New Deloitte Aerospace & Defense Study finds Root Causes
for Program Cost Overruns in USA
According to a news release from Deloitte on 18 November, a major new study on Major Defense Acquisition Programs indicates an imminent need for the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industry to reexamine their acquisition process or risk facing cost overruns that may exceed 46 percent in 10 years, up from 26 percent today. To help the A&D industry keep their programs on schedule and within budget, Deloitte also announced some key best practices. According to Deloitte, these practices can help the industry address each of the five root causes that lead to cost overruns and schedule delays, which include technical complexity, talent shortage, supply chain challenges, politics, and program management challenges.
"Program management and execution problems have become too big to ignore," said Tom Captain (pictured), vice chairman, Global and U.S. Aerospace & Defense leader Deloitte LLP. "Countless reports and studies prove that the problem has worsened over time, and that significant, transformational changes need to be made so the A&D industry can afford its own future. This study identifies the root causes and outlines what changes need to be made in order to resolve the systemic challenges."
While technical advances make it possible to develop incredibly powerful and sophisticated weapons, this increased functionality also makes it extraordinarily difficult to manage the product development process. According to Deloitte, both industry and government can tackle the issue of technical complexity by doing a better job of specifying requirements, using mature technologies, dividing programs into simplified work packages with shorter durations and by creating budgets that reflect technical complexity, risk and realistic assumptions.
Talent shortage is another issue Deloitte's analysis has indicated is an underlying cause for cost overages and delays, and numerous studies suggest the talent shortage will likely get worse before it gets better. To help combat the critical talent shortage Deloitte recommends activities such as creating financial incentives for "baby boomer" engineers and technicians to stick around, fostering interest in math and science among middle school and high school students to create a sustainable pipeline and establishing mentorship programs to accelerate development for young workers.
Supply chain challenges are another common cause of problems in the A&D industry. A&D supply chains have undergone a major transformation in recent years and as a result have become multi-dimensional and complex. In order to overcome this, Deloitte suggests that companies should help their suppliers learn to be risk-sharing systems partners, should develop a supply chain strategy earlier in the program lifecycle and create a supply chain "architect" to drive integration across the supply chain's various dimensions. This will ultimately lead to streamlining supply chains, boosting efficiency and improved managed program performance.
Politics can also contribute to project overruns. Deloitte's research team supports Government Accountability Office (GAO reports indicating that politicians' penchant for cutting program numbers to reduce costs only increases unit fly away costs. Mitigation activities include developing and implementing a strategy to bring the Department of Defense's (DoD) current portfolio into balance, agreeing to multi-year budgets at the front end, requiring that all new programs have realistic and manageable plans and requiring that all program cost estimates be transparent.
Deloitte's detailed analysis of DoD data shows that the program management problem has also worsened, with certain activities such as planning, estimating, sourcing, staffing and finance playing an increasing role in driving budget overruns. According to Deloitte, the government as well as defense contractors can create more value and manage costs more effectively by becoming "risk intelligent" and following certain basic best practices, such as establishing clear performance goals prior to program startup and applying appropriate monitoring processes to report effectiveness and efficiency.
To access the Deloitte study in full, please visit: www.deloitte.com/us/aerospace&defense/ProgramManagement for more information about Deloitte's Aerospace & Defense group, please visit www.deloitte.com/us/a&d.
Source: Deloitte press release, November 18, 2008
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AVIATION WEEK announces Program Excellence Awards
for Exceptional Program Leadership
AVIATION WEEK has announced that it has awarded top honors to aerospace and defense (A&D) programs at Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing, Raytheon, and Pratt & Whitney with its 2008 Program Excellence Awards. The awards were announced at the A&D Programs Conference in San Diego on November 13. These awards are given annually to programs that excel based on complexity, value creation, operational and organizational performance, and the basic metrics of requirements, cost and schedule.
