INSIDE
Looking Back at 2017: Transformation Begins... A Year of Excitement
Introducing the 2017 PMIEF Scholarship and Award Recipients
Reports Help Organizations Achieve Greater Agility
Events Calendar
Chapter Links
PMI China News: Experiencing the Miracle of Alibaba
Biggest, Best, Coldest Yet Warmest Leadership Institute Meeting Yet
By David Brummer
Yoshimitsu Kanei knows he must be ready for change. But—and no surprise here—day-to-day work responsibilities often get in the way of preparing for the future. So Mr. Kanei, an associate project manager at IBM Japan in Osaka, Japan, saw the PMI Global Conference in Chicago, Illinois, USA as “a trigger to start learning and gathering new information everyday.”
Mr. Kanei and 14 other project professionals from his organization shared the knowledge they gained in a presentation to IBM Japan co-workers in December. Mr. Kanei planned to discuss how he was able to refresh his technical skills and explore trends that will steer tomorrow's project environment.
The IBM Japan team members were among 2,000 project and program professionals from more than 1,100 organizations and 60 countries who descended on Chicago. The city proved an apt host, its towering skyline and lakefront preservation showcasing not only the city's beauty, but also the power of project management. And the conference reinforced that commitment. Attendees had an array of learning options, with sessions covering everything from the future of artificial intelligence to next-gen leadership.
Spark the Flame
To cultivate tomorrow's trailblazers, organizations must empower people to explore new ideas and make good decisions, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the World Wide Web, said in the opening keynote.
Nicholas Epley
A line for a book signing in the PMI Store.
Sometimes that means just getting out of their way.
“When you see a twinkle in somebody's eyes, that's when it's time to give them some space,” he said.
Sir Tim urged organizations and project teams to meet disruption head-on by turning projects into movements that generate buzz—like Facebook or driverless cars. But the teams behind such projects also must understand and manage the knowns and unknowns surrounding their moonshot efforts.
“Don't just plan for the initial project as you see it. Imagine it as a user would,” he said. “Call in people with different skills. Try to figure out how it's going to affect humanity.”
Walk a Mile
Feedback—whether it's from user groups, executive sponsors or other team members—is only valuable if it's accurately received.
To ensure effective communication, project professionals should show humility, listen patiently and be painfully explicit, said keynoter Nicholas Epley, author and professor of behavioral science at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. And don't read too much into a person's body language—it can create misleading conclusions.
“When we look at other people, we're not engaged with their minds, and this creates all types of problems for us,” he said. “It makes it hard for us to resolve conflict or to motivate people effectively. And if we don't understand what motivates people, it's hard for them to get excited about their jobs.”
Mercedes Ramirez-Johnson
Mercedes Ramirez-Johnson made the case for situational awareness in a personal closing keynote. In 1995, she survived a commercial plane crash that killed 160 people, including her parents. Investigators later revealed that pilots mistakenly entered the wrong coordinates into the flight computer when they started their descent. The plane was thrown off course and the pilots were unable to regain control as they crashed into the Andes Mountains in Colombia.
The lesson for project professionals: “When we put projects on autopilot, we lose situational awareness,” she said. “We don't have the sense of what dangers are around the corner or what opportunities exist.”
Professional Awards Gala.
Expanding Horizons
Beyond workshops and educational sessions, PMI's Exhibit Hall provided interactive experiences, private coaching and a wealth of networking opportunities. “You never feel like you're lost or alone because we're always talking and bouncing ideas off each other about issues that we've encountered,” said Pamela Artis, PMP, managing consultant, Q-Sys Technical Services, Chester, Virginia, USA.
For Lud Vidal, engineer, business analyst, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the event was a first step in restarting his career at Petrobras after four years working in engineering and operations roles at the company. Mr. Vidal said sessions he attended allowed him to refresh existing skills such as risk management mitigation, and to explore new skills, like motivating teams in a time of crisis.
“It's a world of knowledge here,” Mr. Vidal said. “There's great energy for projects, and it's really motivating.”
Looking for your own project management motivation? Get ready for the next PMI Global Conference, slated for 6–8 October in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Emerging professionals meet-up at a local brewery.
Exhibit Hall.
PMI Confidential
“Conference provided inspiration to overcome the professional and personal challenges ahead of me. There's increased need for project managers to keep up with the latest trends in the profession to gain a competitive advantage over others. Conference helps achieve that.”
