A SUPPLEMENT TO PM NETWORK® PUBLISHED BY PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE PMI® GLOBAL CONGRESS 2011—EMEA JULY 2011 Practitioners From Around the World Gather in Ireland to Share Best Practices By Rachel Zupek CONTENTS The Audit is a Key Tool for Taking the Financial Pulse of PMI 3 PMI Professional Awards Recognize Outstanding Performance 4 Research Working Session Focuses on Conflict Management 5 Find the Lost City—and Learn Project 17 Management Skills Community Portraits 18 PMI Chapters Build Multifaceted Programs for Social Good 21 Events Calendar 22 Scheduling Community Hosts Annual Conference 24 Chapter Links 25 EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting See page 12 Available online for PMI members only at PMI.org D ublin, Ireland hosted several VIP visits during the month of May. The visitors included Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. President Barack Obama— as well as more than 800 project professionals from 54 countries who gathered for the PMI® Global Congress 2011—EMEA. Social media, Agile, project management offices (PMOs) and PMI’s communities of practice emerged as key topics in conversations and sessions throughout the threeday event, which was held at the recently opened Convention Centre Dublin. Project professionals raved about everything from the keynote address to the networking. Kieran Boyce, president of the PMI Ireland Chapter, was especially impressed by the volunteerism shown before and during congress. Continued on page 6 Page 2 PMI Today July 2011 “Worldwide, organizations will embrace, value and utilize project management and attribute their success to it.” – PMI Envisioned Goal 2011 PMI Board of Directors Editorial & Advertising Offices Address manuscripts and other editorial submissions, mailing list rental queries, requests for reprints, bulk copies, submissions, letters to the editor or reprint permission to: Project Management Institute Publications Department, 14 Campus Blvd., Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA Tel: +1 610 356 4600 Fax: +1 610 356 4647 General Email: pmipub@pmi.org Editorial: editorial@pmi.org Website: www.PMI.org Unless otherwise specified, all letters and articles sent to PMI are assumed for publication and become the copyright property of PMI if published. Vice President, Brand Management Lesley Bakker lesley.bakker@pmi.org Publisher Donn Greenberg donn.greenberg@pmi.org Editor In Chief Dan Goldfischer dan.goldfischer@pmi.org Writer Sandy Farnan sandy.farnan@pmi.org Toll-free: 1 855 746 7879 (United States) 1 855 746 7879 (Canada) 1 800 563 0665 (Mexico) Jane Farley, MSc, FPMINZ, PMP jane.farley@bod.pmi.org +64 21 890 254 Directors *Use the toll number (+31 320 239 539) from mobile phones in these countries. ® ® PM Network (ISSN 1040-8754) and PMI Today are published monthly by Project Management Institute. PMI Today is a supplement to PM Network. Canadian agreement #40030957. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMI Today, 14 Campus Blvd., Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA Tel: +1 610 356 4600 Fax: +1 610 356 4647 PMI India Service Centre New Delhi, India Tel.: +91 124 4517140 Email (membership-related queries): customercare.india@pmi.org Other Locations ■ Beijing, China ■ Shenzhen, China ■ Montevideo, Uruguay ■ Bengaluru, India ■ Sydney, Australia ■ Porto Alegre, Brazil ■ Mumbai, India ■ Washington, D.C., USA See www.PMI.org/AboutUs/Pages/Customer-Care.aspx for contact details. PMI Today’s mission, as the official membership news publication of Project Management Institute, is to provide a forum for communication among Institute membership and about volunteerism and policy. All articles in PMI Today are the views of the authors and are not necessarily those of PMI. PMI is a not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to advancing the state of the art of project management. Membership in PMI is open to all at an annual dues of US$119/year. 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PMI GLOBAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Accenture BAE Systems, Inc. Bank of America Barclays BASF The Boeing Company Booz Allen Hamilton Boston University Corporate Education Center Citigroup Credit Suisse CSC Dell Services Deloitte ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ EADS EMC Corporation Ericsson Federal Aviation Administration Fujitsu GE Energy Hess Corporation Hewlett-Packard Huawei Technologies IBM Global Business Services ICF International INDRA Infosys Technologies Ltd. Eugene (Gene) Bounds, PMP eugene.bounds@bod.pmi.org +1 703 377 4186 Steve DelGrosso, MSc, PMP +1 919 848 6986 steve.delgrosso@bod.pmi.org Shirley Edwards, PMP +1 704 715 8606 shirley.edwards@bod.pmi.org Herman Gonzalez, PMP +1 647 287 7247 herman.gonzalez@bod.pmi.org Louis J. Mercken, MBA, PMP, PMI Fellow +32 495 53 46 43 louis.mercken@bod.pmi.org Jon Mihalic, PMP +1 703 216 2548 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ International Institute of Learning, Inc. KPMG Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Mayo Clinic Microsoft NASA Nokia Corporation Offshore Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. Oracle Pioneer Hi-Bred International Praxair, Inc. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Procter & Gamble Raytheon Ricardo plc Rio Tinto SAP America, Inc. Siemens Suzlon U.S. Department of Energy .. .. Wartsila Finland oy Wells Fargo ZTE Corporation jon.mihalic@bod.pmi.org William Moylan, PhD, PMP +1 248 473 5451 william.moylan@bod.pmi.org Frank Parth, MS, MSSM, MBA, PMP +1 714 813 8971 frank.parth@bod.pmi.org Vijay Prasad, M.Tech, PMP +91 98490 06070 vijay.prasad@bod.pmi.org Ricardo Triana, PMP +52 (55) 8421 8373 ricardo.triana@bod.pmi.org Diane White, MA, SCM, PMP +1 813 416 1665 diane.white@bod.pmi.org Staff Executive President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Langley +1 610 356 4600 PMI and members of the influential Global Executive Council believe that project, program and portfolio management deliver a strategic advantage that helps organizations do more with less. The elite organizations selected for participation in this council are well-positioned to have the most direct influence on the direction and future of the project management profession. ■ Peter Monkhouse, BSc(Eng), MBA, PEng, PMP peter.monkhouse@bod.pmi.org +1 416 702 9574 Chair, Strategic Planning and Program Alignment Committee 00 800 4414 3100: Cyprus, Greece Publication & Membership Vice Chair Deanna Landers, MBA, PMP +1 303 378 8459 deanna.landers@bod.pmi.org PMI Asia Pacific Service Centre Singapore Tel: +65 6496 5501 Email: customercare.asiapac@pmi.org 07 810 800 7464 8490: Russia* +31 320 239 539 (toll number): Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine PMIToday Design & Production Lowe Associates, Inc. Beth Partleton, PMP +1 262 337 1097 beth.partleton@bod.pmi.org Secretary/Treasurer and Chair, Performance Oversight Committee Toll-free Numbers 00 800 7464 8490: Austria, Belgium*, Bulgaria*, Czech Republic*, Denmark, Estonia*, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia*, Lithuania*, Luxembourg, Malta*, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic*, Slovenia*, Spain, Sweden*, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City Periodicals Associate natasha.pollard@pmi.org Natasha Pollard roberta.storer@pmi.org Project Management Institute 14 Campus Blvd., Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA Tel: +1 610 356 4600; Fax: +1 610 482 9971 Email: customercare@pmi.org Website: www.PMI.org PMI Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Service Centre Lelystad, The Netherlands Tel: +31 320 239 539 Email: customercare.emea@pmi.org Publications Production Supervisor Barbara Walsh barbara.walsh@pmi.org Product Editor Roberta Storer Chair mark.langley@pmi.org PMI Today July 2011 Page 3 from the Board By Frank Parth, MS, MSSM, MBA, PMP Verifying PMI’s Sound Financial Practices The Audit is a Key Tool for Taking the Financial Pulse of PMI I n order to provide an objective assessment of our financial position, the PMI Board of Directors uses an annual independent financial audit. The annual audit involves an independent third-party examination of PMI’s financial statements. The auditors then render an opinion on whether the financial statements and accompanying processes are: ■ Relevant; ■ Accurate; ■ Complete; ■ Presented fairly; and ■ In conformance with generally accepted accounting principles. This audit is mandated by PMI’s bylaws, Article XIII, which specifies: “The PMI Board shall provide for an annual audit of the Institute’s finances and financial statement by an independent auditor. Results of such audit shall be reported to the PMI Board of Directors. The President and Chief Executive Officer shall submit regular, scheduled statements of account to the PMI Board of Directors.” Fiduciary Duty PMI’s Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to protect the Institute’s assets and to ensure that members’ resources are used in an appropriate manner. We fulfill that duty by obtaining a financial audit every year by a professional auditing firm. When you, as members, elect volunteers such as myself to the Board, you trust that Board members will fulfill their fiduciary and other leadership responsibilities. Especially during challenging economic times, it is essential to every member and stakeholder that PMI remains in sound financial health. In accordance with this annual requirement, I am pleased to report that on 21 April 2011, the annual Independent Auditors’ Report was provided by Elko & Associates, Ltd. This report states: “In our opinion, based on our audits and the report of other auditors, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Project Management Institute and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the consolidated results of its activities and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.” To auditors, this is referred to as a “clean report” with no deficiencies and nothing noted that caused any concern to the auditors. Your Annual Report You, as members, have the right to see what the Institute is doing and how it stands financially. Article VI of PMI’s bylaws states that the Board must “oversee the management, control and supervision of the business, as well as other lawful activities and affairs deemed necessary to further the objectives of the Institute, including an annual report to PMI members.” The PMI 2010 Annual Report will be posted at www.PMI.org/annualreport. I invite you to download it. Not only does the report have the complete Statements of Financial Position and Independent Auditors’ Report, it also has important and interesting information about PMI’s volunteer leaders, key projects and initiatives, growth, and advocacy efforts. The theme of the 2010 Annual Report is “Building Global Community.” The Continued on page 4 PMI’s Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to protect the Institute’s assets and to ensure that members’ resources are used in an appropriate manner. Page 4 PMI Today July 2011 The theme of the 2010 Annual Report is “Building Global Community.” The financial reports presented in the 2010 Annual Report demonstrate that the expanding activities of PMI are upheld by the important foundation of sound finances. Board around the world, PMI continues to advance our strategic objectives, and progress toward the Institute’s envisioned goal that, “Worldwide, organizations will embrace, value and utilize project management and attribute their success to it.” Continued from page 3 financial reports presented in the 2010 Annual Report demonstrate that the expanding activities of PMI are upheld by the important foundation of sound finances. With the support of more than half a million members and certificate holders Nominations