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Editor's Perspective
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Volume IX - Issue VII - July 2007
PM Profession News
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Meeting of Project Management Professionals  On May the 31st for half a day the PM community in Bucharest City met to exchange some topics over the just ended PMI EMEA Global Congress 2007 in Budapest and to treat some alternate visions, which may lead the way to a common PM concept, more understandable and smooth. Some 80 invitees took a seat in the 5-star Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Hotel (pictured at right) where the president of the host PMI Romania Chapter, Mrs. Simona Bonghez, and the co-presenter Mr. Roland Gareis, (pictured lower left) a reputed and renowned Austrian consultant who lately opened a Consulting office in Bucharest, challenged the audience with some of the points of view that were intensely debated at the PMI Congress and that are still a hot topic in our home country and globally. Gareis1.jpg) The first part of the meeting was allocated to the Congress sessions that reportedly had made a step forward advertising the profession and some of the issues largely taken with the occasion of other PMI Congresses’ around the world. These issues included the cultural clashes within the PM context, the need for qualified professionals to handle the growing size of projects, and, particularly, the female Project Manager position in this picture. The discussion on project management standards, the kernel of any certification process and the basis on which any PMI or IPMA certification rely on, affected a considerable part of the presentation. Some of the old well-known standards were addressed for the audience and for other guests not PMI related but with visible interest in the profession. New standards such as Program Management Professional, Standard for WBS Practice, Standards for Scheduling or Extension for Construction of PMBoK 2003 were also introduced. The situation of the current applicable PMBOK Guide 2003 that is under review and alterations toward the new 2008 PMI Main standard were reviewed. By far the most debated topic was the current standing of the PM profession. This really entertained the audience and fostered some of the key speakers to capture a long portion of the free discussion. Thanks to the double certification credential the PMI Romanian Chapter President holds, both PMI and IPMA, a comparative analysis of being a PM professional under these two institutions was extensively made for more than an hour in the group. The slides and speakers who took a floor with a mike obviously reviewed the PMBoK process approach with a fresh air inflow brought by the professional and experienced Roland Gareis himself and his supporting team in Romania. The final part of the day went to review RGC accomplishments in Romania. It is worth mentioning that although far beyond the startup phase (the Company started in 2005), the RGC (Roland Gareis Consulting) is in fact a combination of Austrian long demonstrated experience during international exposure and a local synergic pool of resources with academic and practical credentials. The company is well ahead of many other consulting companies and offices which only test the market prudently.
Young Crew Take Centre Stage in Poland Young Crew members are moving through into leadership positions in the International Project Management Association (IPMA). Formed more than 10years ago by Dr Daniel Scheifele to prepare the next generation project managers for key positions in industry and in IPMA, Young Crew has gone from strength to strength with its distinctive approach to learning and development coupled with establishing professional networks among young project managers. Effective workshops have been held in Berlin, Budapest, Delhi, Shanghai and now Krakow.  Margrét Jóna Þórarinsdóttir,Iceland’s Representative at the Council of Delegates with Dr Daniel Scheifele, Young Crew Founder The effectiveness of the program is shown by the appointment of Margrét Jóna Þórarinsdóttir as Iceland’s Representative at IPMA’s influential Council of Delegates. Maggý is currently a member of the Young Crew Board. Another indicator is the appointment of Andreas Perez-Madsen of Denmark as the Chairman of the Young Crew Board; Andreas is a member of Young Crew so we are seeing a move aimed at self determination by Young Crew.