—Cinzia Pellegrino, PMP, procurement program manager, Zobele Group; branch director, PMI Northern Italy Chapter, Trento, Italy
“My organization is thinking about incorporating some agile approaches. Conference is a chance to build agile knowledge, so I'm ready for the changes at work. Now I can add my voice to the discussion on how agile might work with some of our projects.”
—Adeleke Adetunji, PMP, project manager, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA
“I wanted to get to know other professionals and learn from the sessions. The knowledge I gained will help me to have a more open mind, so I'm ready for changes, especially in technology.”
—Alba Rosina Sagastume Muralles, PMP, team leader for software projects, Conduent, Guatemala City, Guatemala; vice president, PMI Guatemala Chapter
“Conference has always been a platform for me to learn, gather new ideas and see how I can integrate them into what I'm doing and be able to add value to the company I work for.”
—Vitalis Ndu, PMP, general manager, operations, AfriHub Nigeria Ltd., Enugu, Nigeria
Editorial and 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
Editorial: [email protected]
Website: 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
Cindy W. Anderson
[email protected]
Publisher
Donn Greenberg
[email protected]
Editor In Chief
Dan Goldfischer
[email protected]
Publications Production Supervisor
Barbara Walsh
[email protected]
Product Editor
Roberta Storer
[email protected]
Advertising Sales
PMI Today Design and Production
Cetlin Design Group
Publication and Membership
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 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$129. For information on PMI programs and membership, to report a change of address or for problems with your subscription, contact PMI at the addresses listed.
Project Management Institute
14 Campus Blvd., Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA
Tel: +1 610 356 4600; Fax: +1 610 482 9971
Email: [email protected]
Website: PMI.org
PMI Asia Pacific Service Centre
Singapore
Tel: +65 6496 5501
Email: [email protected]
PMI Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Service Centre
Dundalk, Ireland
Tel: +353 42 682 5610
Email: [email protected]
PMI India Service Centre
New Delhi, India
Tel.: +91 124 4517140
Email (membership-related queries):
Other Locations
- Beijing, China
- Bengaluru, India
- Brussels, Belgium
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- London, England
- Mumbai, India
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Shanghai, China
- Shenzhen, China
- Sydney, Australia
- Washington, D.C., USA
See PMI.org/AboutUs/Pages/Customer-Care.aspx for contact details.
© 2018 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. “PMI,” the PMI logo,” “CAPM,” “PMP,” “PMBOK,” “PM Network,” and “Project Management Institute” are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
For a comprehensive list of PMI marks, please refer to the PMI List of Marks found on our website at pmi.org/~/media/PDF/Media/PMI_List_of_Marks.ashx or contact the PMI Legal Department.
PMI GLOBAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
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 the Council are well-positioned to have the most direct influence on the direction and future of the project management profession.
To learn more, please visit PMI.org/Business-Solutions/PMI-Global-Executive-Council.aspx.
2018 PMI Board of Directors
Chair
Caterina (Cathy) La Tona, BCS, PMP, PfMP
+1 248 703 9810
[email protected]
Vice Chair
Jennifer Tharp, PMP
+1 415 385 1749
[email protected]
Secretary-Treasurer and Chair, Audit and Performance Oversight Committee
Tony Appleby, MBA, PMP
+1 510 468 9658
[email protected]
Chair, Strategy Oversight Committee
Randall T. (Randy) Black, P.Eng., PMP
+1 587 988 9917
[email protected]
DIRECTORS
Margareth Carneiro, MBA, MSc, PMP
+55 61 8175 3455
[email protected]
Mark Dickson, MBA, FAICD, PMP, Immediate Past Chair
+61 407 933 110
[email protected]
J. Davidson Frame, PhD, PMP, PMI Fellow
+1 703 623 0035
[email protected]
Teresa A. (Terri) Knudson, MBA, PMP, PgMP, PfMP
+1 507 259 9568
[email protected]
Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, MBA, PMP
+32 479 80 94 18
[email protected]
Kathleen P. Romero, MBA, PMP, CSM, and SPC
+1 804 677 7674
[email protected]
Tejas Sura, MS, MBA, PMP, PfMP
+91 91672 37828
[email protected]
Roberto Toledo, MBA, PMP
+52 55 5416 7214
[email protected]
Thomas Walenta, Dipl.Math, PMP, PgMP, PMI Fellow
+49 171 3358938
[email protected]
Cecil White, EdD, MBA, PMP
+1 876 507 1248
[email protected]
Al Zeitoun, PhD, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP
+1 202 215 9809
[email protected]
STAFF EXECUTIVE
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mark A. Langley
+1 610 356 4600
[email protected]
from the Board
Mark Dickson, MBA, FAICD, PMP, Immediate Past Chair
Looking Back at 2017 Transformation Begins... A Year of Excitement
The year 2017 has been an exciting time for PMI, and it has been my great honor to serve as chair this year.