for Two Awards Accepted Year-Round PMI Professional Awards Recognize Outstanding Performance A lthough nominations are now closed for most 2011 PMI Professional Awards, there are two awards that accept nominations throughout the year. The PMI Distinguished Project Award recognizes successful projects that have promoted project management concepts, techniques, practices or theories through the effective application of project management principles. A project nominated for this award does not have to be a megaproject or one in any particular industry. Projects of any size and type are eligible. One of the key benefits of this award is that it is presented by PMI in the winner’s local geographic area (at an employer’s location or a chapter meeting, for example) in the presence of peers and stake- holders. What better honor is there? PMI Distinguished Project Award nominations are accepted throughout 2011, but do not delay. The nomination must be received by PMI no later than one year after the project is completed. For more information and a list of previous recipients, please visit PMI.org, click on “About Us,” “Professional Awards,” and then select “PMI Distinguished Project Award.” Another PMI award that recognizes recipients in their own geographic area is the PMI Eric Jenett Project Management Excellence Award. The award is named after Eric Jenett, PMI Fellow, a founder of PMI and the first recipient of the Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential. This award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the practice of the project management profession, and has demonstrated leadership and initiative while advancing project management concepts, techniques, practices or theories. Award winners’ contributions must transcend the organizations in which they were performed. If you know such an individual, what better honor can you give to him or her—and for the profession—than to nominate that person for this award? You can also learn more about the award and past recipients from around the world at PMI.org. Click on “About Us,” “Professional Awards,” and then select “PMI Eric Jenett Project Management Excellence Award.” Please note: The call for nominations for the 2012 PMI Professional Awards, including the PMI Project of the Year, will open on 1 November 2011. 3 OVER PMI Fact File MILLION! PMBOK ® Guide editions now in circulation! STATISTICS THROUGH 31 May 2011 Total Members % increase May 2011/2010 New Members May 2011 353,326 11.1% 12,309 Credentials—Total Active Holders of: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certificate 14,465 Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential 434,839 Program Management Professional (PgMP)® credential PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® credential PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)® credential PMI.org May 2011 Unique Visitors YTD Total 575 826 466 261,754 1,236,578 Publishing PMBOK® Guide–Fourth Edition placed in circulation* May 2011 27,569 Total copies in circulation* 786,896 Total copies of all editions* of the PMBOK® Guide in circulation 3,485,418 *includes PMI-published translations PMI Today July 2011 Page 5 “Soft Skills in Hard Times” Research Working Session Focuses on Conflict Management T he PMI Academic Resources Department hosted a Research Working Session on 8 May, as part of PMI® Global Congress 2011—EMEA. More than 60 academics and project management practitioners from around the world attended the one-day session, “Conflict Management: Using Soft Skills in Hard Times.” The session was presented by Graham Massie, director of consultancy at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), based in London, U.K. The workshop focused on current research on conflict management in teams, and explored why appropriate work-conflict management is important and should be managed, rather than avoided. Types of Conflict in the Workplace During the session, Mr. Massie discussed different types of conflict in the workplace and what challenges project man- agers currently face regarding conflict management and resolution. He described essential skills for effective conflict communication, including building rapport, paying attention to nonverbal cues, listening actively, asking appropriate questions, and reflecting on and summarizing what was discussed. people and organizations move toward conflict competency, instead of trying to avoid it altogether. To do so, he suggested organizations create a conflict management culture by providing options for conflict resolution and teaching employees how to manage the difficult conversations that most of us are not comfortable having. Those in attendance had the opportunity to participate in several exercises to get to know one another and what issues they face every day as project managers, creating lively discussions throughout the session. At the conclusion of the session, Mr. Massie recommended that project managers not ignore conflict, but develop work team approaches that foster effective communication during conflict management. Lastly, he recommended that when conflicts cannot be resolved within the organization, mediation should be considered as a viable solution. Specifically, participants discussed how it can be challenging for others in an organization to accept the value of project management. Also discussed was conflict that can occur when differences arise over opinions and aspirations on how projects should be carried out. The group noted that as project managers, they often must manage conflict and expectations with various stakeholders, since conflict can exist among co-workers, clients, contractors, subcontractors and others. Options for Conflict Resolution Mr. Massie recommended that both The PMI Academic Resources Program works to advance the discipline and profession of project management by creating and dispensing knowledge through various programs. Research working sessions feature panel discussions and breakout sessions on important topics in project management. This program provides researchers, academics and advanced practitioners the opportunity to exchange ideas on new research and its application. The next Research Working Session will be held on 23 October 2011 as part of PMI Global Congress 2011—North America The one-day session, “Sustainability in Project Management: The Future is Now,” will focus on current global issues and initiatives surrounding sustainability in all aspects of project management. The panel of presenters will include both practitioners and researchers, including members of PMI’s Academic Member Advisory Group and other subject matter experts in the field. Page 6 PMI Today July 2011 PMI® GLOBAL CONGRESS 2011—EMEA Practitioners From Around the World Gather in Ireland to Share Best Practices EMEA Continued from page 1 “The enthusiasm from everyone has been excellent,” he said. “The number of volunteers and effort from them has been superb.” Linking in to Social Media In the keynote address, Kevin Eyres, former managing director of LinkedIn Europe, discussed how social media is reverberating across the project management profession. Yet for all the hype, he said, it still comes down to the individual project or program manager. “We’ve all heard of social media. It’s nothing new. It’s about people and it’s about their relationships,” he said. Mr. Eyres urged project and program managers to leverage social media as a competitive advantage to build business relationships and gain professional insight, pointing out, “You get a high amount of content at a low cost.” Keynote speaker Kevin Eyres (above) urged project and program managers to leverage social media as a competitive advantage to build business relationships and gain professional insight. Mr. Eyres set 50 as the minimum number of LinkedIn connections necessary to get value. he advised. “It doesn’t do you any good. Consciously build up a network of influencers.” “Don’t be a promiscuous connector,” Whether they’re on Twitter or PMI’s Following his keynote presentation, Kevin Eyres answered questions from PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley. PMI Today July 2011 communities of practice, project and program managers should remember the context of social media. Go in with a true purpose, backed up by a plan, Mr. Eyres said. Start by listening and then slowly build up who you are and what you’re focused on for a consistent online brand image. “If you start throwing out random things, you lose your authenticity,” he explained. “Pick out things you’re passionate about.” There are risks and you may make some mistakes along the way, but social media “is not going away,” and forging those virtual relationships “matters now more than ever.” Mr. Eyres’ message resonated with attendees, many of whom were unfamiliar with social media tools or how to use them effectively. Marie Show from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia called Mr. Eyres’ keynote “brilliant” and seemed ready to pick up the call to action. “I’m not a Facebook person, but I might become one,” she said. Catherine McGrath, PMP, an actuary with Act on IT Consulting in Dublin, said she found the speech “particularly interesting,” adding that people can be Page 7 The three-year initiative to launch the communities of practice is PMI’s largest Iesha Brown, PMI manager, chapter development project to date. “naïve” about their social media presence and are learning some hard lessons. “LinkedIn is very valuable as a resource and we have to be careful not to abuse it,” she said. It Takes a Community PMI’s communities of practice also had the congress participants buzzing, whether it was in the exhibit hall, in the reception areas or after the panel session titled “Leveraging PMI’s Communities of Practice for Success.” The three-year initiative to launch the communities is PMI’s largest project to date, said Iesha Brown, PMI manager, chapter development. With 126,954 subscribers across 36 communities, the communities aim to deepen project and program management practitioners’ knowledge through interaction and ongoing collaboration. And that interaction is likely to increase. “As people become familiar with the communities of practice and how to find [items of interest] and participate, the numbers will grow,” Ms. Brown said. Fellow panelist Dennis Bolles, PMP, a member of the PMI Virtual Community Advisory Group, agreed. “We see this as a year to really build on the base,” he said. Penny Pullan, PhD, PMP, director of Making Projects Work Ltd. in Loughborough, England, asked the presenters to convince her why it was worth taking the time to collaborate in the communities, given the busy schedules of project practitioners. Dr. Pullan seemed swayed by the panelists’ response. Referring to PMI communities of practice, panelist Cassandra Mills, PMP, another member of the advisory group, said, “I love having a day-to-day resource where I can go to bounce an idea off someone else. I use A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) as a guide, but with so many active members and practitioners in the communities, why recreate something when there is a wealth of information and experience available right there at your fingertips, 24 hours a day?” Continued on page 8 Page 8 PMI Today July 2011 EMEA Continued from page 7 Integrating Agile With PMI launching a new certification devoted to it, Agile continued to be a hot topic throughout the congress. Those attending could choose from a wide variety of presentations in which they could learn about Agile techniques. Many of the sessions focused on execution. For example, the session titled “Integrating Agile in a Waterfall World” aimed to show practitioners that Agile doesn’t have to be to an either/or proposition—it can be merged with traditional methodologies. “Establishing