2017 1:28:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Using Project Online? Time to be sure you upgrade the client software
By MEL on Jan 15, 2017 1:34:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project Online Desktop Client: More new features to enjoy!
By MEL on Jan 12, 2017 1:37:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project and Project Server January 2017 Updates Released
By MEL on Jan 10, 2017 1:38:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
The project manager’s guide to planning a perfect project
By MEL on Jan 4, 2017 1:41:00 AM
managing projects is a huge responsibility, no matter who your employer is. Whether you’re an official project manager or simply leading a project, the following seven tips should help you get your bearings and set your project up for success. Click here to read the seven tips provided by the Microsoft Office team.
Topics: News
1 min read
Enroll in the Calendar.help preview and let Cortana schedule your meetings
By MEL on Dec 17, 2016 1:43:00 AM
Topics: News
Project and Project Server October 2016 Updates Released
By MEL on Nov 3, 2016 1:48:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project Online: Looked at your message center lately? OData Changes coming
By MEL on Nov 2, 2016 1:51:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project and Project Server November 2016 Updates Released
By MEL on Oct 17, 2016 1:47:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Project Updates at Ignite 2016
By MEL on Oct 5, 2016 1:54:00 AM
It was an exciting week for Project at Ignite 2016. They had some great sessions, which are now available online. If you were not able to attend Ignite, these online sessions provide a great overview of the latest happenings in the Microsoft Project and Portfolio Management space. View them by clicking here.
Topics: News
1 min read
Project and Project Server September 2016 Updates Released
By MEL on Oct 4, 2016 1:56:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Announcing the availability of Office 365 Project Time Reporter
By MEL on Oct 1, 2016 1:58:00 AM
Topics: News
1 min read
Announcing: Implement Project Online in 2 Weeks!
By MEL on Jun 2, 2016 2:17:00 AM
Microsoft Gold Partners, FluentPro and Trusted IT Group have partnered up to provide customers with a ready-to-use, quick start solution for Project Online deployed in 2 weeks with requirements gathering sessions, workflows, project types, custom project detail pages, custom fields, dashboards and reports, in person training and video training guides / on boarding training.
Topics: News
Trusted IT Group PPM Tour Recorded Presentations
By MEL on May 5, 2016 2:22:00 AM
The first five locations of the PPM tour with Microsoft and FluentPro went so well that we are planning new dates this summer! For your viewing pleasure we recorded a few presentations and posted them on our YouTube channel.
Topics: News
Have Microsoft PPM Questions? Get them answered immediately
By MEL on May 4, 2016 2:23:00 AM
Topics: News
PMI Global Congress 2016 - EMEA
By MEL on Apr 9, 2016 2:25:00 AM
Trusted IT Group is honored to announce that Managing Partner/Owner Alexander Rodov has been selected to present on the topic of Blending Agile and Waterfall: The Keys to a Successful Implementation. If you are going to attend the event we would love to meet up with you. Email us here.
Topics: News
1 min read
The Trusted IT Group PPM Tour continues...
By MEL on Apr 8, 2016 2:27:00 AM
The Trusted IT Group PPM Tour continues...
April 2016 Locations:
Boston, MA; New York, NY; Irvine CA
Topics: News
Introducing Office 365 Project Portfolio Dashboard
By MEL on Apr 5, 2016 3:16:00 AM
Microsoft announced that that Office 365 Project Portfolio Dashboard will soon be available for commercial customers to add to Project Online through the Office Store! Customers will also be able to view these dashboards using a new iPad app. Read more on the Microsoft Project Blog here.
Topics: News
Project Server 2016 RTM is now available
By MEL on Mar 31, 2016 3:20:00 AM
March marks Release to Manufacturing (RTM) of Project Server 2016, an important milestone in the delivery of our on-premises project and portfolio management (PPM) solution. Read more on the Microsoft Project Blog here.
Topics: News
Get a free trial of Microsoft Project Online
By MEL on Mar 10, 2016 3:22:00 AM
Experience a customized guided tour of Microsoft Project Online with a Microsoft Project MVP. Take advantage of Trusted IT Group's customized guided tour to evaluate the benefits of Microsoft Project Online prior to your organization's commitment. Click here to request a Partner-Led Trial.
Topics: News
Announcing Trusted IT Group's Thought Leadership Webinar Series On-Demand Recordings
By MEL on Feb 5, 2016 3:29:00 AM
We are always looking for new ways to provide the Project Management community with valuable content. With that in mind, Trusted IT Group has launched a new site that is updated monthly with new Project and Portfolio Management Thought Leadership videos. Check it out by clicking here.
Topics: News
Announcing Trusted IT Group's Thought Leadership Webinar Series On-Demand Recordings
By MEL on Feb 5, 2016 3:24:00 AM
We are always looking for new ways to provide the Project Management community with valuable content. With that in mind, Trusted IT Group has launched a new site that is updated monthly with new Project and Portfolio Management Thought Leadership videos. Check it out by clicking here.
Topics: News
2 min read
Trusted IT Group Achieves a Microsoft Gold Project & Portfolio Management Competency
By Daniel Norkin on Feb 2, 2016 3:41:00 AM
Trusted IT Group earns distinction through demonstrated technology success and customer commitment.
Topics: News
Microsoft Office 365 now offers a project management app
By MEL on Jan 8, 2016 3:46:00 AM
Microsoft has announced the release of a preview and testing version of its new lightweight project management application -- Planner. Read more about it here.
Topics: News
3 new enhancements to Project Online
By MEL on Jan 8, 2016 3:44:00 AM
Keeping with the theme of continuous innovations, Microsoft rolls out three new improvements to Project Online as a direct result of requests from Project Online users. Read more to find out.