Revolutionizing Project Management with AI: A Conversation with Shawn Harris
In this episode of The Next Next, host Jason Jacobs interviews Shawn Harris, the co-founder and CEO of Coworked, a company transforming project management through AI. Shawn discusses their flagship product, Harmony, an AI project manager designed to handle mundane tasks, enabling human managers to focus on strategic issues. Originally starting with a different aim, the company pivoted to address the pain points of project management offices burdened with more deliverables than staff. Coworked built an in-house agentic framework involving over a hundred agents to ensure reliability and efficiency. Shawn emphasizes the broader vision of Harmony, aiming to redefine the role of project managers into 'project leaders' by automating routine tasks. He also talks about the importance of leveraging AI capabilities for building the platform, competition, and the challenges faced. The episode concludes with Shawn sharing his insights on the future of AI in entrepreneurship and project management.
Puck Academy · Shawn Harris, Jason Jacobs
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (cdn.simplecast.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Shawn Harris on Revolutionizing Project Management with AI In this episode of The Next Next, host Jason Jacobs interviews Shawn Harris, co-founder and CEO of Coworked. Shawn shares how Coworked is transforming project management by leveraging AI, specifically with their flagship product, Harmony. The discussion delves into Coworked's journey from initial concept to their pivot based on market needs, leading to the development of an extensive agent-driven AI system. Shawn provides insights on the challenges and decisions involved in building their own agentic framework, the role of project managers, and the future landscape of AI in project management. The episode also touches on Shawn's perspective on the evolving role of founders and invites listeners, especially PMO leaders, to engage with Coworked's innovative solutions.
00:00 Introduction to The Next Next
00:29 The Birth of Coworked and Harmony
01:47 Challenges in Project Management
03:04 Meet Shawn Harris
04:45 Understanding Harmony's Capabilities
06:11 The Founding Story of Coworked
12:38 Building the Agentic Framework
16:07 Optimizing Project Management
17:50 Technical Challenges and Solutions
19:59 DIY vs. Off-the-Shelf Solutions
23:26 Ensuring Reliability and Accuracy
28:56 Overcoming Challenges in AI Development
30:43 The Role of AI in Development and Resources
31:41 Team Structure and AI Integration
33:58 Human Involvement in AI Projects
40:25 Market Penetration and Customer Engagement
42:20 AI's Impact on Project Management
48:33 Defensibility and Competition in AI
56:16 Future of AI in Business and Entrepreneurship
57:14 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Note: Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).