PMOs: An Agile Approach” explored how project and program managers can use Agile when instituting PMOs. Agile continued to be a hot topic throughout the congress with a wide variety of presentations. In “PMI’s Agile Certification: Is It Right for You?” Frank Schettini, MBA, PMI’s vice president of IT, explained how the new PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)SM certification came to fruition. Since February, 6,565 people had signed up to participate in the PMI-ACPSM pilot, which took place in May. The certification exams begin in September, with the first PMI-ACP certifications being awarded near the end of the year. Mixing and Mingling The congress wasn’t all business. At the “Taste of Dublin” reception on Tuesday night, attendees enjoyed a live Irish band, fish and chips, and some local beverages. The night before, congress participants had the opportunity to PMI Today July 2011 relax and socialize at a networking reception during the opening of the exhibition area. The exhibition hall also featured PMI’s Career Central booth where UK recruiting firm Arras People set up shop, along with local Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) I.T. Alliance Group Ltd. and IT giant Ericsson. I.T. Alliance was “actively looking” for people from the project coordinator role on up to the senior level, said Eleanor Graham, the company’s project manager for research and development. Darina Corr, a recruitment specialist at LM Ericsson Ireland, said the company was maximizing its Dublin presence to get the company name out. She met several professionals who, while not actively looking for work themselves, knew of contacts they could refer for open positions. Page 9 The EMEA congress concluded on 11 May with another full day of educational sessions, encore sessions and a closing ceremony. Gary Goldstein, PMI’s manager of professional development, relived congress highlights through a video slideshow, and recognized and thanked those involved with the success of the event. PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley also applauded the PMI Ireland Chapter, which “welcomed us with open arms.” He also noted that the spirit of volunteerism would continue long beyond the event. Continued on page 10 Page 10 PMI Today July 2011 EMEA Continued from page 9 “Volunteers do all the critical work at PMI,” he said, including helping to develop standards, serving on the Board, leading chapters and contributing to the communities of practice. “It’s a great way to promote the profession and give back,” he noted. Volunteers do all the critical work at PMI, including helping to develop standards, serving on the Board, leading chapters and contributing to the communities of practice. PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley Picking up on Mr. Eyres’ theme, Mr. Langley also reminded attendees that successful project management is about people and relationships. “It’s not enough for project and program managers to have technical skills,” he said. “We need leadership, conflict resolution and negotiation skills. Organizations are telling us, ‘We’re looking for the next business leaders.’ And I say, ‘It’s about time.’” For project and program leaders looking to build those skills, a PMI global congress is the place to be. Look for more information soon about PMI® Global Congress 2012—EMEA. Thanks to Our Sponsors PMI would like to thank the sponsors who made this event possible. This year’s sponsors included SKEMA Business School, International Institute for Learning, Inc. and Cadence Management Corporation. Quotable: Participants Share How They Benefited from the EMEA Congress Marie Show, PMP, from Commonwealth Bank of Australia, appreciated that the environment of the congress lent itself to meeting with peers from different sectors. “It’s interesting to get different perspectives from different cultures and industries,” she said. “Being here has shown how mature project management is in my company and reinforced that I’m working for the right organization.” Ilga Berzkalns, PMP, from the state-owned forest management group Latvijas Valsts Mezi in Latvia, came to the congress to reflect on how the company’s project, program and portfolio management implementation process is going, including how she sets goals and incentives for project teams. She also wanted to compare experiences with other professionals. “This environment gives me the ability to talk with smart people and compare experiences,” she said. “It’s refreshing to hear that I’m not the only one to have a problem.” Congress first-timer Ronan Dempsey of Rockall Technologies Ltd. in Dublin, said it was helpful to hear so many different points of view. Congress veteran O. Chima Okereke, MBA, PhD, PMP, from Total Technology Consultants Ltd. in Nigeria, said he was getting “lots of ideas” from this year’s event. And just as important, he was networking— “meeting old friends and new people, too.” PMI Today July 2011 Page 11 Page 12 PMI Today July 2011 EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting Changing the World One Project at a Time By Gil Marder Leadership Institute Administrator One hundred eighty PMI leaders from 39 countries energized themselves during two and a half days of networking and leadership development at the PMI EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting (LIM) in Dublin, Ireland. L ongtime PMI volunteer and Region 8 Southwest Europe Mentor Alfonso Bucero, PMP, noted: “PMI President and CEO Mark Langley opened the LIM with his usual smiling face and energy. He clearly stated the PMI advances in terms of membership growth and certification. Mark showed the audience that he is totally con- vinced about the added value that project management can offer to our society. He recognized the efforts of all PMI volunteers and transmitted his enthusiasm through his presentation.” Beth Partleton, PMP, chair, 2011 PMI Board of Directors, spoke of the value of networking and knowledge sharing, and shared her conviction that, “Whenever PMI members feel that they’re part of something that can change the world— one project at a time—it’s because they share a world of good ideas and good practices at meetings like this.” She also showed her enthusiasm, explaining that she has been a PMI volunteer for more than 20 years. A Practical Formula for Success Keynote speaker David Taylor provided an entertaining and motivational ad- Whenever PMI members feel that they’re part of something that can change the world— one project at a time—it’s because they share a world of good ideas and good practices at meetings like this. Beth Partleton, PMP, chair, 2011 PMI Board of Directors PMI Today July 2011 he urged those attending to take advantage of the learning and networking activities, and to use the knowledge and skills gained during the meeting to “take your chapter or community of practice to new levels. You will lead it to change the world.” Region 8 Central Europe Mentor Dino Butorac, PMP, commented that he “really liked the dynamics of the keynote session and particularly Mr. Taylor’s message that the difference between successful chapters or communities of practice, and those that are less successful, is that successful ones are more persistent. They don’t give up.” Lively sessions on membership recruitment and retention, conflict resolution, and PMI’s communities of practice rounded out the day’s educational activities. The first day of the meeting ended with an evening reception during which attendees networked with each other and the PMI Board of Directors. Understanding and Dealing With Change dress. In the first part he shared his formula for success with attendees: ■ Know where you want to go— the outcome—and focus on what you want. ■ Know where you are now. Be the very best that you already are. ■ Take ownership of everything that you say and do, and bring the truth into the room. ■ Know what you have to do to get to where you want to be. ■ Don’t focus on “change”; focus on “choice” and make true decisions. ■ Do it! Value action and persistence. Mr. Taylor went on to explain practical ways to apply the formula to attract new members, engage current members and consistently provide value to them. Echoing Ms. Partleton’s earlier remarks, The second day of the meeting featured keynote speaker Gil Regev, PhD, who Don’t focus on “change”; focus on “choice” Keynote speaker David Taylor delivered a talk titled “Understanding Stability and Change for Community Stability and Growth.” During this thought-provoking session he described some of the mechanisms that work toward and against change, and discussed ways of dealing with them Page 13 to improve the chances of a community’s long-term success. One participant commented that “Dr. Regev delivered a very provocative presentation about the power of norms and values on organizations. He very elegantly stated a case for paying attention to leadership fundamentals surrounding relationship dynamics. Very stimulating.” The second day also featured dynamic learning and sharing breakouts, in which issues and best practices relevant to communities of practice or individual regions were discussed. Educational sessions on volunteer management and marketing were among the day’s most highly attended sessions. The day’s program concluded with a discussion of strategic issues with the PMI Board’s Governance Committee. Participating in this dialogue were Beth Continued on page 14 Page 14 PMI Today July 2011 Leadership Institute Meeting Continued from page 13 Partleton, PMP, chair, 2011 PMI Board of Directors; Peter Monkhouse, BSc(Eng), MBA, PEng, PMP, vice chair; Deanna Landers, MBA, PMP, secretary/ treasurer and chair, performance oversight committee; Jane Farley, MSc, FPParticipants get active during the closing session. MINZ, PMP, chair, Strategic Planning and Program Alignment Committee; and PMI Robb, PMP, vice president for commuPresident and CEO Mark A. Langley. nity involvement in the PMI New Practitioner Community of Practice, said she A spirited networking reception with an gained particular value from a session Irish musical band followed in a foyer of led by PMI New Media Council member, the Convention Centre that overlooked Elizabeth Harrin. Dublin at sunset. “‘Only Connect: Using Social Media for Education, Networking Member Communications’ not only and Inspiration gave me several gems of information, The meeting’s third day offered more strategies and techniques to try; her educational sessions, networking breaks session spurred a highly engaging conand a luncheon that was attended by versation among the participants that, the PMI Board of Directors. Pamela for me, led to connecting with global counterparts for possible future collaborations,” she said. Ms. Robb added that she felt “so charged with excitement to start incorporating some of what I learned into our social media plans.” Closing speaker Brody Sweeney, a co-founder of a charitable organization called Connect Ethiopia, shared professional and volunteer stories in a talk titled “Climbing to Lalibella— An Irishman’s Journey Back From a Business Meltdown.” “Mr. Sweeney’s message on volunteerism was inspirational and deeply touching,” commented one attendee. “His take added a needed dimension to a conference that is often too oriented to technical aspects of project management and personal development. To truly grow, (one should) significantly help others... just because it’s the right thing to do.” “A Terrific Experience” Leadership Institute Advisory Group member Kristine Munson, PMP, encouraged participants to “take your knowledge home and apply it” during the closing session. Ms. Munson also took a few moments to recognize the significant and muchappreciated contributions of the PMI Ireland Chapter’s leadership and volunteers, who were a large reason for the