One of 2017's first events was the annual Leadership Institute Volunteer Planning Meeting. There, our global volunteers learned about PMI's evolution through the strategy refresh that will put a strong focus on individuals selecting project management as a profession.
As I told these senior-level volunteers, PMI is in an enviable position of being able to plan for sustained success while being in a position of strength. Our changes will rest on the strategic pillars of strategic focus, customer centricity and organizational agility.
As my Board colleague Roberto Toledo noted last month in PMI Today®, this transformation journey (toward what we're calling PMI 2.0) will change the shape and face of PMI, bringing a variety of offerings that will further enhance the value we provide to our constituents.
Great Face-to-Face Time
Our chapter-level volunteers (about 1,600 of them) enjoyed and got great value from three PMI® Leadership Institute Meetings (LIMs) in 2017—Hong Kong for the Asia Pacific region, Rome for EMEA (Europe–Middle East–Africa) and Chicago for North America. At these gatherings, PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley and myself updated attendees on the transformation process and answered questions.
Practitioners had great opportunities to learn and network at two major events this year—the PMI EMEA Congress in Rome and the PMI Global Conference in Chicago. For the first time ever in 2017, the end of LIM corresponded with the beginning of the PMI Global Conference, allowing for more networking opportunities than ever. Additionally, those interested in project management offices and how organizations deal with disruption attended the highly rated PMO Symposium in Houston. Also, thousands of others in the project management community took part in our popular virtual events, covering topics such as business analysis, talent management and organizational agility.
The most enjoyable and fulfilling part of my year has been attending chapter and regional events, and meeting so many volunteers, practitioners and consumers of project management services. Thank you for your dedication, support, hospitality and friendship. In 2017 the Board made an effort to widen its meeting locations and to network with its stakeholders when we do so. This has proven to be of great value and will continue in 2018 and beyond.
New Standards and Processes
Our standards group had an outstanding year, easily meeting deliverable goals that might have seemed daunting at first. Listening to practitioner input, the volunteers who updated A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition also incorporated content on agile. PMI partnered with the Agile Alliance® to publish the new Agile Practice Guide at the same time as the PMBOK® Guide. Additionally, we published updates of the program and portfolio standards, a new standard and guide dealing with business analysis, and an update of the Project Manager Competency Development Framework.
PMI set out to make it possible for those whose first language is not English to have access to the newest edition of the PMBOK® Guide at the same time as English speakers. This feat of scheduling was accomplished through a new process that had groups of volunteer translation verifiers working concurrently to achieve their tasks in a timely manner. As noted in an article in October PMI Today, the volunteers appreciated the new process.
Making It Easier for Certification Candidates
Our certification team has been hard at work in 2017 with several innovative and customer-centric improvements to certification candidates' experience. Internet-based testing now allows Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® candidates to take their exams at home, a great convenience to many who live or work far from a testing center. And we rolled out new score reports for all PMI certifications. The new reports help exam-takers with more detailed performance data. A new exam analysis page offers domain and task-level performance insight as well as tips and next steps.
In other certification news, hundreds of thousands of certification holders have taken advantage of digital badging, and almost all have shared their digital badge on social media platforms. Finally, item-writing work is underway for the next set of certification exam updates, which for the most part will take place in the first quarter of 2018. These updates are related to the publication of new standards or new editions of existing standards.
Another customer-friendly improvement for our members launched this year—membership auto-renewal. This feature provides members with the convenient option of having their annual membership renewed automatically.
Improving the Experience for Chapter Leaders
Chapters are very important to PMI, and this year we helped volunteer leaders perform their roles more easily. For the first time in 2017, chapter leaders could take advantage of a virtual chapter leader orientation specific to certain roles. Volunteers and staff produced resource guides to assist and support chapter leaders and in 2017, new guides for chapter annual planning and nominations and elections were made available. In addition, the technology role in chapters was created and included in the Chapter Role Delineation Study, and the PMI Educational Foundation chapter liaison role was updated.