Lockheed Martin's F-35 Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) First Flight program and Dan Crowley, executive vice president/general manager for the F- 35 (photo), received the highest honor, the Overall Program Excellence Award, which recognizes the score on the Program Excellence metrics, as well as lessons learned and exceptional leadership. This program was also the runner-up in the System Research and Development/SDD Category, which Lockheed Martin won for its TSAT Mission Operations System program, led by Michael McClary, Program Management Vice President, Information Systems & Global Services. Other winners and runners-up include:
Runner-up, Overall Program Excellence Award - BAE Systems FV430 Bulldog Conversion & Urgent Operation Requirements, Ian Mogey, Program Director
Winner, Innovation Award - Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Weapons Programs, Debra Rub, VP/GM
Winner, Sub-System Research & Development/SDD Phase Category – Raytheon Missile Systems Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) and Jammer (MALD-J), Scott Muse, Program Manager
Winner, Sub-System Production & Sustainment Category - BAE Systems FV430 Bulldog Conversion & Urgent Operation Requirements, Ian Mogey, Program Director
Runner-up, Sub-System Production & Sustainment Category - Pratt & Whitney F119 PW100 Engine, Christopher Flynn, Program Director
Winner, System Production/Sustainment Category - Raytheon Network Centric Systems Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems, Steve Bohan, Program Director
Runner-up, System Production/Sustainment Category - Boeing Support Systems KC-10 Contractor Logistics Support Program, Mike Wright, Program Manager
Runner-up, System Production/Sustainment Category - BAE Systems Tornado ATTAC
"The exceptional leadership demonstrated by these program managers and their teams creates new best practices, improves supply chain processes, and ensures programs stay on time and on budget," said Tom Henricks, president, AVIATION WEEK. "We are proud to honor them with Program Excellence Awards and congratulate them on their achievements."
AVIATION WEEK, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, and includes the publications Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, Business & Commercial Aviation, Overhaul & Maintenance, ShowNews, Aviation Daily, The Weekly of Business Aviation, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report and the World Aerospace Database. The group's website, http://www.aviationweek.com/, offers news, information, search and online community tools. Premium content services include the Aviation Week Intelligence Network, MRO Prospector, and the new Top-Performing Companies Benchmarking Tool. The group also produces prominent conferences, exhibitions and management forums around the world.
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Business Week and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
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Finnish Project of the Year Award presented at PM Days Symposium in Finland
The winner of the 2008 Finnish Project of the Year Award was recognized at the 2008 PM Days Project Management Symposium in Espoo, Finland on Tuesday,18 November. The 2008 PM Days symposium held in Finland during 18-19 November 2008 was the annual conference of the Project Management Association of Finland (PMAF). The award presentation occurred during a plenary session and awards reception at the end of the first day of the conference.
The PMAF 2008 Project of the Year award was won by the Talvivaara Mining Project. The award was presented to Ms. Saila Miettinen-Lähde, Financial Director for Talavivaara by Mika Heikkinen, PMAF Board Member. The award presentation was witnessed by approximately 500 attendees.
(photos: Mika Heikkinen announcing award winner; PMAF Chair Veikko Välilä congratulating Saila Miettinen-Lähde; Ms. Miettinen-Lähde at podium; photos courtesy of PMAF & PMForum)
The Talvivaara mine is located in Sotkamo in Eastern Finland. The deposit is one of the largest known nickel sulphide deposits in Europe. The mining licenses in this area were originally granted to Outokumpu in 1986 and exploration rights to them were subsequently transferred to Talvivaara in February 2004. More information at http://www.talvivaara.com/index.phtml?page_id=1064&navi_id=1064.
Talvivaara Mining Company Plc. ("Talvivaara") aims to become an internationally significant base metals producer with its primary focus on nickel and zinc. Talvivaara´s main asset is Talvivaara nickel mine in Sotkamo, Finland. The Talvivaara polymetallic deposits, Kuusilampi and Kolmisoppi, comprise one of the largest known sulphide nickel resources in Europe with 336 million tonnes of ore in measured and indicated categories, sufficient to support an anticipated production for a minimum of 24 years, started in October 2008. In addition to an annual nickel output of approximately 33,000 tonnes, the mine will also produce c.60,000 tpa of zinc, c.10,000 tpa of copper and c.1,200 tpa of cobalt as by-products of the bioheapleaching extraction process. More information at http://www.talvivaara.com/.
The local host of the 2008 PM Days in Helsinki was the Project Management Association Finland, based in Espoo, Finland. PMAF is the national membership body for Finland in the International Project Management Association (IPMA) and is the largest national PM Association in Northern Europe. The general manager is Jyry Louhisto, who is also the project director for the 23rd IPMA World Congress in Finland. For further information, visit www.pry.fi.