meeting’s success. Special mention went to Liam Dillon, PMP, chapter past president, who worked with the staff in the months leading up to the event, and the many chapter volunteers who gave their time. They received a well-deserved standing ovation from all present. Kristie Evans, community manager of the PMI Human Resource Project Management Community of Practice said she “wanted to thank PMI for the wonderful opportunity to attend the EMEA LIM and network with others involved in PMI communities and chapters. “It was a terrific experience to gain exposure to global perspectives and discover our commonalities as well,” she added. “I hope to continue to attend Continued on page 16 To truly grow, (one should) significantly help others…just because it’s the right thing to do. Closing speaker Brody Sweeney PMI Today July 2011 Page 15 Page 16 PMI Today July 2011 It was a terrific experience to gain exposure to global perspectives and discover our commonalities. Kristie Evans, community manager of the PMI Human Resource Project Management Community of Practice Leadership Institute Meeting Continued from page 14 LIM frequently to network, present as often as I can and build strength in the disciplines of PMI.” Many PMI community leaders enjoyed and gained value from their EMEA LIM experiences. Agnieszka Kosicka, PMP, president of the PMI Poland Chapter, added: “For me, LIM is the most powerful meeting, full of knowledge, many ideas and energetic people. Each time I learn something new about PMI, people and myself.” Elisabeth Weber, PMP, president of the PMI Switzerland Chapter, summed up a feeling held by many when she said that for her and the five other representatives from her chapter, “the LIM reminded us of the [rewarding] aspect about being a PMI Volunteer.” The next Leadership Institute Meeting will be held in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA on 20-22 October 2011. Correction In the article entitled “Three Project Management Degree Programs Gain Accreditation” published in the June issue of PMI Today®, there was an error in the listing of programs accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) at City University of Seattle (Seattle, Washington, USA). The only GAC-accredited program is the Masters of Science in Project Management program. PMI Today regrets the error. PMI Today July 2011 Page 17 E-Learning On Demand: The Alaskan Recovery Series Find the Lost City—and Learn Project Management Skills W hat would you do if you learned that a rich philanthropist is looking for a project manager to hire? You would get free travel to Alaska, USA, spend a couple of days at sea in Bristol Bay, and maybe even participate on a team looking for a lost city. You would work with a variety of stakeholders who have all the latest technology and a huge budget. Time is a little tight, but as an excellent project manager, you could help the team accomplish a lot in the time they have, as they attempt to discover the origins of an ancient artifact found on the floor of the Aleutian Sea, off the coast of Alaska. Would you be interested? Now you can put your knowledge of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)—Fourth Edition into practice in the Alaskan Recovery Series, an exciting simulation of this exact scenario. The simulation challenges you and allows you to succeed— or not—with the opportunity for a do-over if you think of something you would do differently. The Alaskan Recovery Series is a series of simulation courses in which you act as the project manager of a deep-sea expedition project. The courses in the series present project managers with real-world project management scenarios as they manage archeologists, divers, academics and a nautical crew. Learn how to deal with difficult people and situations—just as they are waiting for you in real life. The courses in the series are based on eight Knowledge Areas of the PMBOK® Guide. There are numerous decision points that you must deal with throughout the course. Two people can take this simulation and see different scenes be- cause their decisions will differ, leading them to different paths throughout the course. You, as the project manager, run the project and will determine the successful or not-sosuccessful ending to this project. This is an intermediate-level course, so terms and definitions will not be explained. You will be expected to know what the terms mean and know what documents need to be completed on a project. Here’s what users had to say about the Project Scope Management course, the first course launched in the Alaskan Recovery Series: ■ “The content was very good, and the delivery of the material was among the best I’ve experienced in any elearning course. The safety focus, decision points and tool interaction were well placed. The fact that you can repeat the course is a good benefit, considering it took me a few screens to get into the groove, interface and [learn the] options available. The avatars were an added touch to personalize the experience….There was a good balance between listening and doing. I always felt involved. The technology was well-suited, and made this experience much more enjoyable. Great experience. Highly recommended.” ■ “This was very interesting. I was going to take a few days to complete it, but it was so engrossing I finished in one afternoon.” ■ “It was entertaining. Many online courses are very interactive but boring; this was different (in a good way). Thanks.” The second course, Project Time Management, has just been launched. More courses will be launched in the coming months. Look for Project Communications and Project Cost Management courses next. Users who complete each course will receive an evaluation that details success and areas for improvement. Professional development units (PDUs) and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for those who are maintaining their PMI professional credentials. Learn more about the Alaskan Recovery Series and other e-learning on-demand courses at www.PMI.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/e-learning/e-Learningon-Demand.aspx. Page 18 PMI Today July 2011 Community Portraits In this monthly PMI Today® feature, members will be introduced to PMI’s 36 communities of practice. These are new and growing online communities where PMI members meet online, discuss ideas and build the body of knowledge. If any of these communities interests you, go to its site and begin collaborating with peers worldwide to find solutions that meet your needs and advance the profession. Interact through wikis, webinars, discussions and blogs. Use shared documents, surveys, announcements, a member directory and popular links. All of these tools are at your disposal. The more you get involved with communities of practice, the more you’ll benefit from your PMI membership. Introducing the PMI Marketing and Sales Community of Practice The PMI Marketing and Sales Community of Practice is focused on virtual membership collaboration and participation in approximately 20 (and growing) website discussion threads, blogs, and webinars. Our leadership team is focused on providing education and resource topics within the project management realm in the areas that our members indicated were most important to their careers. These include marketing and sales operations, product marketing management, market research and pricing strategies. You don’t have to be a marketing and sales professional to benefit from the insights provided through our virtual community. Come participate with us in a discussion thread or blog, and share your insights and expertise with other PMI members. resources | ideas | knowledge Introducing Volunteer Leaders Karen Wang, PMP, marketing and sales council leader, helped execute a seamless transition from specific interest group to the community of practice by writing and overseeing the marketing plan, tracking annual goals, providing the volunteer team with unwavering leadership skills, and consistently energizing our team with new ideas and insights. Esteban Villegas, PMP, marketing and sales membership lead, is one of our community’s newest council leaders. Mr. Villegas is responsible for membership retention and our annual membership growth goals. He monitors membership and revenue to provide insights about programs and services that would assist members with their career goals and project management education. Benefits and Services The Marketing and Sales Community of Practice is part of a groundbreaking project management trend. The majority of marketing and sales professionals tell us they are performing project management processes within their departments, but continue to be frustrated by the challenge of not being able to clearly define their department’s value as it relates to corporate ROI, data quality and program measurements. The major education goals of the Marketing and Sales Community of Practice are to provide industry experts’ advice and motivate our membership to share their expertise through virtual discussion boards, blogs and webinars. Watch for announcements and newsletters that address the emerging areas of project management as it relates to achieving marketing and sales department efficiencies, managing your marketing assets and proving project results. Visit the community at http:// mktgandsales.vc.pmi.org. Introducing the PMI Legal Project Management Community of Practice Due to the recent economic downturn, the legal world now faces many of the same challenges that have transformed other industries: managing downward pricing pressure on legal work, providing more cost predictability to clients and doing more with less—all while increasing client service and communication. The industry looks to adopt more project management techniques as it moves from a traditional time-based billing scenario to one that involves alternative fee arrangements, such as fixed fees. The PMI Legal Project Management Community of Practice offers project management practitioners the only industry forum to learn, share and grow the discipline of project management within the legal industry. Whether you work within a corporate legal department, a law firm, or litigation-support firm, joining the community will help you learn to more effectively manage your legal projects. Featured here are the members of the community council who are dedicated to delivering superior member services. Introducing Volunteer Leaders Paul Easton, JD, CEDS, PMP, is a managing director of Global Colleague and oversees its Asian operations, dividing his time between Taiwan and India. He manages PMI Today July 2011 archive selection and implementation projects, and highvolume, multinational, multilingual discovery projects for the United States’ largest law firms and corporations. Mr. Easton served two years as the director of administration for the PMI Services and Outsourcing Specific Interest Group. Kim Craig, PMP, has worked in the legal industry for just under 30 years and is currently the director of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s project management office. She has extensive experience in management and expertise in several operational areas including technology applications and knowledge management. Ms. Craig leads her team of client-facing, certified project management professionals in partnership with attorneys in the delivery of legal services in all practice areas. Rick Kathuria, P.Eng, CMC, PMP, has been working with McCarthy Tétrault, one of Canada’s leading law firms, as head of their IT development group and director of their project management office. He oversees all major new IT projects for McCarthy Tétrault and has spent the last two years working with senior partners of the firm developing tools and training lawyers on managing their legal mandates. Prior to joining the law firm, he