FEATURED PAPER
By Alberto Sulaiman, PhD and Darci Prado, PhD
Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte
Brazil
Abstract
This article reviews the needs of project management in the context of innovation and proposes a Liberal Arts-based education as a way to increase the likelihood of success for this project category.
Introduction
The literature and practice of modern project management have shown significant advancements compared to the scenario during the release of the first version of PMBoK in 1986. The application of project management has extended to diverse areas beyond the traditional domains of early times, where construction and information technology projects predominated. The range of project categories is vast, and in 2001, Russel Archibald identified 11 project categories, including Organizational Improvements, Events, Communications, Entertainment, Research & Development, and Innovation, in addition to the two aforementioned examples.
The management of each of these project categories has its own peculiarities. Some categories have evolved significantly and differentiated themselves so much from others that they have become true islands with their own terminology and practices. This is the case, for example, in the development of computer applications using Scrum and Agile management.
One characteristic of projects that strongly influences management approaches is uncertainty. All projects involve some level of uncertainty, but in innovation projects, this is usually critical. So, what qualities should a project manager’s training have to better equip them to handle uncertainty? Certainly, there are many, but in this article, we will focus on Liberal Arts.
According to Wikipedia, Liberal Arts is “a teaching methodology organized in the Middle Ages, whose concept was inherited from classical antiquity. Today, the concept of Liberal Arts denotes multidisciplinary education aimed at holistic formation, without necessarily being vocational.” The term continues to be used in various countries but is, curiously, uncommon in Brazil. Could this knowledge be useful in a high-uncertainty innovation environment? Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) believed so when he stated, “Technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with Liberal Arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing” (Steve Jobs, during the launch of the iPad 2 in March 2011).
Innovation Initiatives
Recently, innovation initiatives have gained significant prominence, especially those related to the launch of digital products or businesses, particularly those involving Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is the arena where the most intense competitive battles are currently being fought, both among major global organizations and startups. It is a requirement for survival but also an unprecedented challenge, given the high failure rate of initiatives in this field.
To succeed in these challenges, the initiative’s leader and their team need knowledge and experience spanning multiple disciplines. This is where we believe Liberal Arts can provide valuable assistance.
On the other hand, in certain phases of a digital initiative, project management can add significant value. In the book “Creating Innovative Digital Businesses within Organizations,” we discuss the necessary actions to lead an innovation project. This free e-book can be obtained through the link provided in the bibliography at the end of this text. In this article, we address the competencies required for project managers (and their teams) to meet this challenge, with a particular focus on Liberal Arts.
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Authors’ note: The original version of this article in Portuguese was published in São Paulo, Brazil, by *Revista ProjectDesignManagement*, edition 117. (https://projectdesignmanagement.com.br/produto/revista117/ )
How to cite this paper: Sulaiman, A., Prado, D. (2025). How Liberal Arts knowledge can assist Innovation Project Management; PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue II, February. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/pmwj149-Feb2025-Sulaiman-Prado-how-liberal-arts-can-assist-innovation-project-management.pdf
About the Authors
Alberto Sulaiman, PhD
Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Alberto Sulaiman is an Auditor at the Central Bank of Brazil. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Pesc/Coppe/UFRJ and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from IME. He completed an MBA in Contemporary Management at FGV/RJ and holds a degree in Advertising and Marketing from UFRJ. He is a Certified Screenwriting Technician from the Darcy Ribeiro Film School. Currently, he is pursuing a Postdoctoral program in Systems and Computing with a focus on Artificial Intelligence at IME, a Postgraduate program in Comparative Mythology at the Dédalus Institute, and a Technical Course in Saxophone at the Villa-Lobos Music School.
Darci Prado, PhD
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Brazil
Darci Prado is a senior advisor at Falconi, where he has worked since 1996. He is an engineer from UFMG, with a postgraduate degree in Economic Engineering from UCMG and a Ph.D. in Project Management from Unicamp. He worked at IBM for 25 years and was a professor at the UFMG School of Engineering for 32 years. He is the author of 8 books on project management, the MEPCP methodology, the MMGP maturity model, and the SISGEP and PCS software. Among his books published in Brazil, two have been published internationally. Currently, he serves as an assistant to the presidency at Falconi, working on the consolidation, planning, and execution of strategic projects. Darci is also an Honorary Industry Advisor for the PMWJ and Library.