Standardize PM Tools for CRM Launch

Project Background

HubSpot is preparing a 16-week launch of a new AI-assisted sales workflow inside its mid-market CRM product. The feature spans lead scoring, task recommendations, and manager reporting, and is expected to support a Q4 revenue target tied to 120 pilot customers. You are the program manager overseeing execution across product, engineering, design, data, and go-to-market.

Key Stakeholders

The VP of Product wants a predictable roadmap and weekly status visibility. The Engineering Director prefers lightweight processes and is resisting adding new planning overhead during a critical build cycle. The Head of Sales Enablement needs a firm pilot date for customer training, while Legal requires review of customer-facing AI explanations before launch.

Constraints

The team includes 10 engineers, 2 designers, 1 data scientist, 1 product manager, and you. The project has a remaining execution budget of $95,000 for tooling, vendor support, and pilot operations. The launch date is fixed for 16 weeks from now, with a pilot readiness checkpoint in week 10. Two engineering teams currently use different tools: one tracks work in Jira, the other in Asana, and leadership reporting is done manually in spreadsheets. No additional headcount is approved.

Complications

1. A senior engineering manager says migrating all teams to one tool this quarter will slow delivery by at least 2 weeks.
2. Legal has warned that AI explanation copy may require two review cycles, adding up to 10 business days.
3. Sales has already told pilot customers to expect onboarding materials by week 12.

Your Task

1. Recommend the project management tools and delivery methodology you would use for this launch, and explain why.
2. Create a 16-week execution plan with milestones, ownership, and stakeholder communication points.
3. Define how you would handle the Jira/Asana split without losing reporting accuracy or delaying delivery.
4. Identify the top risks, trade-offs, and fallback options if the week 10 pilot checkpoint slips.
5. Specify launch success criteria and the operating cadence you would use through pilot and GA readiness.