spent several years at a top-tier consulting firm, running wide-scale international implementation projects. Robert Bruce, MS, PMP, is primarily focused on working with the attorneys at Frost Brown Todd, LLC to drive internal innovation of work process and project management techniques. He spent 10 years working in the advertising industry, then 17 years developing and marketing enterprise-level project management, accounting and digital asset management in an industry permanently changed by technology and alternative fee arrangements. Benefits and Services In addition to regular monthly webinars with industry-leading speakers and content, we offer a monthly newsletter that focuses on hot topics in legal project management and highlights the community’s subject matter experts and member accomplishments. We also offer opportunities for our members to engage with a volunteer staff of industry experts via our lively discussion boards and blog. Whether you’re looking for professional development units (PDUs) to maintain your credential, exposure to the largest membership pool of legal project management professionals, an opportunity to contribute to the legal project management body of knowledge, or simply a chance to hear what other legal project managers are saying, our community is the place for you. Come check us out. Visit the community at http://legalpm.vc.pmi.org. Introducing the PMI eBusiness Community of Practice The PMI eBusiness Community of Practice focuses on market-driven initiatives in the area of electronic commerce, electronic data interchange, and related web processes and technologies— specifically as they relate to project management. Project managers working directly with e-business projects or who just have a basic interest can gain from our community. Being a member of the PMI eBusiness Community of Practice connects you with a community of e-business profes- Page 19 sionals with the same interests as you. As an active member, you benefit from a focused collaboration of practitioners, who provide thought-provoking interaction and value-added information and resources to further your career and the profession. Member needs are the core purpose of our community. Featured here are two council members who are dedicated to delivering superior member services. Introducing Volunteer Leaders Chad Cook, PMP, our knowledge manager, leads the effort to develop and promote topics of interest within the e-business community. Each month, Mr. Cook looks to initiate two discussion threads and one knowledge content topic for the community. He is also eager to serve your interests by promoting any topics you, the members, bring forward. Ira Greenberg, PMP, is responsible for community outreach and leads the initiatives responsible for membership, social media, and collaboration with local chapters, other communities and associations. He is also the chief architect of our monthly newsletter. Mr. Greenberg is always looking for ways to develop programs that support these initiatives. He is eager to serve you in building awareness of the products and services available within the community, as well as bringing new ones forward. Benefits and Services In addition to regular discussion threads, knowledge content topics, newsletters and content, the leadership team is looking to expand our available programs in 2011. For members looking to interact through the web, our commuContinued on page 20 Page 20 PMI Today July 2011 Community Portraits Continued from page 19 nity leadership team has provided discussion boards, blogs and wikis. Our volunteer staff looks to engage our members through thought-provoking and leading-edge dialogue on the community section of the website. Come check us out—for PDUs to maintain your credential, networking with ebusiness project managers, or simply for a chance to hear what other project managers are saying. Visit the community at http://ebusiness.vc.pmi.org. Introducing the PMI Project Risk Management Community of Practice The PMI Project Risk Management Community of Practice has a bold new vision. We see a world where project experts in various roles come together to educate, share, contribute and learn about project risk management by taking advantage of the virtual platform that PMI has enabled. We see a world that builds upon tradition and offers leading-edge, thought-provoking ideas in a collaborative and exciting venue. Benefits are plentiful. Even though we are young, our more than 7,300 global members engage in discussion threads, conduct educational surveys and participate in webinars. What’s more, world- renowned experts in the project risk management field contribute knowledge content that is actionable and ready for our members to adopt. In effect, collectively we are creating our bold, new future. This energy could not have been possible without the Project Risk Management Community of Practice Council and its team members. We would like to take this opportunity to feature two of our leaders: Introducing Volunteer Leaders Karim Kiani, PMP, a founding member of the community, has more than 20 years of experience in software engineering, telecommunications, financial services and IT project management. He has more than 10 years’ experience leading intercultural virtual teams, as well as five years’ experience in heading project management offices (PMOs), setting up PMOs, and training and coaching of project managers and PMO staff. Mr. Kiani has been a practitioner in risk management for 10 years because of his involvement in high-risk projects and time-critical telecommunications projects. Steven Peck, PMI-RMP, PMP, the knowledge management team leader, is a senior manager with Deloitte’s Enterprise Risk practice who has more than 18 years of experience delivering projects and programs. Since 2001, Mr. Peck has specialized in project and program risk management consulting. He volunteered with the PMI Certification Department. As the knowledge management lead, Mr. Peck looks forward to working with the knowledge management team and the community to develop content and resources to support project risk management practitioners globally. Mr. Kiani and Mr. Peck—together with the other international council members, Clint Dietze, PMP; Nikitas Kalantjakos, PMP; Samuel Dhar; and Edmund Conrow, PMP—are working to continue our growth and enable more exciting opportunities in the days ahead. Providing value to our members is what we are all about. Be on the lookout for a webinar regarding one member’s experience in obtaining the PMI Project Risk Management (PMI-RMP)® credential. Learn from her experience as you prepare for yours. Also ahead, we look forward to a new marketing lead council member, as well as further virtual discussions and webinars. See you online at http://risk.vc.pmi.org. What’s Going On in the Featured Communities? Discussions: A PMI Marketing and Sales Community of Practice discussion asks if you plan on taking the customer into account from the beginning of the project. Does the legal industry need certified project managers? Comment in the PMI Legal Project Management Community of Practice. On the PMI e-Business Community of Practice, a participant said “My most re- cent venture was creating a web e-Business that included a complete application and online store. Yes, I used a [work breakdown structure] and project plan to kick off my start-up! I have learned a lot about the e-business and am always looking to learn more and make new connections.” So, if something is certain, is it not a risk and does it not need to be managed? That question has drawn many comments on the PMI Project Risk Management Community of Practice. Available Resources: Newsletters: PMI Marketing and Sales Community of Practice Newsletter, published May 2011. Includes member and blogger spotlights. Blogs: How does Project Management, Sales and Marketing interrelate with one another? is a question asked on a blog on the PMI Marketing and Sales Community of Practice. This post has over 40 comments. PMI Today July 2011 Page 21 Educational Foundation J PMI Chapters Build Multifaceted Programs for Social Good ust as we know project management is a universal professional skill, we’re also learning that project management expertise has a broad power to help others. PMI chapters are embracing this concept and developing multidimensional charitable programs that benefit a variety of worthy stakeholders, including youth, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civic organizations—and it’s happening all over the world! Creating financial opportunities for students through scholarships is another part of the Tulsa program. The chapter sponsors a scholarship that is administered by PMIEF. Building Better Futures Project Management for Youth The PMI Sydney, Australia Chapter has created a Building Better Futures Program that includes youth and community projects. The Sydney Chapter is using its professional project management expertise to build a better future for youth, women and disabled citizens. The PMI Tulsa Chapter (USA) program blends community assistance, youth programs and financial opportunities through scholarships to build a multidimensional program that makes a positive impact in their community. The chapter provides support and coaching for the Australia Special Olympics and has also created a program that encourages women to become project managers. Teaching risk management to 12-yearolds by using a popular television show, “The Deadliest Catch,” is part of Tulsa’s PM Youth Program. The chapter created a project-based learning program based on a curriculum developed by the PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) for middle school (12-13 year olds). Chapter volunteers are teaching project management using “youth-friendly” examples that engage kids. The chapter is also partnering with the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce to provide project management expertise and improve performance across some of the chamber’s large volunteer civic projects. In keeping with the theme of Building Better Futures, this year the chapter is piloting a program for both teachers and students in a girls’ school, where the actual project will be planning and building a bridge. Building Better Futures is also the theme of the PMI São Paulo, Brazil Chapter’s initiative for social good. This program combines elements of youth and NGO programs to help people and organizations. Using PMIEF’s Project Management Skills for Life guide, members of the PMI São Paulo Chapter provided project management training to CIEDEF, a Brazilian NGO that promotes athletics and sports for the physically disabled. The chapter is also working to build programs in secondary schools with São Paulo’s secretary of education, and shortly the chapter will be providing mentors for students and staff as part of a PMIEF grant to CDI, a Brazilian NGO that has more than 800 community centers in Brazil. This grant was funded through a chapter donation to the PMIEF. The program incorporates project management into the CDI youth training methodology, potentially introducing project management to thousands of children and providing them with skills. The chapter has also volunteered to translate the PMI Project Management Methodology for Post Disaster ReconContinued on page 23 Page 22 PMI Today July 2011 Events Calendar PMI Today Deadlines: SEPTEMBER 2011 ..............15 JULY OCTOBER 2011 ..................15 AUGUST ® The PMI Today Calendar of Coming Events is reserved for activities organized by PMI, its communities and its cooperating organizations. Please see PMI’s online Coming Project Management Events Calendar for more events, including those sponsored by Registered Education Providers and other suppliers of related goods and services. JULY 2011 5–7 July PMINZ Chapter Project Management Conference Auckland, New Zealand. The conference theme is “Innovate To Succeed.” Come and explore the creative aspects of project management and learn how we can rearrange the old skills in a new way to pave our way to success. www.pminzconference.com. 16–17 July PMI Japan Chapter Forum con gre ss e s | conf e ren ces | sem i nar s | symp osiu ms | w ebinar s www.mypmsite.info/PMIWeb01/ EventDetails.aspx?ProductID=2635. San Francisco, California, USA. Take a break from your hectic schedule to retool your thinking about project management. SeminarsWorld San Francisco has a number of new courses that tackle sticky subjects such as team communications, negotiation skills, project politics and more. Reserve your seat today! http://www.pmi.org/Professional-Development/SeminarsWorld.aspx. 22 July Present With Precision and Authority Denver, Colorado, USA. PMI Mile Hi Chapter presents Dr. Steven Hayward on presenting your messages clearly, concisely and with authority. You will learn verbal, nonverbal and logistical skills to deliver powerful presentations to teams, stakeholders, executives and others. 