Chapters continue to sponsor many outstanding activities across the globe, providing educational, mentoring and networking opportunities for members but also providing advocacy for the profession and working with their communities for social benefit. Our chapters are not only key to the PMI community, they are a valuable part of their communities.
Research and Reports
We published several reports based on Pulse of the Profession® research. The reports, as well as the 2017 Thought Leadership Series, were themed on achieving greater agility, helping organizations quickly sense and adapt to deliver results faster, smarter and better.
Another report we disseminated in 2017, the Talent Gap Report, shows the amazing potential of the project management profession. The report sees employers needing close to 88 million individuals in project management-oriented roles by 2027. It says more than 75 percent of future project management employment in 2027 will be in China and India.
Finally, we conducted research to update Earning Power, PMI's project management salary survey. You will be able to dive into the details when that report and members-only query functionality goes live in the first quarter, but I can tell you that the news is good, especially for Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification holders surveyed across 37 countries.
PMI Board of Directors
It has been a very busy year for PMI, and for me personally. I would like to thank my fellow directors for their service, their support and the courage and wisdom to learn, to grow and to make some bold and seminal decisions this year. I would particularly like to thank the two directors who concluded their tenure, Steve Sawle and Wagner Maxsen, for their service to PMI.
I feel proud to have been part of the PMI community—over 14,000 exceptional people, both staff and volunteers, across the globe. I take my motivation and inspiration from you.
As I pass the chair title to Cathy La Tona, I know that the Board will be in good hands in 2018 as we continue the transformation to PMI 2.0 and continue to provide outstanding customer-centric value for our stakeholders, our community and the profession.
Biggest, Best, Coldest Yet Warmest Leadership Institute Meeting Yet
By Beth Ouellette, PMI-PBA, PMP, PgMP, and Dino Butorac, PMP, Members, PMI Chapter Member Advisory Group
When we arrived in Chicago the weather was cold, the winds were blowing and it was raining—the chill was more than anticipated even in Chicago in October. The climate was very different inside, as returning Leadership Institute Meeting (LIM) attendees greeted friends from across the globe. So many friendships have been built through chapter leaders' volunteer journeys, and from the onset of this meeting, more friendships were being forged.
The attendance at this LIM broke all the records of prior LIMs, clocking in at 1,053 attendees representing 239 chapters from 56 countries.
2017 PMI Chair Mark Dickson, MBA, FAICD, PMP, talks about PMI's strategy.
In his opening remarks, 2017 PMI Chair Mark Dickson, MBA, FAICD, PMP, shared the recently approved strategic plan. The new strategy focuses on individual practitioners and delivering value to them. PMI President and CEO Mark A. Langley described the three pillars of the strategy: strategic focus, customer centricity and organizational agility—all aligned with PMI's new winning aspiration, “Empowering people to make ideas a reality.”
Mr. Langley further discussed the PMI transformation, stating that the goal is not just growth but relevance of PMI to practitioners and organizations worldwide. He said members are expecting PMI to help them learn the project management language, gain credibility and prepare them to advance in their careers.
Keynoter Story
Keynote speaker Derreck Kayongo was a young child of a soap-maker father and seamstress mother in Uganda. Through his entertaining and interesting story, he shared how he came to the United States on a scholarship—and staying in his first U.S. hotel, he realized how much soap was thrown away.
Through this awareness, recalling how precious soap was in Uganda, the wheels started turning. He realized the value of a project business case, as he made his first pitch to Hilton Hotels and was rejected. With more investigation, research and planning, his second pitch was a go. He was then faced with how to take old, used soap and clean it up and make it “fit for use.”
This clean-up is what he called the “yuck factor” of projects. We all have to deal with the “yuck factor” at some point, he said. “Forget the whining and do something—and cleverness counts—“said Mr. Kayongo. Today his nonprofit organization distributes soap to 92 countries.
Session Tracks
Multiple breakout sessions and educational sessions allowed chapter leaders opportunities for learning, skill building and planning. Included this year were mindful meditation, breathing and relaxation sessions to help clear and focus the mind. There were also a number of opportunities for networking, such as breakfast for first-time attendees, end-of-day hosted events and lunchtime round tables.
Carey Lohrenz
Derreck Kayongo
Fearless Leadership
On the second day, Carey Lohrenz delivered an inspiring presentation about fearless leadership through many challenges. She was the first female U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, and shared her journey through dedication, persistence and countless lessons learned. Ms. Lohrenz encouraged attendees to be the catalyst. Get people signed on to the project, so you get to where you want to go quickly. To do this, you need three building blocks: purpose, focus, discipline. She reminded the leaders that, as they say in the sky, “You lose sight, you lose the fight.”