Young Crew traditionally meet at the IPMA World Congress and as we went to press, the Workshop was taking place at Krakow’s Hotel Symposium with more than 60 delegates from 21 countries. IPMA’s 21st World Congress on Project Management is being held in the historic city of Krakow in southern Poland during June 18-20, 2007. Special events both before and after the Congress also occur, including the 2007 meeting of IPMA’s Young Crew, as reported in this article. The local host organization for the IPMA 2007 World Congress in Krakow is Project Management Association Poland (SPMP). The Congress Chairman is Stanislaw Sroka, who is also President of SPMP. For other information, visit the conference website http://www.ipma2007.com/  Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international network of national PM societies that serve the specific development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. IPMA is a global organization with over 40 national representative societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level Project Management Certification Programme continues to grow, with over 50.000 professionals having now achieved IPMA Certification. The IPMA annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular hosting of International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2007-2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch
IPMA Launches First Nation-to-Nation Forum Adesh Jain, immediate past president of IPMA and now currently serving on IMPA’s Advisory Board Council of Delegates, kicked-off the “First IPMA Nation-to-Nation Forum” in Krakow, Poland on Sunday, 17 June, immediately preceding the start of IPMA’s 21st World Congress on Project Management. Mr. Jain’s inspiring and high energy presentation provided the background information on why the world needs a Nation-to-Nation Forum.  According to Mr. Jain the world marketplace continues to move toward global teams delivering goods and services. “Business by projects is a reality.” “It is imperative for national associations to begin sharing knowledge and best practices at an increasing rate.” Mr. Jain initiated the IPMA Nation-to-Nation Forum with the approval of the IPMA board in July 2006. It provides the opportunity for governments, industry and academia to come together as a formal network to exchange knowledge, worthwhile experiences and practices in the spirit of mutual learning. Mr. Jain indicated that the Forum is an outgrowth of the Global Project Management Forums that occurred from 1995 through 2005.  Another goal of this Forum according to Mr. Jain is to “create more wisdom sharing” that can be passed along to the next generation of project managers. Mr. Jain indicated that “we need to bring this knowledge and success stories so we all learn and begin developing the future ‘thought leaders’ in the disciple of project management.” After Mr. Jain’s introductory presentation, he introduced Rear Admiral Simon Henley from Great Britain who presented a keynote speech on how project management is the key to national competitiveness. Rear Admiral Henley provided international examples of how the project management discipline was instrumental in the success of some very complex projects. Despite a well developed competency set by many associations, Rear Admiral Henley indicated that national critical projects still fail. He went on to indicate that project work is becoming ever more complex and interdependent and called for more research on project complexity drivers and what new skill sets are needed to better manage in complex environments. IPMA’s Nation-to-Nation Forum”, or IN2F, was launched at the 21st IPMA World Congress in Cracow, Poland on June 17, 2007. After the opening on Sunday, Nation-to-Nation activities will run at all stages of the Congress, at all hours and in many locations, for the greater benefit and enjoyment of members of the international project management community. Whether as individuals, representatives of organizations, government institutions, industry or academe or as part of the Member Associations (MA) of IPMA, IN2F is intended to provide a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and share experience within a spirit of mutual learning, trust, respect, understanding and friendship. The Chair of the 2007 IN2F is Adesh Jain; Co-chairs are Mr Ed Naughton (Ireland) and Mr Leszek Staśto (Poland).
 Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international network of national PM societies that serve the specific development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. IPMA is a global organization with over 40 national representative societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level Project Management Certification Programme continues to grow, with over 50.000 professionals having now achieved IPMA Certification. The IPMA annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular hosting of International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2007-2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch
Recognition for Young Project Managers at Krakow Congress The role of young people in an era of knowledge was identified as a key dimension in the new economy according to keynote speaker Adesh Jain at IPMA’s Young Crew Awards Dinner in Krakow, Poland on Sunday evening, 17 June. “Their different point of view, energy and direction bring new factors in to play to the benefit of the profession” said past President Jain. Attended by some 120 Young Crew and guests, The Dinner, at Krarow’s prestigious Hotel Symposzium, celebrated the third award presentation. Modification to the award process saw applicants describe their project, subjecting it to their own critical scrutiny before seeking endorsement from employers, sponsors and customers.  Helen Timperley receives her award from IPMA President Veikko Valila
Awards went to young PMs from the United Arab Emirates, Germany and the United Kingdom. Winner was Helen Timperley from UK who was also honoured by the Association for Project Management. Helen works for Westminster City Council and won her award for her work on updating Westminster’s parking management resources and practice: (www.apm.org.uk/2006AwardWinners.asp). Mr. Rasik Schmidt of Germany was second place winner (pictured in photo below receiving award from Otto Zieglmeier from GPMF).  This year’s workshop has been one of the most successful of recent years with an even broader cross section of the world’s project community participating. Of the 60 plus delegates from 21 countries, more than two thirds came from outside Poland. Planning is already in hand for next year’s event in Rome. Associate Professor Antonio Calbrese from Politecnico di Milano was observing on behalf of the organizing committee from ANIMP, next year’s hosts. The workshop moved on to the main IPMA Conference on Sunday night and will meet in early November 2008. Young Crew workshop participants and IPMA leaders assembled for the photo below.  'Young Crew' Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international network of national PM societies that serve the specific development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. IPMA is a global organization with over 40 national representative societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level Project Management Certification Programme continues to grow, with over 50.000 professionals having now achieved IPMA Certification. The IPMA annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular hosting of International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2007-2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch Nobel Laureate Walęsa Opens IPMA World Congress Special guest, President Lech Walęsa, legendary leader of Solidarity Trade Union and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 1983, opened the International Project Management Association’s 21st World Congress in Krakow yesterday. Speaking on the theme of managing the Peaceful Revolution, President Walęsa noted this as Poland’s largest, most difficult and most successful project.  President Lech Walesa speaking at IPMA’s World Congress, Krakow
Walęsa, President of Poland 1990 – 1995, drew parallels between his experiences as a political leader and the behavior needed of a successful project manager. Key to this in his view is the need to understand the values of all participants in the project and to ensure that as many of them as possible are shared. Some adjustments must be made by all participants but basic agreement must and can be achieved if the enterprise is to be successful. President Walęsa was speaking at the prestigious Jagiellonian University’s Auditorium Maximum. Earlier, Stanislaw Sroka (pictured below right), Conference Chair and President of SPMP, the Polish Project Management Association, and Chairman of the World Congress welcomed guests and delegates to the Congress. To this was added the welcome of the Mayor of Krakow and an interesting address by the leader of the Regional Parliament who placed the importance of project management in the context of economic transformation. In the case of the region is developing major infrastructure programmes based on transition funding by the European Union.  The second Keynote Speaker was Professor Roland Gareis from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. Professor Gareis’ well known handbooks on project management processes have been supplemented by his extensive research on project orientation at various levels of society and business. The IPMA World Congress is an annual conference that brings together some of the world’s leading project management authorities and experts for paper presentations, panel discussions, speeches and meetings. Hosted each year by one of IPMA’s member professional societies, the IPMA World Congress is often the most global of any PM conference or symposia in the world, with attendees from IPMA member societies plus others. World Congresses often feature opening keynote speeches by famous local industrial, political or social leaders. The 2007 IPMA World Congress is in Krakow, Poland during 18-21 June 2007. The 22nd IPMA 2008 World Congress on Project Management is scheduled for Rome, Italy during November 9-11, 2008. Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is an international network of national PM societies that serve the specific development needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. IPMA is a global organization with over 40 national representative societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level Project Management Certification Programme continues to grow, with over 50.000 professionals having now achieved IPMA Certification. The IPMA annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular hosting of International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2007-2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch And Then Came Complex Project Management! - A paper written by S. Jonathan Whitty and Harvey Maylor of the University of Queensland created a lively discussion with the IPMA attendees on the second day of the 21st IPMA World Congress on Project Managing, continuing into the third day, in Krakow, Poland – and that was the intent of the authors.