19 August PMI Portland Chapter Workshop—Managing Projects, Programs and Portfolios AUGUST 2011 8–11 August PMI SeminarsWorld® Annapolis, Maryland, USA. Keep your competitive edge! Join us for SeminarsWorld Annapolis, where leading subject matter experts share their experience and deep knowledge on a variety of emerging topics. Whether you are looking to build your leadership skills, work on soft skills such as communications and collaboration, or delve deeper into Agile, this event provides a unique opportunity to learn and connect to the project management community. www.pmi.org/Professional-Development/SeminarsWorld.aspx. 15–17 August PMI São Paulo, Brazil Chapter International Seminar São Paulo, Brazil. Experience a dynamic interaction among audience and speakers through panels and group discussions. This is an excel- Tokyo, Japan. “Evolving Glocalization of Project Management.” Speakers include Professor Hitoshi Kuninaka, Hayabusa Project, JAXA; Masaru Honda, director of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; Osamu Ohno, senior managing director, Hitachi, Ltd.; Hirotoshi Kamba, PMP, chairman of PMI Japan Chapter; and more. forum-2011e@pmi-japan.org. 18–21 July PMI SeminarsWorld® lent opportunity to enhance your skills and network. www.pmisp.org.br/11seminario. Portland, Oregon, USA. One-day professional development day conference themed “Champions of Change: Managing, Projects, Programs and Portfolios.” Four educational tracks with inspiring and useful knowledge. Tres Roeder, the keynote speaker, will share discoveries and interesting surprises on managing the human side of change. www.pmi-portland.org. 25–26 August 4th Pernambuco Project Management Congress: Managing Strategies and Its Uncertainties Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The event will discuss how prepared companies, government and our projects are for high impact. The fourth congress will have about 500 participants who will have the opportunity to network and share experiences with high-level professionals and experts. www.pmipe.org.br. PMI eSeminarsWorldSM Featured Course: Project Management Fundamentals: An Intensive Program Five-week in-depth web-based seminar PDUs: 35 T his intensive program provides participants with practical experience applying the fundamentals of project management. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be able to create a project life cycle, a statement of work, a work breakdown structure, a schedule, a budget and a risk management plan. Students work together in groups over a fiveweek period to develop a project plan for a real project. Students are encouraged to bring current projects to the class. Project Management Fundamentals: An Intensive Program will be offered on: ■ 4 August–8 September For more information and to register, visit www.PMI.org/Professional-Development/ e-learning/eSeminarsWorld.aspx. About the instructors: Alex Walton, MBA, PMP, is a well-known practitioner, teacher, facilitator and consultant focusing on effective program/project management for new product development, process improvements, re-engineering, strategic planning and other activities. Cheryl Allen is a project management consultant and trainer specializing in practical project management processes for technology projects. Sonja Koppensteiner, PhD, PMP, the founder of InterGlobe Consulting, has close to 15 years of experience in the high-tech industry as a project and program manager and a business consultant. PMI Today July 2011 UPCOMING > ® PMI GLOBAL CONGRESSES AND EVENTS PMI® Global Congress 2011— North America 22–25 October 2011 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA http://congresses.pmi.org understand power and influence, and how to effectively lead your projects based on the situation. www.pmi-chicagoland.org. 16 September PMINYC Chapter 2011 Professional Development Day New York, New York, USA. The 2011 theme is “The Evolution of Project Management,” addressing the shift from tactical to strategic use of project management in organizations. Our keynote speaker, David Houle, is known as the “CEOs’ Futurist.” www.pminyc.org. 19–20 September Annual Professional Development Days SEPTEMBER 2011 8–10 September Project Management National Conference 2011 Bangalore, India. Theme: Architecting Project Management for Nation Building. www.pmi.org.in/conference2011. 9 September Dynamic Leadership Skills for Better Project Results Chicago, Illinois, USA. PMI Chicagoland Chapter presents Tres Roeder, PMP, on leadership. As project managers and program managers, we are viewed as leaders but often lack formal “position authority.” This course will help you PMIEF Continued from page 21 struction to help in the recovery process from severe flooding in Brazil. Launching New Scholarships, Mentoring and Collaborating Sponsoring a scholarship through PMIEF is the latest addition to the PMI New York City Chapter’s member programs for social good. The chapter recently launched its scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to chapter members who are building their project management education. Also, the chapter has developed a youth and teacher mentoring program with Virtual Enterprises International, a program of the New York City School Department Overland Park, Kansas, USA. The PMI KC Mid America Chapter presents its Annual Professional Development Days, themed “Project Managers Drive Results.” We are featuring Bill Rancic (from Donald Trump’s original Apprentice) and world-renowned super-guru Jeff Havens as our keynote speakers. www.kcpmichapter.org. 20–21 September 6th Biennial International Project Management Conference Port of Spain, Trinidad. PMI Southern Caribbean Chapter presents a conference themed “Bridging the Gap: Strategic Thought Transformed Through Project Management.” Keynote speakers Gopal Kapur and Eugene Bounds, PMP. www.pmiscc.org. nized as the largest professional gathering of project managers in Canada. This year’s event focuses on “Building the Future With Project Management.” One of this year’s distinguished keynote speakers is Graham Bird, who oversaw the redevelopment of Ottawa’s impressive new convention center. www.pmiovoc.org. NOVEMBER 2011 6–9 November PMO Symposium 2011 Orlando, Florida, USA. Presented by the PMI Program Management Office Community of Practice, PMO Symposium is for PMO practitioners, project managers and organizational leaders interested in strengthening the value of a program management office. Learn from the experts at more than 30 different sessions. Highlights include two dynamic keynotes, presentation of the PMO of the Year Award, daily wrap-up panel discussions, and session formats designed for dialogue and Q&A. www.pmosymposium.org. 13–15 November Project Portfolio Days Toledo, Spain. Sponsored by PMI Madrid, Spain Chapter. This event provides you with knowledge, tools and practices to help make better project business decisions, and achieve a balanced and optimal project portfolio. The focus will be on project portfolio selection and analysis methods and case studies. www.projectportfolioday.com. OCTOBER 2011 18–20 October PMI OVOC’s 11th Annual National Capital Symposium Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This event is recog- of Education in which students simulate creating and running their own businesses using best project management practices. Collaborating with not-for-profit organizations is also a great way to bring project management programs to youth. One chapter member collaborates with Public Color, a not-for-profit organization that provides youth programs. They use PMIEF’s Project Management Skills for Life guide, along with engaging content that contains real-world examples including references to Lady Gaga. If you have a program or initiative to share, please write to pmief@pmi.org. Page 23 PM Network® Is now available as an App on iPhone and iPad. Page 24 PMI Today July 2011 Scheduling Community Hosts Annual Conference T he PMI Scheduling Community of Practice hosted the 8th Annual Scheduling Conference in May in San Francisco, California, USA. More than 200 participants from 16 countries attended, representing 137 companies worldwide. The informative three-day conference addressed how organizations everywhere are obtaining remarkable busi- ness value from project scheduling. Attendees were exposed to how worldwide organizations are advancing the techniques, practice and profession of project scheduling, and learned how to establish practice standards for the project management profession. Spencer E. Lamoreaux from Intel, this year’s keynote speaker, discussed the challenges and needs of corporations like Intel, and explored how the scheduling community can help solve the challenges and foster professional scheduling as a core competency. The conference featured more than 60 sessions in nine tracks, including scheduling, enterprise, claims, IT/computers, innovation (research), risk management, case studies, the scheduling excellence initiative, and a tools/ exhibitor/quality track. There was also a special presentation from Jim Snyder, PMI Fellow, a founder of PMI, titled “From the Beginning… 1969-2009—The First 40 Years.” The session was recorded and is available for replay at the PMI Scheduling Community of Practice portal at http://scheduling.vc.pmi.org. — Doc Dochtermann, PMI-SP, PMP, Director, Marketing and Publicity PMI Scheduling Community of Practice The PMI Scheduling Community of Practice also recognized key individuals for their contributions to the profession. This year’s award winners are: Ludovic Hauduc Significant Contribution to the Profession Mike Mosley, Jr. PE, PMP Significant Contribution to the Profession E. Harvey Elwin Innovation Award Fred C. Kreitzberg, PE Jim O’Brien Lifetime Achievement Award Stu Ockman, PMP PMI College of Scheduling Founders Award Laura Williams, CPIM, PMI-SP, PMP Contribution to the PMI Scheduling Community of Practice and its predecessor organization, the PMI College of Scheduling PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Page 25 news | people | projects PMI New Jersey Chapter www.pminj.org 25 Years Celebrated with Symposium and Social Media Seminar E ach year the New Jersey Chapter hosts a Sunday seminar in May, followed by a full-day symposium. This year an audience of 150 participated in a “Social Media for Project Managers” seminar led by Rory Vaden. The keynoter hypothesized that it is possible to make Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn work for you in 30 minutes a day. He explained that social media is a form of “free education.” These tools can be used as powerful two-way communication vehicles for project managers. Email may become a thing of