Closing/Opening Keynote
This year's closing keynote overlapped with the PMI® Global Conference opening keynote. The auditorium attendance was now tripled in size and the energy and buzz was magnified. This is the first year that the LIM and the PMI Global Conference had overlapping sessions. Given the energy in this room, it was a resounding success.
LIM attendees.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee provided a high energy, data-packed talk about his journey through technology as the true creator of the World Wide Web. His original port number for his server, 2784, was selected simply because it was his parent's phone number and he could remember this, and so his journey began in 1989. Comments about his idea initially were “vague, but exciting.” How many of us would pursue an initiative with these words of encouragement? He did.
Illustrating takeaways at a meeting for leaders of chapters in Region 3.
It's a Wrap
Following this closing session, all participants were invited to the exhibit hall for a combined networking event. The new PMI podcast was introduced live and on stage. This networking event was filled with participants from the LIM and Global Conference—old friends connecting and making new acquaintances. The photos, selfies and chatting were constant and with high energy. Soon the time came to move on to the PMI Professional Awards Ceremony venue, and as people exited the Exhibit Hall, the lights were officially turned out on a most successful 2017 North America LIM. Though the Chicago air continued to be chilly, the warmth of colleagues and friends radiates still, and will until next time, when we meet again.
Leadership Institute Master Class of 2017.
Participant Perspectives
First-time Attendees:
Claudia Sanchez, PMP, an alternate director on the PMI Montevideo, Uruguay Chapter board and project manager of a PMI region meeting, said her LIM highlight was the meditation sessions at the beginning and after lunch, which relaxed and focused the mind for the rest of the day. “I will propose this in our chapter, not only for the congress, but also at the beginning of each board session.”
Her main takeaway for her chapter was to “think about the possibility of implementing a mentoring program. It would be an excellent project to involve senior and junior members as volunteers.”
Manuel Ortiz De Zevallos, PMP, president of the PMI Lima, Peru Chapter, was excited by the willingness of delegates “to connect and be connected inside the community. I love getting to know new professionals from other countries and like better understanding the new strategy from PMI for the next years.”
Multi-Year Attendees:
Region Mentor for Eastern Europe Laszlo Kremmer, MBA, PMP, says “each and every year when I attend the LIM I feel energized. While I am working from home very often I feel alone, but it is very different after the LIM. I can recharge my battery for the next 12 months.”
His main takeaway for chapters in his region is “You have to take the lead. Fear of failure is the biggest mistake you make when you are a leader. Be part of the PMI volunteer global team and it will be the best experience of your life. Be open minded and ready to learn from an international team.”
Walter Ginevri, PMI Fellow and a member of the PMI Educational Foundation board of directors, spent most of his time at the PMIEF booth, where he had the opportunity to meet hundreds of volunteers, practitioners and staff. “These people are a fourth dimension of the PMI Talent Triangle®, the dimension of the “we,” the one that makes you feel part of a collective organism, like bees in a hive.”
Raghu Garre, PMP, past president of PMI Kentuckiana Chapter, USA, said, “Of the seven LIMs I attended so far, I would rate this one as the best. Great agenda; nicely laid out. Well organized. One of the highlights was the web app. Easy access to presentations!”
Introducing the 2017 PMIEF Scholarship and Award Recipients
PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) awarded over 200 project management-related scholarships to college students, teachers, practitioners and nonprofits/non-governmental organizations. PMIEF is grateful for the generosity of its donors, including PMI members, chapters, communities, Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s) and universities, all of whom make these scholarships and awards possible, thereby helping to build the best and brightest future project management workforce.
2017 Academic Scholarship Recipients
PMIEF administers academic scholarships for students in project management-related degree programs. These scholarships are funded by PMI, University of Management and Technology (UMT), International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL), and various PMI chapters. In 2017, PMIEF awarded over 50 academic scholarships to the following recipients:
2017 Professional
Development Scholarship Recipients
Below is the listing of 2017 PMIEF Professional Development Scholarship recipients. PMIEF scholarships are made possible by the many donors who help recipients further their careers in project management.
Training Scholarships
In 2017, PMIEF awarded full-tuition online training scholarships to teachers, nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations and emerging practitioners, thanks to OSP International LLC and Project Auditors LLC in 2017.
