The squid is back

This is part 2 of the TPM series which I will be adding to every once in a while. Today is all about the power of juggling context efficiently.

MCP Servers: The One-Stop Shop for Future TPMs

Two distinct paradigms are converging in software development: the rise of generative AI and the need for seamless project management. These forces demand new tools and new approaches, especially for Technical Project Managers. Enter MCP (Model Context Protocol) Servers - a transformative technology that enables TPMs to become central figures in the entire project lifecycle, from ideation to delivery.

This article explores how MCP Servers, attached LLM (Large Language Model) cleints, empower TPMs to bridge the gap between creativity and execution, effectively becoming the one-stop shop for modern software development. As AI reshapes the development landscape, MCP Servers promise to make TPMs indispensable.

Traditional Project Management: A Fragmented Reality

In traditional project management, tools and systems often operate in isolation. A TPM juggles disparate platforms: task boards, resource allocation tools, CI/CD pipelines, and communication platforms. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies, lost context, and reduced clarity.

The TPM in this scenario acts as a translator between stakeholders, developers, and business leaders, often spending more time managing processes than driving outcomes. Worse, they must frequently ask for updates and search for context - a problem magnified in fast-moving, AI-driven environments.

In such an ecosystem, the TPM’s ability to shape outcomes is limited by the tools they use. The result? Delayed decision-making, incomplete context, and a reduced capacity to influence technical and creative directions.

MCP Servers: A Unified Context Layer

MCP Servers change this paradigm by acting as a contextual backbone for project management. They aggregate, structure, and serve context across the entire software development lifecycle. More than just a database or a repository, MCP Servers allow AI frontends and even autonomously acting agents to interact with structured, persistent knowledge and custom tooling, tailor-made to support those workflows most effectively.

An MCP Server stores the evolution of a project’s ideas, decisions, and assets. It integrates with codebases, design systems, documentation, and even external APIs to provide a unified context layer. This allows TPMs to move seamlessly between tasks without losing the thread of critical decisions.

For example:

• Need to onboard a new contributor? The MCP Server serves up a digest of previous design decisions, API integrations, and code patterns.
• Unclear how a new feature impacts the system? Ask an LLM integrated with the MCP Server, and it will provide a detailed, context-aware analysis.
• Blocked by waiting for an executive stake holder to provide feedback? Distill the required answers into a ready made set of solutions to pick from.

By becoming the source of truth, MCP Servers eliminate the fragmentation that has long plagued TPMs, enabling them to work smarter and faster.

The Context-Aware TPM

With MCP Servers in place, TPMs evolve from facilitators to orchestrators. They no longer merely manage processes but actively drive creativity, execution, and technical decision-making. This hands-on approach is not about replacing engineers or designers but amplifying the impact of everyone involved in the project.

Creative Inception

MCP Servers allow TPMs to use LLMs for ideation. By combining stakeholder input and historical project data, these tools help TPMs generate user stories, prioritize features, and create mockups - all informed by real-world constraints and requirements.

Execution and Delivery

During development, MCP Servers provide continuous feedback loops. A TPM can ask their integrated LLM client:

• “What blockers are emerging in the current sprint?”
• “Are any dependencies unresolved in the CI/CD pipeline?” The LLM, backed by MCP’s contextual understanding, delivers precise, actionable insights, allowing the TPM to address issues before they escalate.

Ongoing Learning

MCP Servers enable TPMs to improve workflows over time. Every decision, every success, and every failure becomes part of the context stored in the server, creating a feedback loop that improves decision-making for future projects. It's like the real life where the consequences of actions fuel the progress that is being made.

Why Context Is the Real Currency of the MCP Era

The ability to provide and maintain context is the defining advantage of MCP Servers. Traditional project management tools can track tasks and deadlines, but they do not understand the “why” behind decisions. MCP enabled clients do.

This contextual capability empowers TPMs to:

1. Predict Outcomes: By analyzing stored context, TPMs can simulate potential challenges or bottlenecks before they occur.
2. Reduce Redundancy: When onboarding a new contributor, MCP Servers provide the context needed to avoid repeated work or errors.
3. Foster Creativity: By automating routine tasks and serving context on demand, TPMs free themselves and their teams to focus on innovation.

In the age of AI, the speed of execution is everything. MCP Servers allow TPMs to stay ahead by reducing noise, centralizing information, and empowering decision-making. They become the ultimate productivity multiplier, enabling faster delivery cycles and more cohesive project outcomes.

Comparison with Traditional TPMs

• Traditional TPM: Manages tasks, collects updates, and tracks milestones.
• MCP-Enabled TPM: Drives vision, ensures alignment, and directly influences outcomes through custom LLM tooling and real-time insights.

The result is a role that is not just relevant but indispensable in AI-driven projects.

A Glimpse Into the MCP Future

As MCP Servers mature, their applications will expand beyond software development. Imagine a future where entire organizations run on a unified MCP backbone:

• Marketing and product teams collaborate on shared context.
• Legal teams access compliance records instantly through LLM queries.
• Sales teams receive customer insights tailored to current product iterations.

For TPMs, this future represents an unprecedented opportunity to lead not just projects but entire organizations toward greater efficiency and creativity.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share your thoughts. If you have questions about Model Context Protocol Servers, how to use them or how to build one, reach out. I am happy to help.