the past, said Mr. Vaden. The adoption rates for social media tools, are increasing dramatically each year and these tools are the main form of communication for the 20–30 age group. now!” Attendees were challenged to step through the session's handout to bring focus to what matters and realize personal strengths. Three tracks anchored the day: WOW Leadership, WOW Methodology and Build Your WOW Brand. The first morning track session gave examples from great leaders and spoke of “Good to Great” project management practice. edge (PMBOK® Guide)” and “Transitioning Project Management Skills To Build the Green Economy.” An elaborate buffet lunch led into Mr. Vaden's “Take the Stairs” keynote, compelling attendees to stop procrastinating and take the next step literally and figuratively to accomplish personal and organizational goals. A hard act to follow, the afternoon sessions engaged atten- Mr. Vaden recommended that companies should establish Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to enhance their marketing, branding and communications to a broader audience. The New Jersey Chapter is using the learning from this seminar to augment their alreadyexisting LinkedIn account with Twitter and Facebook capabilities. The 25th Annual PMI New Jersey Chapter Symposium, with the theme “Deliver with WOW,” did just that for the participants, over 600 strong. The first keynote, Scott Regan, energized the audience with moving inspirations for leadership in the face of change. Scott surprised the attendees by standing on top of the only partially empty table in the room and saying “It's not the same world and won't be four years from Left: Deven Trivedi, PMP, PMI New Jersey Chapter vice president, symposium, thanks the speaker Tres Roeder for his presentation on the human side of change. Right: Rory Vaden presents the topic of social media to PMI New Jersey Chapter Sunday seminar attendees. He also conducted a workshop entitled "Take the Stairs" with a focus on accomplishing ones goals, at the chapter’s Monday symposium. After a networking break in the exhibition space, the second morning session offered attendees three track sessions to choose from, on popular topics including, “Navigating Organizational Politics,” “Applying Agile with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowl- dees to lead in crisis, guide their organizations into sustainable programs and create a personal brand. The attendees buzzed in the exhibitor room during the afternoon break to bring the speakers’ concepts home and apply them. Continued on page 26 Page 26 PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links New Jersey Continued from page 25 The final keynote, Tres Roeder, presented the case for and the reality of the human side of change: awareness, whole body responsiveness, clear communication, adaptability, diplomacy and persistence. These are the skills required for project managers to be change agents, he said. This was also a great way to close the symposium, leaving project managers with much to ponder. Overall, what emerged from this veritable mind-expanding day, was that leader- news | people | projects ship is a choice and participation is required to leverage this choice—regardless of where one is positioned in the organization. Furthermore, there was unanimous energy for project managers to lead the change and to be the change. to leverage the insights presented at the 25th annual PMINJ symposium. — Maureen T. Sammis, PMP Director of Publicity and Social Networking PMI New Jersey Chapter Volunteering for the PMI New Jersey Chapter was also cited as one of the success factors to expanding personal and corporate value. This year made it apparent, it's time for all project managers to recognize their leadership, methodologies and personal strengths — Kalpana Patel, PMP Symposium Communication Project Manager PMI Rio Grande do Sul Chapter (Brazil) www.pmirs.org.br Chapter Opens First Official PMI Branch in Brazil T he first official PMI branch in Brazil has been formed in the Serra Gaúcha region in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state. Formalized at the PMI Latin America Leadership Institute Meeting in Florianópolis, Brazil, the PMI Rio Grande do Sul Chapter received permission to spread its operation through branches in Rio Grande do Sul state. The project to enable branch operation began in 2008, when the chapter started developing project management events and attracting PMI members in the Serra Gaúcha region. “Serra Gaúcha is the region in our state that hosts the biggest number of chapter members after greater Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state,” Left: PMI Rio Grande do Sul Chapter officers and PMI staff met at the 2011 Latin America Leadership Institute Meeting. Right: Volunteers were essential to the successful formation of the branch. said André Voltolini, the chapter’s branch creation and coordination director. “It has more than 45 members, who represent more than 68 percent of members away from the capital.” According to Leandro Vignochi, PMP, project manager of the Serra Gaúcha Branch project, success in reaching this goal was the result of understanding stakeholder characteristics in the region, promoting events to attract volunteers to be part of the project, and finally presenting the project plan to the community to create the opportunity for everybody interested in taking part in it. Caxias do Sul, a city of more than 410,000 inhabitants located within the Serra Gaúcha region, is the secondlargest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is an industrial city, home to en- Serra Gaúcha Region Brazil Porto Alegre (capital of Rio Grande do Sul State) Rio Grande do Sul State Located north of the capital of Porto Alegre, the Serra Gaúcha region is home to the largest number of PMI chapter members in Rio Grande do Sul state outside of the capital city itself. terprises involved in metals, machines, chemicals, furniture and IT, with an environment that is very fertile to project management. — André Voltolini PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Page 27 news | people | projects PMI Baltimore, MD Chapter www.pmibaltmore.org Chapter Partners With University to Promote Project Management Above: Those attending the culminating event of the UMBC Project Management Fundamentals course at UMBC included panelists, students, instructor Anita Griner and, in front, Eric Perlstein, PMI-RMP, PMP, president of the PMI Baltimore Chapter. Right: Anita Griner, PMP, faculty member at UMBC was the instructor for the Graduate Engineering Management Project Management Fundamentals course. A semester-long partnership between the PMI Baltimore, MD Chapter and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), culminated in an eventful evening, including a student-led project manager panel discussion. The 29 students enrolled in UMBC’s Graduate Engineering Management Project Management Fundamentals course initiated, planned and Jack Chopper (left) and Jack Grasskopf (center), students at UMBC who participated in the Project Management Fundamentals course, are seen with Eric Perlstein (right), president of the PMI Baltimore Chapter, at the course’s culminating event. executed the evening under the direction of Anita Griner, PMP, instructor and faculty member for UMBC. More than 130 UMBC students, faculty, staff and PMI Baltimore Chapter members attended the event. The evening started with a networking dinner which gave the UMBC students the opportunity to socialize with PMI members as well as potential employers. After dinner, the students presented on the project management concepts assigned to them at the beginning of the semester and discussed lessons learned by each of the groups. Following the presentations was a panel discussion consisting of six project managers who were selected by the student teams. The panelists shared their experiences, challenges and expertise in project management through questions generated by the students. PMI Baltimore Chapter member Jack Ference, PMI-RMP, PMP, helped coordi- nate the event with UMBC. This is the second year the chapter has sponsored the event, and the first time the students conducted a panel discussion with an audience. “This is a unique opportunity for the students to walk away with educational training, practical application and a bridge to project management for the future,” explained Ms. Griner. “The event gave the students the opportunity to embrace the concepts of project management through a real and practical project,” said Rick Hammond, practice manager at UMBC. PMI Baltimore Chapter President Eric Perlstein, PMI-RMP, PMP, noted that the Continued on page 28 Page 28 PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Baltimore Continued from page 27 chapter’s goals for sponsoring an event at the university level were to increase the chapter’s exposure into academia, increase membership at the academic level and introduce project management much earlier in people’s careers. news | people | projects “This grooms the students to take the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® exam and helps to prepare them for project management specialty areas,” he said. Mr. Perlstein also noted that these events allow the attendees to “learn the importance of project management and best practices so they can apply them to the real world.” The PMI Baltimore Chapter has started working with other universities in the state of Maryland who want to follow the same path and form similar partnerships. — Suzanne Maxa-Albers, PMP Marketing Coordinator PMI Baltimore, MD Chapter Project management students and instructor. PMI Rio Grande Chapter (New Mexico, USA) www.pmirgc.org Chapter Celebrates 25th Anniversary G rowth and diversification have been key factors in the history of the PMI Rio Grande Chapter, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA in January 2011. When the chapter was founded, the PMI Rio Grande Chapter’s primary members were from Sandia National Laboratories, a major employer in the Albuquerque area. Today, the chapter has members from 160 companies and organizations throughout New Mexico. A total of 75 people attended the celebration—a record attendance for the 366-person chapter. Deanna Landers, MBA, PMP, a member of the PMI Board of Directors and PMI secretary/treasurer and chair of the Performance Oversight Committee, attended the 25th anniversary celebration. Ms. Landers gave a talk on project management as a strategic competency. Also on hand for the celebration were several past members of the chapter board of directors. Morgan Kramm, PMP, a previous chapter president, was recognized as the longest-term chapter member present at the event. The chapter annually joins with the American Society for Quality and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs to reach a wider audience and promote awareness of project management throughout the business community. Present and past board members who attended the PMI Rio Grande Chapter’s 25th anniversary event included (back row, from left) John Hunter, PMP; Juanita Davis, PMP, vice president of finance; Mike Neitzey, PMP; Christine Neitzey, PMP; Kellis Jones, immediate past president; and Suzette Beck, vice president of membership; (front row, from left) Nicolette Bauer, PMP, vice president of communications; Mary Rivera, vice president of programs; Andrea Ricciardi, PMP, vice president of administration; Justin Johnson, president; and Katelyn Mileshosky, vice president of marketing. PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Chapter Achieves Strong Growth Despite Challenging Times Page 29 news | people | projects Officers and executives of the PMI Doctor Bird Chapter pose for a group picture at the chapter’s annual planning retreat in January 2011. Shown are (from left) Carlton