Predictions for Delivery Management in 2025
We asked some of the delivery community to share their predictions for 2025 and here are the key themes that emerged
In 2024, delivery management found itself under the spotlight. Economic pressures forced organisations to scrutinise every aspect of their operations, with intangible elements like team health, collaboration, and continuous improvement often falling under question. As a result, delivery managers are increasingly being asked to “prove” their value, balancing the demand for immediate results with the need to sustain long-term success. To understand what lies ahead for the profession, we asked a group of delivery management professionals to share their insights and predictions—and here’s what they told us.
Challenges from Economic Pressures
Economic constraints will continue to push organisations to revert to familiar territory, emphasising speed and productivity over enablement and team health. Delivery managers will need to advocate for the long-term financial value of investing in good delivery practices and meta-work - —the work done to improve team functioning, processes, and collaboration.
Chris Harris pointed out that this advocacy is not always easy, especially when clients or senior stakeholders are under their own pressure to cut costs or deliver faster. “It’s tough because often the focus is just on getting things done,” Chris said. “But as delivery managers, we need to push back a little and say, ‘What’s going to give us the best outcome in the long run? How do we ensure we’re building processes and relationships that will pay off down the line?’”
Value as the Cornerstone
In the past, delivery success was often measured by tangible outputs: Did we finish the project on time? Did we stick to the budget? Was it high quality? While these metrics are still relevant, there's a growing recognition that value delivered to the organisation or end-users should be the ultimate benchmark of success.
Economic pressures are pushing organisations to focus on return on investment (ROI) and measurable outcomes. This shift is apparent in frameworks like value versus effort prioritisation, which help teams focus on work that delivers the greatest impact.
Chris and I explored this idea, and while we agreed that prioritising value is essential, we also noted that certain sectors—like agencies—cannot completely deprioritise budgets or timelines. Striking a balance between the two remains critical, particularly when managing client expectations.
The Strategic Evolution of Delivery Managers
Another key trend we discussed is the evolving role of delivery managers, who are shifting from coordinators to strategic leaders. While some view this as a “new” expectation, we’d argue it’s what great delivery managers have always done.
This evolution means stepping beyond task coordination to ask critical questions:
Why are we doing this project?
How does it align with broader organisational goals?
What outcomes are we aiming for?
Delivery managers are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between strategy and execution. Their role in coaching teams, driving continuous improvement, and maintaining focus on value makes them indispensable—especially in times of economic pressure.
AI and Automation
AI and automation tools are accelerating this focus on value by reducing the time spent on administrative tasks. For delivery managers, tools like AI-driven meeting notes, automated action lists, or acceptance criteria generators can free up hours that would have been spent on manual tasks.
However, there's a palpable anxiety around AI replacing roles altogether. Delivery managers—especially those who lean heavily on coordination and administration—might feel their roles are at risk. But here’s our hot take: Delivery management is one of the last roles to be fully replaced by AI.
Why? Delivery is fundamentally a human-centered discipline. Coaching teams, facilitating collaboration, and fostering trust are tasks AI cannot replicate effectively. The role of a delivery manager in connecting the dots, maintaining standards, and aligning with organisational goals will remain vital.
Rise of Fractional Freelance Roles
As businesses continue to navigate economic challenges, many are turning to fractional freelance roles to maximize cost-efficiency. While fractional roles may seem like an effective way to optimize resources, they raise important questions about the long-term value of consistent, experienced leadership in delivery management.
In our opinion, although we can see value in short-term freelance roles to build capacity, we generally feel that “the value that a delivery manager can offer is significantly diminished because you lose the continuity needed to build those vital relationships.”
“If you’re constantly switching out delivery managers, you lose the alignment and understanding that makes a team successful,” Holly said. “That’s why the fractional model, although appealing from a cost-saving perspective, in our opinion doesn’t always work for the most critical roles, such as delivery management.”
Delivery in an Age of Change
As delivery continues to evolve, organisations may temporarily undervalue roles like delivery management in their quest for efficiency. But we predict that any significant reduction in delivery roles will be short-lived. Delivery is the “oxygen” of a successful team—you only notice it’s missing when everything starts to falter.
In the words of a delivery expert, “If it’s working, you shouldn’t even notice it.” That’s a testament to the quiet yet critical role delivery managers play in creating high-performing teams.
Roger Swannell also emphasized the importance of delivery managers in navigating change: “Delivery managers are one of the key vehicles for helping people navigate change.” In an economic climate rife with restructures and redundancies, their ability to create environments where teams can adapt to ambiguity is more critical than ever. When delivery roles are removed, the impact is felt almost immediately.
Closing Thoughts
As we look ahead, the message is clear: delivery managers who focus on value, embrace AI as an enabler, and step into strategic leadership will thrive. The role may evolve, but its essence—ensuring teams are aligned, effective, and impactful—remains unchanged.
What’s your take? We’d love to hear how your teams are navigating the tension between value delivery and economic pressures. How are you adapting your delivery management approach?
Special thanks to the following Delivery Managers who contributed their predictions to help form this blog post