The summit, which is one of Türkiye's well-established meetings in the field of project management and organized this year with the theme "Make a Difference, Leave a Mark", discusses how project managers can adapt to developing technologies, changing roles and new competency needs.
Following the opening speeches at the summit, where Anadolu Agency (AA) was the Global Communication Partner and with the participation of more than 1000 industry professionals, a panel titled "Defense Industry, Balance: Persuasion and Influence" was held, moderated by Presidential Defense Industry Vice President Hakan Karataş.
In his speech at the session, ASELSAN Konya General Manager Serhan Özsoy stated that some issues that are seen as problems in the defense industry can also present opportunities and said, "How we handle this, how we manage it, stands out as an issue that really makes a difference." he said.
Expressing that the problems encountered in projects provide important opportunities for internalizing the concept of balance, Özsoy shared his views on project management in the defense industry.
Pointing out that the battlefield has not changed as rapidly as it has recently, Özsoy said:
"(The battlefield) has perhaps never been dominated by such asymmetrical threats. The threat changes and transforms until we create countermeasures. Combating this actually stands out as our main duty. The defense industry and project development processes have never been so close to non-defense sectors. Cost may not have been a priority in the defense industry in previous periods, but today there is no project whose cost we do not discuss. Quality is a must in terms of the field where the systems are used."
Özsoy stated that they have adopted the project management approach in which hybrid models come to the fore in the defense industry and said, "Methodologies are evolving and transforming in line with the needs. There is a search for balance here, too. I think the need for a new balance has emerged. We need to maintain a balance between the foresight provided by technology and human judgment. Similarly, I believe that there is a need for balance between the suggestions of the sophisticated algorithms we use and the responsibility of the manager." he said.
The changing dynamics of project management in the defense industry were discussed within the scope of the 32nd Project Management Summit, organized by the Project Management Institute (PMI) Turkey and bringing together the world of project management.
"Artificial intelligence poses both opportunity and risk in the defense industry"
HAVELSAN Technology Radar (HTR) General Manager Mustafa Özçelik also evaluated the most difficult issues when balancing strategy, operation, people and management in defense industry projects.
Pointing out that each heading has serious difficulties within itself, Özçelik stated that the importance of these headings changes periodically, but operational difficulties usually come to the fore.
Giving examples of the threats and opportunities encountered while establishing balance in defense industry projects, Özçelik concluded his words as follows:
"Because, especially as the Turkish defense industry, we are trying to meet very high expectations with limited resources. We are trying to achieve what a few countries in the world can do with much smaller resources. This is a reality for all of us, but 'What is getting more difficult today?' If you say, we are actually talking about change today with the influence of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is a facilitator and accelerator in projects, a great opportunity but also a threat. Years ago, while it took 15-18 months for a product to be prototyped, tested at the customer, and ready, today these times have decreased to 2 weeks. We hear incredible examples. "This is a great opportunity, but if you are happy to reduce something that was 15 months old to 12 months, to 9 months, and someone else is reducing it to weeks, this is a tremendous risk."
"For success, all stakeholders must act towards the common goal"
Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering Inc. (EHSİM) General Manager Fatih Say also said that one of the most important issues they have difficulty with in the projects is stakeholder management.
“What do stakeholders actually prioritize?” Asking, Say stated the following:
"Units within the company are also stakeholders, the harmony of the managers is important. Is everyone really doing the same thing? In other words, is a person who completes a project planned for 170 days in 165 days really considered to have done his job? Or are you actually doing your job when the product is presented to the customer with the right skills and appeals to the user? This perspective should be in every segment."
Say drew attention to the importance of all stakeholders acting in line with the common goal and effective stakeholder management in order to ensure success in defense industry projects.
