Innovative Methods and Technologies in Project Management event write up and resources, 15 February 2017

The new Spark Building at Southampton Solent University provided the scene for Wessex’s latest event, Innovative Methods, Techniques and Technologies in Project Management. Our thanks to Solent for their generosity in hosting this event.

The evening had three ‘bit-size’ chunks:

1) Project Management Methods and Process with Serkan Ceylan – a full time senior lecturer in economics and business at Southampton Solent University.

Serkan focused on asking attendees to rethink project management towards a knowledge based view. He shared with the 50-strong attendees the academics view of the theory of project management looking closer at 'competitive theory'. Research shows that 8 out of 10 executives believe that good project management will be driving their business strategy within the next three years

He introduced Tilley 2000 which looks at Context + Mechanisms = Outcomes where Context is fixed and mechanisms are flexible – the big question asked is whether the project methodology (e.g. PRINCE2) is flexible and adaptable or fixed by company policies etc.?

Further discussion evolved around knowledge based as opposed to the traditional product based economy.

To contact Serkan, email him at serkan.ceylan@solent.ac.uk 


Innovative Methods and Technologies in Project Management: Project Management Methods and Process, Serkan Ceylan, Southampton Solent University, 15 February 2017 from Association for Project Management

2) Project Management Techniques with Ray Mead – CEO at p3m global, a specialist portfolio, programme and project management consultancy.

Ray began by advising that PMI's PMBOC has 148 Techniques of which some are obscure, e.g. meetings and that if you do a Google search on ‘Project Management Techniques’ there are approximately 37 million responses that you receive!

He made mention of the Standish Group Project Success Survey which found that less than 20% of projects meet all their success criteria and deliver the anticipated business benefits.

We learned that so-called new techniques such as Agile and Lean in fact go back into the mid 1900’s

Perhaps rather than seek out innovative techniques, Ray encouraged all to go back to basics with:

• Kick-off meetings
• MoSCoW prioritisation – Must have – Should have – Could have – Won’t have requirements and deliverables
• WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) facilitated sessions for accurate project scheduling and resource allocation
• RACI matrix – Responsible – Accountable (approver) – Consulted – Informed

To contact Ray, email him at ray.mead@p3mglobal.com

Innovative Methods and Technologies in Project Management: Project Management Techniques, Ray Mead, p3m global, 15 February 2017 from Association for Project Management

3) Project Management Technologies with Baz Khinda – an experienced Microsoft PPM Consultant and Director at Wellingtone Project Management, a leading Microsoft PPM Gold Partner.

Baz focused on project & programme management tools from Microsoft, explaining the two MS Project interfaces, being the Project Client App and the Project Web App.

Baz then produced a condensed product demo of:

• Project WBS
• Resource View and resource utilisation – looked at resource time over allocation
• Reports & reporting
• Power BI – Business Information on individual projects or more complex programme

What was evident was how simple and powerful this tool is and what value it would add to PM’s and PMO’s alike.

To contact Baz, email him at baz.khinda@wellingtone.co.uk
 

Innovative Methods and Technologies in Project Management: Project Management Technologies, Baz Khinda, Microsoft PPM consultant and director, Wellingtone, 15 February 2017 from Association for Project Management

Based upon early feedback we are looking at having a follow-up session either late 2017 or early in 2018.

Stan Symons and Russel Jamieson
Wessex branch committee members