Microsoft Didn’t Abandon Project Online — It Outgrew It.
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about Microsoft “giving up” on Project Online. Some say the company set Project Online on fire and walked away....
4 min read
Innovative-e : Jul 31, 2025 4:14:27 PM
It’s not just about the budget. It’s about confidence, clarity, and timing.
In nearly every early conversation around project management modernization, there comes a familiar pause.
Leadership is on board with the concept. Teams recognize the need. Technology platforms like Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Copilot offer tremendous opportunity. But then comes the hesitation that stalls everything:
"When is the right time to move forward?"
It sounds like a budget question—the truth? Budgeting isn’t the root problem. It’s a signal that the business case isn’t ready, the timing isn’t clear, or the strategic connection hasn’t been made.
We see this pattern across many industries and customer sizes:
And yet, waiting introduces additional risks: rising technical debt, increasing support issues, loss of competitive advantage, delayed AI readiness, and shrinking windows of opportunity to leverage Microsoft's platform innovations.
Modernization delays aren’t about resistance—they’re about readiness to act on a strategy that makes budget sense.
“The problem isn’t awareness — it’s activation. Everyone sees the legacy friction. They just don’t know how to move.” – Mike Taylor, CEO, Innovative-e
Based on responses from attendees in the first two sessions of our three-part webinar series — Session 1: Transforming Project Management – Microsoft’s Evolution and Future Vision and
Session 2: Why and When to Move from Legacy to the Modern Platform—
the real blockers fall into three connected categories:
Tad Haas, Director of Business Development at Innovative-e, recently posed a powerful challenge to leaders:
“When someone says 'Not now,' ask: What current and near-term value are we missing? What risk are we accepting? And, what is the cost of inaction?"
In Session 1 of our webinar series, 72% of attendees cited lack of executive support or clear budget strategy as a top barrier to modernization. But the conversations made it clear:
They’re not resistant. They’re unsure how to build and position the business case.
Waiting leads to:
They’re not waiting. They’re getting creative — and strategic:
When Is the Right Time? (Spoiler: Now)
The best time to modernize isn’t always at the start of a fiscal year. It’s when:
Waiting for the “perfect” timing often results in missed opportunities. Modernization succeeds when timing is created, not waited for.
Budgeting Isn’t the Barrier. The Approach Is.
Modernizing project management isn’t simply a technology upgrade. It requires a fully modeled, financially-aligned plan that removes ambiguity and gives executives confidence to say "yes."
Organizations that succeed in moving forward are those that:
If your organization is struggling to move from interest to action, you're not alone. The organizations making real progress are those who help their executives understand both why modernization matters and how it can be responsibly funded.
Explore More: Download our co-authored whitepaper with CPS to see how organizations are modernizing project management to accelerate AI readiness, optimize Microsoft platform value, and unlock new levels of performance.
Let’s Talk: Not sure where to start? Contact us to schedule a discovery call with one of our modernization experts and explore what’s possible for your team.
Coming Soon: Join us August 13 for Session 3: How to Modernize – Finding Your Strategic Window. We’ll walk through real-world scenarios for aligning timing, tools, and talent to move your modernization journey forward. Register Now
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about Microsoft “giving up” on Project Online. Some say the company set Project Online on fire and walked away....
“I thought this was just another tool we’d have to manage.” That’s how the meeting started. Skepticism. Fatigue. The quiet resistance that echoes...
Project Management What, Why, and How in Teams In the last few blogs, we’ve discussed WHAT Microsoft Teams is and WHY it is an obvious choice for...