Project Initiation – Kicking off on the right foot

Date	Thursday 11th March 2010
Time	6.00pm to 6.45pm: Networking 7.00pm to 8.30pm: Presentation and interaction
Venue	Comfort Hotel (Reading West), Bath Road, Padworth, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 5HT.
Presented by	John Zachar, FAPM.

Good Project Management practice suggests a number of things should be identified or produced prior to initiating a project. But what are they? How do we do this? What are the right “checks and balances” that are needed? And how can we ensure that appropriate benefits and risks are identified at the right stage?

Project Initiation is all about setting off on the right foot. Frequently, someone has a good idea, and that idea turns into a project without robust “checks and balances” being implemented. How often are desirability and do-ability tested against a robust business case? Often these turn into ‘pet projects’ – “I have a budget, so I have my project!”.

Cost Benefit Analyses (CBAs) often don’t consider risk, and far too often the business risk incurred as a result of a successful project is never considered. Prioritising requirements based on desire, rather than need, can result in problematic projects for the Project Manager.

Putting benefits that aren’t understood or quantifiable into a business case is a recipe for disaster. What should you expect to get from a project initiation workshop?

These and other questions will be addressed at the “Project Initiation – Kicking Off on the Right Foot” Interactive Presentation by John Zachar.

Originally from the USA, John Zachar has had an extensive career in hands-on project management.  He currently applies his project management experience, as the architect of many of APM’s products.

John not only managed an IT department for a decade, he has also delivered numerous IT intensive business projects; a number in the multi £M class, applying his strong business focus; this in addition to numerous business projects with little IT involvement.  His excellent people management skills include the ability to transfer his expertise in technical systems delivery, business analysis and the management of cross-functional business projects and project teams.  John’s experience includes management of business change programmes and change management processes, and his excellent communication skills permit him to motivate others to ‘just make it happen’.

John worked for over a dozen years for one of the UK’s more prominent project management consultancies, educating well over 3,500 delegates in all aspects of project and change management.  He has also worked for one of the UK’s high street bank groups, and for eight years at senior management level with a national insurance company associated with the building industry.  John initially developed his people management and intuitive project management skills with the US military, where he managed engineering, logistical, IT and education projects.

John earned his BSc from the University of Maryland and his MBA from Oxford Brookes University.  He is a current member of both the Project Management Institute and the Association for Project Management.  He holds an FAPM with the APM and Prince2 certifications.  He was Director of Membership for PMI UK, and is also an organising member of PPSO SIG, taking part in every conference for over 7 years.

To make a booking for this event, please click here.

For a map and directions to the venue please click here.