The Digitalization Paradox: Why Automation Increases the Value of Real Dialogue
The active adoption of artificial intelligence and virtual assistants in development has unexpectedly heightened the demand for high-quality interpersonal relationships within teams. As more routine tasks are delegated to algorithms, challenges related to alignment, facilitation, and agreements among human specialists become increasingly evident.
This trend will be one of the central themes of the professional conference INFOSTART A&PM EVENT 2026, tailored for analysts, project managers, and product teams within the 1C ecosystem.
How Internal Conflicts Derail Release Deadlines
According to program committee experts, the key reason for missed deadlines often lies not in technical complexities, but in the psychological climate of the team. The inability to spot manipulation, reluctance to openly resolve disagreements, and mistakes in delegation trigger rapid burnout among key contributors.
Within the soft skills track, experts will examine specific practical scenarios:
- Techniques for effective one-on-one (1to1) meetings that transition formal talks into concrete working agreements;
- Facilitation methods for reaching complex collective decisions;
- Ways to reduce tension when interacting with clients and within project groups.
A Sober Look at AI and Project Failure Analysis
The organizers emphasize that implementing neural networks must be a deliberate tool rather than blind trend-following. The event will offer a balanced mix of successful case studies and analyses of automation failures. A dedicated focus will be placed on independent project audits: typical missteps by clients and integrators that lead to direct financial and time losses.
Practice Over Dry Theory: Format Features
The event will take place on November 12–14 in Saint Petersburg at the Cosmos Saint-Petersburg Pribaltiyskaya venue. The agenda is split into five key tracks covering analyst toolkits, 1C product implementation practices, project and product management, and team development.
The main highlight of the event is its strong focus on interactive formats:
- 70% of the program is dedicated to hands-on practice: workshops, management duels, business games, masterclasses, and round-table discussions;
- 30% of the program consists of presentations analyzing real-world cases, breaking down mistakes, and offering actionable methodological tools.
You can explore the track schedule and agenda details on the official conference website.