OSP International LLC Project Management Training Scholarship Recipients
Sponsored by OSP International LLC
186 Recipients
Project Auditors LLC Project Management Training Scholarship Recipients
Sponsored by Project Auditors LLC
27 Recipients
Professional Development Scholarships
PMIEF awarded over 30 scholarships to project management practitioners during 2017 thanks to PMI, former PMI specific interest groups, PMI chapters and various donors.
PMI Chapter Milestone Scholarship Recipients
Sponsored by the Project Management Institute
- Alesia Diaz
- Rodrique Kouam Deffo
- Terri McLeod,
- Yarimel Rodgers
- Anuradha Satthiyamoorthi
Professional Development Scholarships
Sponsored by former PMI specific interest groups
Sponsored by various donors
Apply Now for PMIEF 2018 Scholarships and Awards
The PMIEF Scholarship and Awards Applications for 2018 are listed below. Please visit the scholarships and awards section at pmief.org to apply. Questions can be addressed to [email protected].
PMI Thought Leadership Series
Reports Help Organizations Achieve Greater Agility
Disruption, technology, social change and heightened competition are major factors in the current business environment. Organizations are finding that greater agility—the ability to quickly sense and adapt to external and internal changes, and deliver results in a productive and cost-effective manner—is helping them reach their goals.
With those thoughts in mind, PMI has been studying, analyzing and reporting on all aspects of agile transformation throughout 2017. The Thought Leadership Series of reports, released at PMO Symposium®, focuses on achieving greater agility.
Agile Transformation: What It Takes
An agile transformation is an ongoing, dynamic effort to develop the ability to adapt rapidly within a fast-changing environment and achieve maximum business value by engaging people, improving processes and enhancing culture. Everyone in the organization has a responsibility to lead the transformation and drive positive change. Cross-functional collaboration, an innovative attitude and support are essential. If well-trained people, effective processes and a supportive culture are employed together to build greater agility, organizations will have the groundwork for success.
In taking a look at the roles in agile transformation, we saw that:
- All project management approaches—predictive, agile and a hybrid of the two—support agility.
- PMOs can be a beacon or the enabler of greater agility.
- People and processes are important for higher levels of agility, and culture is the key that unlocks agility's value.
Key Findings: Achieving Greater Agility: The Essential Influence of the C-Suite
This report was developed in collaboration with Forbes Insights. It takes a closer look at the role the C-suite can play in driving greater organizational agility. The report includes insights from executives of Parker Aerospace, Volvo Car Group, Bosch, Xerox, NorthWestern Energy, Walmart and Fujitsu.
- Most C-level executives agree organizational agility is critical to successful digital transformation. Yet many organizations are ill-prepared to quickly adopt and implement new strategies.
- The advantages of agility are far-reaching—from driving revenue and accelerating speed-to-market to attracting talent and meeting customer expectations.
- In addition to key capabilities, culture is one of the biggest enablers of organizational agility.
- People management, procedural overhaul and a new mindset are the three pillars of cultural change.
- A CEO must act as a key catalyst for cultural change and an evangelist for greater agility. However, CEOs come in many flavors and bring about transformational change in more ways than one.
- Savvy organizations fully utilize the PMO to shape and influence a responsive culture.
Key Findings: Achieving Greater Agility: The Critical Need for Cross-Functional Support
The drive for greater agility is perhaps nowhere more visible than among project teams. This report examines the lines of business and how companies can create a culture that encourages dynamism and innovation.
- Greater organizational agility correlates with success.
- An organization's culture can foster higher levels of agility with their lines of business.
- Functions with high agility operate smarter, better, faster than others.
- Functions with high agility receive more organizational support from other parts of their businesses that they depend on to accomplish their work.
- PMO support is critical in creating agility at the line of business level.
Key Findings: Achieving Greater Agility: The Vital Role of Culture and Commitment
This report, developed in collaboration with KPMG, explores key factors that will help accelerate your organization's transformation and offers a clear path to greater agility.
The report recommends focusing on the following areas for a successful agile transformation:
- Take a top-down (or PMO-first) approach, rather than transforming and then scaling.
- Establish a formal agile transformation program that reports to the CEO.
- Divide up the effort to control change impact.
- Coordinate change management across the enterprise.
- Focus on the people with training and coaching to transition to their new roles.
- Transform in waves with associate business, technology and infrastructure groups becoming agile together.
- Monitor and drive maturity to prevent the program from stalling and to achieve maximum benefits.
