Deltek introduces Dela, an AI-powered tool to transform project delivery

In a bid to improve project delivery, Deltek has launched Dela, an AI-powered intelligent business companion. Dela is designed to promote productivity, accuracy, and value throughout every stage of a project. By utilising intelligent voice or text commands, Dela can generate smart content, retrieve information, carry out tasks and facilitate knowledge sharing, all leading to a smoother project delivery and greater success rates, the company states.

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy features of Dela is its capacity to harness past behaviours and patterns to automate processes and steer decision-making on everything from identifying staffing needs to project resourcing. This is a game-changing feature that can capitalise on cost-saving opportunities, enhancing profitability of projects.

The launch of Dela comes to light at the same time as Deltek's research revealing the vital importance of AI in the life cycle of a project. The research outlined in Deltek's Clarity 2024: Trends & Insights for Architecture, Engineering and Consulting Firms report, indicates that over two-thirds (67%) of businesses expect to lose market share within the next two years if they don't substantially digitally transform. The report also highlights that 74% of firms trust that investments in AI could significantly broaden their service delivery capabilities, and 41% consider that successful AI implementation could elevate their profit margins.

In demonstrating the strong belief in the power of AI, approximately three-quarters of businesses believe that investment in AI and its successful deployment could give them a substantial competitive edge. AI is also forecasted to improve job satisfaction of staff for 72% of businesses in a year in which over eight in ten firms anticipate an increase in profits.

Dela acts as an innovative solution to help fulfil these expectations, as it is designed to revolutionize project success. Engaging users with natural language interactions and prompts, Dela develops from Deltek's existing generative Smart Summaries. It equips project managers with intelligent predictions and automation abilities, guiding future decisions by utilising past behaviours to anticipate resource requirements, streamline project staffing, and predict project success.

Bret Tushaus, the Vice President of Product Strategy at Deltek, regarding the importance of Dela's AI capabilities stated, "At Deltek, we're committed to making the project lifecycle smarter and know that project-based businesses need a trusted partner that is not only innovative for the sake of innovation but supports them to transform their business." He also added, "We created Dela to meet this business need, providing project-based businesses with the technology required to launch new services, increase staff engagement, and ultimately, boost profits."

Tushaus emphasises the importance of trust and security in Dela's development, ensuring customer data is not used to train large language models (LLMs). Users will have the choice to opt into using Dela's features. As Tushaus put it, the introduction of Dela is like having a "crystal ball for project management."