Brown, PMP, vice president, professional development; Antonette Clarke, PMP, vice president, membership; Jana Bent, PMP, director of publications; Nicola Denniser, PMP, vice president, communications; Michael Hamilton, PMP, director, corporate relations; and David Cook, PMP, president and board chair. Not shown are Tania Brown, director, programs and events; John Lobban, PMP, vice president, finance and board secretary; Carina Cockburn, PMP, vice president, programs and events; and John Ricketts, director of sponsorship. PMI Doctor Bird Chapter (Jamaica) http://pmijdbc.org S taying the course during challenging times, the PMI Doctor Bird Chapter has continued to grow and retain its membership in spite of the downward turn in the global economy that has resulted in tougher spending decisions for professionals and volunteers. Located in Jamaica, West Indies, the chapter has not only been able to retain its membership levels for the last two years but has now broken its previous membership record of 130 members by increasing its size to 148 as of March 2011. Also as of March 2011, the chapter has enjoyed the highest year-to-date member growth rate in PMI Region 14, which consists of 24 chapters in southern North America and the Caribbean. Since January 2011, the chapter’s growth rate has been 13.85 percent, or 24 year-todate new members. Sticking to Our Mandate The chapter’s core mandate is to advance the project management profession in Jamaica. This is directly linked to PMI’s envisioned goal, which is “World- wide, organizations will embrace, value and utilize project management and attribute their success to it.” Chapter advocacy for proper project management principles and practices has resulted in many Jamaican organizations being exposed to PMI’s project management principles and standards, and the benefits of using them. Over the years, this has resulted in many Jamaican organizations attributing their success to project management, a feat that the chapter proudly recognizes each year. Advocacy and Training Attract Members Since 2007, we have had the privilege of awarding the prestigious “Project Management Organization of the Year” award to stellar companies such as Digicel Jamaica, National Commercial Bank and Neustone Limited. The exposure gained through this coveted award and strong advocacy of the profession has encouraged members of these organizations to formally join the chapter so that they can have access to PMI’s resources. As part of our advocacy mission, teams of chapter executives and volunteers have made presentations to charity organizations; professional associations; small-, medium- and large-size enterprises; financial institutions; and government organizations. In addition, the chapter conducts formal training for professionals seeking certification in project management. These avenues have exposed many professionals to the chapter and have been an additional source of new members. Listening to Our Members and Providing Results! The chapter conducts regular membership surveys and thoroughly analyzes the data to detect interest areas that are important to the members. For example, after one survey the chapter made significant changes to its IT and website. Another area of feedback involved the importance of offering content that focuses on relevant topical issues at monthly chapter meetings. In 2010, the chapter made a special effort to deliver Continued on page 30 Page 30 PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Doctor Bird Continued from page 29 inspiring and dynamic guest speakers. This yielded an increase in meeting attendance to an all-time high in June 2010 of 67 attendees. Up until February 2010, the chapter had never surpassed a monthly meeting attendance of 50. A PMI survey in March 2011 showed a high percentage of new Doctor Bird Chapter members are being referred by other members. We feel this is primarily due to the referring members realizing direct benefits from joining the chapter. PMI Northern Italy Chapter news | people | projects The chapter also continues to retain longstanding members who have been instrumental in the development and growth of the chapter, and who maintain their membership from as far back as 1999 when the chapter was chartered. With this growth and commitment by the members and leadership of the Doctor Bird Chapter, the advancement of project management in Jamaica is on an upward trend, and the profession is poised to be a catalyst for positive change in Jamaica’s organizations. — Antonette Clarke MBA, BSc, PMP Vice President, Membership PMI Doctor Bird Chapter www.pmi-nic.org Back to Ethics A n event called “Successful Ethics, Denied Ethics” took place in Milan, Italy, as another important deliverable of the PMI Northern Ruffa, PMP, a chapter associate director and research director of ProgEtica, and Fabio Rigamonti. The event featured four expert speakers. Opening speaker Silvana G. Ceresa analyzed some aspects of professional ethics. Everyone should have a picture of the current ethical scenario, she said. We need to put more attention on ethics to resist temptations that come from possession of power. The next speaker, Alberto Peretti, maintained that ethical motivation is both an engine that can power the economy and be a force for a better world. Bruno Bonsignore, president of Assoetica, stated that we should be prepared to answer the question, “What would you do to bring more ethics inside your company?” Italy Chapter’s “ProgEtica” research project. This project started in 2008 and continues to provide valuable contributions to the project management community, investigating the presence or absence of ethics, and the effect this has on our working environment. “Successful Ethics, Denied Ethics” took place under the direction of Michela Chapter President David Cook, PMP, has noted that the success of project management is everyone’s business in critical times such as these, as the chapter continues to improve in an effort to ensure value to our members and their organizations. The last spokesman was chapter Associate Director Stefano Setti, PMP. His presentation involved playing a serious game to investigate the implication of handling the meaning of words. Having respect for communication is one of the steps to respecting people, he noted. — Leandro Franzoni, PMP Member, PMI NIC Editorial Committee Award Ceremony Culminates Primary School Projects T he award ceremony of Progetti in erba (Projects in bloom) was held on 9 April in Gorizia, a city in the northeast of Italy. Five primary schools of Gorizia took part in this competition, developing different didactic projects through the use of a methodological kit developed by the PMI Northern Italy Chapter. This initiative was planned and led by chapter member Giorgio Bensa, PMP, together with a team of volunteers employed in his engineering company. He also obtained the patronage of the Gorizia Welfare Department and the economic support of local sponsors, who provided prizes for the best two projects. Mr. Bensa’s team provided preliminary training and ongoing support to the primary school teachers. The team also provided a set of materials and flash PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links Page 31 news | people | projects Students and teachers gather for the Progetti in erba award ceremony. Project management methodological kit developed by the PMI Northern Italy Chapter. cards to be used in the classrooms in order to track each project deliverable from the initial brainstorming to the final lessons-learned session. This approach made it possible to compare the results of the five projects and show them to the 250 people who attended the award ceremony. The previous day, a jury of five members including Mariù Moresco (the codesigner of the kit) and Gorizia Welfare Assessor Silvana Romano examined all collected documents and videos of the final lessons-learned session of each class. This material was uploaded through a dedicated website (www. progettinerba. org) in order to demonstrate this innovative experience and provide a reusable knowledge base for future editions. Jana Barba, PMP, president of the PMI Slovenia, Ljubljana Chapter, attended the final event at the invitation of PMI Northern Italy Chapter President Walter Ginevri, PMP, PgMP. Mr. Ginevri noted, “The core value of this initiative is the possibility to spread our experience to other countries, thanks to the support of PMI chapters and the PMI Educational Foundation. “We can now provide a true ‘format,’ including the call for participation, eligibility criteria, simplified project management methodology and didactics aids, a weighting system for evaluating projects, and the complete set of reusable documents including project charter, communication plan, stakeholder grid and agreement with sponsors,” said Mr. Ginevri. Partners of the project reached an agreement to launch a new edition in September 2011. — Nicola Comelli Page 32 PMI Today July 2011 Chapter Links news | people | projects PMI Lahore, Pakistan Chapter www.pmilhr.org.pkg Chapter Hosts National Project Management Conference T he first national project management conference in Pakistan was held on 9–10 April in Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital. PMI has been active in Pakistan for almost 10 years with three chapters in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. After the chapters’ leaders decided to hold a national project management conference on an annual basis, the lead in the project was taken by the PMI Lahore, Pakistan Chapter, which organized the first conference. The theme for the conference was “Making Project Management Work for Pakistan.” This reflects a growing awareness of the project management profession in the country and increasing interest from government and corporate sectors in using it effectively. The conference featured an opening panel session with six eminent speakers, followed by eight lecture sessions spread over two days. In the opening session, speakers presented an overview of project challenges and professional development in Pakistan, the importance of increasing awareness in social sectors, perceptions in the telecommunications sector, developing leadership, the impact of emotional intelligence on projects and the role of the conference in promoting project management. A case study of using project management to launch a new university was also presented by Ali Sajid, PhD, during the seminar sessions. The organizing team of the conference was led by PMI Lahore, Pakistan Chapter President, Khalid Ahmad Khan, and Masood Said, PMP, head of the Conference Committee. They were supported by a team that included board members, volunteers and chapter officers Samnan Ali and Farooq Afzal. Support from the region came from Region 11 Mentor Ramam Atmakuri, PMP, and from PMI Asia Pacific Service Centre chapter administrators Reseena Abdullah and SoHyun Kang. The conference was also supported by sponsors that included Expert Systems, Imperial Soft, SAP and Coca-Cola. Encouraged by the positive turnout, it was decided during a joint board meeting of the Lahore, Pakistan Chapter and Islamabad, Pakistan Chapter that the chapters will continue to hold a PMI National Project Management Conference annually. The next conference will take place in April 2012. Positive feedback from the participants noted their appreciation of the quality of the presentations and their intentions to attend the conference next year. The collaboration of the three chapters in Pakistan to hold this national conference also paved the way for future partnerships to promote the project management profession in Pakistan. A panel of six eminent speakers opened the first national project management conference in Pakistan on 9 April. Available online for PMI members only at PMI.org