Download these valuable reports today at PMI.org/learning/thought-leadership/series/achieving-greater-agility.
Events Calendar congresses | conferences | seminars | symposiums | e-Learning
PMI Today Deadlines:
MARCH 2018.............................. 16 JANUARY
APRIL 2018................................ 15 FEBRUARY
Free listings in the PMI Today® Events Calendar are reserved for activities organized by PMI, its communities and its cooperating organizations. For information on how to purchase a paid advertisement in this calendar, email [email protected]. Please see PMI's online Events Calendar at PMI.org/events/calendar for more events.
MARCH 2018
12–13 March 2018
PMI Sweden Chapter
Passion for Projects
Göteborg, Sweden. Passion for Projects is Scandinavia's largest meeting place for project, program and portfolio managers. The theme for this year's congress is “Organizational Agility,” represented by 28 seminars and four keynotes. passionforprojects.org.
SEPTEMBER 2018
9–11 September 2018
PMI Chapters in Africa
2018 PMI Africa Conference
Port Louis, Mauritius. Hundreds of visionaries who manage Africa's projects will meet in September 2018 to share ideas and build relationships of how to harness the power of project management in building projects in one of the world's most diverse, resource-rich emerging markets—Africa! pmiafricaconference.com.
Interested in having a FREE PMI Today® event listing on this page? Please go to PMI.org/events/calendar and click on the link for submitting events. Your listing will be considered both for the PMI.org online calendar and the PMI Today calendar.
UPCOMING > PMI® EVENTS
PMI® EMEA Congress 2018
Berlin, Germany 7–9 May 2018
SeminarsWorld® Events
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, these events provide unique opportunities to learn and connect with the project management community.
Learn more about SeminarsWorld courses being held in these locations and throughout the world. Use PMI's search tool for project management training matched to your specific needs. Visit learning.PMI.org.
12–15 February
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
12–15 March
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
9–12 April
Seattle, Washington, USA
23–26 April
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
7–10 May
Dallas, Texas, USA
Live Webinars from ProjectManagement.com
As a valued member of the ProjectManagement.com community, you can access webinars that provide insight from the industry's most respected voices on the most relevant and important topics today—and earn PDUs.
23 January, 12:00 p.m. EST (UTC –5)
La clé du succès - la communication par les couleurs (Comprendre et s'adapter selon les différentes personnalités DISC)
Delivered in French and hosted by the PMI Montreal Chapter. Presented by Nathalie Aubin, PMP.
For more information and to register, visit ProjectManagement.com/Webinars.
Chapter Links news | people | projects
PMI Central Italy Chapter pmi-centralitaly.org
PMI Northern Italy Chapter pmi-nic.org
PMI Southern Italy Chapter pmi-sic.org
First National Forum of Project Management in Italy:
Three PMI Chapters Deliver Value Together
Italy's first joint chapters forum, titled “Complex Projects: From Megaprojects to Mission Impossibles,” was held in October with a sold-out attendance of over 450 participants. The event was held in Florence and hosted by the PMI Central Italy Chapter in cooperation with the PMI Northern Italy Chapter and the PMI Southern Italy Chapter. The success of this event confirmed the strategic collaboration approach implemented in the last year by the three chapters. The next forum has already been scheduled for 19 October 2018 and will be held in Naples.
Opening remarks by the presidents of the three Italian chapters (Sergio Gerosa, PMP, for Central Italy; Stefano Setti, PMP, for Northern Italy; and Giacomo Franco, PMP, for Southern Italy) and the project manager of the event (Walter Romano, PMP), were followed by the morning presentations: PMI Board of Directors member Thomas Walenta, PMP, PgMP, PMI Fellow (The Value of Project Management); David Hillson, PMP (From Mission Impossible to Mission Accomplished via Managing Risks); Mark Kozak-Holland, PMP (Lessons from Florence Duomo Project); and Tony Welch (Making Sense of It All—Getting the Basics Right).
From left, Giacomo Franco, PMP, president, PMI Southern Italy Chapter; Stefano Setti, PMP, president, PMI Northern Italy Chapter; Sergio Gerosa, PMP, president, PMI Central Italy Chapter.
The afternoon sessions saw presentations by Alessandro Dolci (Mastering Complexity in Oil and Gas Projects); Giovanni Azzone (The “Casa Italia” Project); Marco Lunardi, PMP (A Cruise Ship—Managing Complexity); Chiara Montanari, CAPM, and Gianluca Bocchi (A Mindset for Uncertainty); with the closing presentation by Enrico Martines (Typical and Atypical Factors in Change—The Peculiarities of Complex Transformations Within a Company).