The Paper “And Then Came Complex Project Management” delivered by Jonathan Whitty in a late afternoon session challenged the approach, process, content and consequently the claims made by the newly emerged “complex project management” competency standard promoted by the College of Complex Project Managers (CCPM) in Australia. According to the authors, “The issue of interest for this paper is the establishment of the ‘College of Complex Project Managers’ and their ‘competency standard’ for complex project managers.  The authors disputed the Complex Project Management Initiative in several areas. The first area is based on their concerns over the approach taken by the College to define and then justify their claims of complex systems and complexity related to projects. According to the Authors there appears to be no evidence that the projects used as examples by the College meet a “threshold test of a measure of complexity.” The Authors state that the project examples used to justify their claims are “complicated or major projects.” Second, “there has been no analysis of the problems that the establishment of this initiative is intended to solve. And third, “the process by which the College and the standard have progressed has gone un-checked; and the standard is not established on evidence-based practices. How and when the “competency standard for complex project managers” was established is very clear. “In 2006 PM was purportedly added to the list of disciplines to which complexity theory was applied, as the ‘discipline of CPM’ was officially launched at the 20th IPMA World Congress in Shanghai.” Why, and the process used to create the standards, are what is at issue with the Authors, as well as others who attended the paper presentation. The Authors stated, “The process of the development of the College and the standard are undoubtedly flawed, and maybe given the emergent state of development of the academic subject area, they simply fill a vacuum.” The Authors propose a challenge for all practitioners to debate the merits and value of this new development. A full version of their paper can be found at http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view.php?pid=UQ:13419. (Editors note: We at PMForum would welcome feedback on this issue of complex project management. In fact, we will offer to publish both sides of the debate in the monthly PM World Today, so readers, please send a letter to the editor on this subject.) PMI Buenos Aires Chapter Calls for The Buenos Aires Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMIBA) has announced today the invitation for presenting projects interested in being considered for the “2007 Project of the year” award. PMIBA grants this award as a means to promote and spread professionalism in Project Management, and offers public recognition to the project and project team by highlighting their performance and the achievement of the project’s objectives.  According to what PMIBA has established, all projects executed within the Republic of Argentina under a contract between independent companies can participate of this invitation. Projects of all size, industry or specialty are welcome to participate. It is not required to be a member of PMI in order to present a project. The project should be nearly finished, with a finish date between January 1st 2006 and December 31st 2007.
Deadline for presenting projects for the award is May 31st, 2008. The formal announcement of the winner and finalists will be done during the 9th Argentinean Convention of Project Management of PMIBA, to be hold in august/September 2008. For more information, visit PMIBA web page www.pmi.org.ar El Capitulo Buenos Aires Del PMI Convoca El Capitulo Buenos Aires del PMI (PMIBA) ha realizado hoy la convocatoria para la presentación de proyectos interesados en participar en el premio “Proyecto del Año 2007” El premio que otorga PMIBA tiene por objeto promover y difundir el profesionalismo en la dirección de proyectos y otorga el reconocimiento público al proyecto y equipo de trabajo que se haya destacado por su desempeño y por el cumplimiento de los objetivos del proyecto. Según lo establecido por PMIBA, pueden participar en esta convocatoria todos los proyectos desarrollados en la Republica Argentina, ejecutados bajo contrato entre empresas no vinculadas. Pueden participar proyectos de cualquier tamaño, especialidad o industria. No es necesario ser miembro de PMI para postular un proyecto. El proyecto deberá estar esencialmente terminado, con fecha de terminación entre el 1 de enero de 2006 y el 31 de diciembre de 2007. Los siguientes serán los criterios de evaluación:
La fecha de cierre para la recepción de las postulaciones es el 31 de mayo de 2008. El anuncio formal del ganador y los finalistas y la entrega del premio se hará en las Novenas Jornadas Argentinas de Project Management del PMIBA a realizarse en agosto/septiembre de 2008. Para mayor información, dirigirse a la página Web de PMIBA www.pmi.org.ar
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