While summarizing the contents of a full-day event is beyond the scope of this article, some of the presentations highlighted how project management for complex projects can have an impact in areas both obvious and less obvious. So, while the complexities of time management and construction costs of a cruise ship struck at least a familiar chord, we also heard about the complexities of managing the enormous uncertainties of a mission to Antarctica. Additionally, we spanned the ages from the complexities in building one of the world's most renowned cathedrals, the Duomo in Florence, to a new look at risk management and how to deal with unforeseeable risk.
The whole day was enhanced by a simultaneous translation service, which allowed participants coming from all over Italy and Europe to enjoy the content.
This extraordinary day of project management was made possible thanks to the efforts of several chapter volunteers, coordinated by the Event Manager Filippo Alessandro, PMP, who delivered high-value support before, during and after the event. Thanks to all of them for their dedication and passion!
Cooperation Workshop
The joint closing remarks of the forum by the three chapter presidents were also the “leitmotif” for the following day's workshop: how to improve cooperation among PMI Italian chapters to further leverage PMI's presence and impact on project management best practices in the country.
Taking advantage of the presence in Florence of almost all the members of the three boards of directors and selected chapter volunteers, the workshop had more than 40 attendees, including representatives from the PMI office in Brussels. There were four round-table discussions organized during the day to focus on specific collaboration subjects: membership and volunteering; education and academic outreach; inter-chapter and international events; and branch best practices. A collaboration roadmap and several joint actions were identified. The objective was to further strengthen inter-chapter collaboration or even consider merging into a single Italian chapter, whichever of the two scenarios will better fit with the needs and interests of the community of volunteers and members.
The workshop was highly productive and generated a high degree of enthusiasm from all participants.
Forum attendees.
The volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly.
PMI China News
First Trip to PMI's New Partner in China
Experiencing the Miracle of Alibaba
After two years of successful collaboration, Alibaba Group, the world's largest retail commerce company, has become PMI's corporate partner in China. To reinforce the relationship and also congratulate them for their entry into PMI's Global Executive Council, a senior global delegate group headed by Craig Killough, PMI's vice president of organization markets, and Bob Chen, PMI China's managing director, paid their first visit to Alibaba Group's corporate campus in Hangzhou following the recent 2017 PMI China Congress.
Stephen Xu, senior project expert of Alibaba's Infrastructure Service (AIS) team, on behalf of Alibaba, extended the PMI delegation group a very warm welcome. Kevin Meng, branch manager of the PMI China Shanghai office thanked Alibaba for its reception, and then briefly reviewed the collaboration history between the two parties in the last two years. This includes PMI's engagement of Alibaba's PMG conference, a successful PMONG roundtable at ANT Financial (ANT), an affiliate of Alibaba Group, and multiple divisions of Alibaba winning the PMI China Project Management Award for two consecutive years.
At an initiation ceremony, Mr. Killough spoke of Alibaba's continuous support and active engagement with PMI, and extended a warm welcome to the company for joining six other Chinese organizations as members of the PMI Global Executive Council. Zhou Ming, vice president of AIS, accepted PMI's congratulations and expressed his appreciation that Alibaba's project management achievements were recognized by PMI. He commented that as Alibaba expands its business, the company is paying more and more attention to new developments in the project management arena, especially in fields like change, unexpected incidents and agility. He noted that the PMI Global Executive Council could be an effective platform for Alibaba to obtain new insights into project management, and at the same time allow the company to share its experience and lessons learned with other Council members.
Following the ceremony, project management experts from multiple Alibaba business sectors presented an information session to guide the guests through a journey of the success at Alibaba. Gao Guowei and Zhang Lei, senior project experts from Alibaba and ANT, introduced the history of Alibaba, its business model, the achievement of Alibaba's Global Shopping Festival and the successful PMO operational model. Su Yi, Alibaba's EPMO leader, introduced the PMI China award-winning project, highlighting the challenges of the project and the corresponding solutions the team adopted to ensure the project was completed successfully and ahead of its original schedule.
During the session, Alibaba arranged a campus tour to give a better understanding of the organization's history, corporate culture, talent development and some historical milestones in project success. PMI's senior management, chapter leaders from Northeast Asia and other delegates had a very productive discussion and networking session with the Alibaba team.
PMI China and Alibaba.