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Major New Focus on Process Improvement Opportunities
in Worldwide Construction
Reported by Bob Owen in the UK
The International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) has launched its new Priority Theme - Improving Construction and Use through Integrated Design Solutions. Integrated Design Solutions (IDS) are intended to use collaborative work processes and enhanced skills, and integrated data, information, and knowledge management to minimize structural and process inefficiencies and to enhance the value delivered during design, build, and operation, and across projects. As with the work being done in ISO 21500, integration is seen as a key opportunity for process (including project management) improvement.
As numerous studies have shown, there are currently undoubted inefficiencies in the delivery of the built environment, resulting in avoidable delays and costs, sometimes questionable quality, and minimal profit margins. Many projects also fail to take into account the total project life cycle, including total operating costs and sustainability issues.
At the same time new technological opportunities are emerging, for instance Building Information Modelling (BIM), construction optimisation modelling, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and increasing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) survey accuracies. Good practice nevertheless exists and improvements are being developed, often in isolation, around the world. However, the temporary and focussed nature of most projects teams ensures that consolidated knowledge capital is fully exploited in neither concurrent nor future projects. It is important to understand which of the Process Improvement Opportunities (PIOs) we should address as priorities for research and development.
This CIB IDS Priority Theme will be pursued over the next 18 months, addressing human, technology and process areas. These are being led by, respectively, Professor ‘Bob’ Tatum, Obayashi Professor of Engineering, Emeritus, Construction Engineering at Stanford University, USA, Professor Robert Amor, Head of the Department of Computer Science, University of Auckland, NZ, and Bob Owen, Senior Research Fellow, Salford Centre for Research and Innovation, University of Salford, UK. The identification of PIOs is seen as key to understanding opportunities for improvement in the technology and human areas.
The first step in this research has been to issue a survey to each of the over fifty Working Commissions and Task groups within CIB, results of which will be processed and then analysed in a workshop and conference at VTT in Finland in June 2009. The results of the workshop will be further developed, including by industry associations, and research agendas developed. These will be the first steps in a significant opportunity to improve construction project delivery in the future. For information about CIB, visit http://www.cibworld.nl/website/.
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PetroSA appoints international firm for Coega Refinery Engineering Contract
Reported by Jaycee Krüger in South Africa
PetroSA has taken a significant step closer towards realizing its planned $11bn, 400 000 barrels per day crude oil refinery at Coega, Port Elizabeth, with an announcement that the US-based company, KBR had been appointed engineering contractor for the project.
KBR will carry out feasibility studies as well as front-end engineering design (FEED) for the refinery. Dubbed Project Mthombo, the mega refinery will be the largest in Africa. It is expected to come into production in 2014. The refinery will be located at Port Elizabeth’s Coega Industrial Development Zone.
Sipho Mkhize, the President and CEO of PetroSA, has hailed the appointment of a world-class such as KBR as a giant milestone.
“The refinery will play a major role in securing South Africa’s future fuel supplies,” he said.
“National demand for refined fuels already exceeds South Africa’s refining capacity. Diesel consumption is forecast to grow at 6% and petrol at 2% per annum between 2009 and 2020,” Mr. Mkhize added,
It is estimated that by 2015, South Africa will have to import 10 billion liters of fuel per annum (200 000 barrels per day or about 20% of the national requirement) if there is no significant investment in local refining capacity. “Importing this much refined fuel will have a negative impact on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and makes national supply very vulnerable to external factors,” Mr. Mkhize said.
Mkhize said KBR was appointed because of the quality and expertise of its management, its proven mega-refinery expertise in the petroleum industry and its total commitment to this fast-tracked project.
“We are also delighted that KBR has shown its full commitment to working with PetroSA to achieve the goals of transformation of the local petroleum industry,” he added. These goals include skills transfer, the development of BBBEE suppliers and opportunities for SA equity partnerships, in line with the Industry Liquid Fuels Charter.
“The appointment of KBR as engineering partner follows the selection of other world-class organizations such as HSBC as financial advisors, KBC as technical advisors and PFC as marketing advisors to ensure that every aspect of Project Mthombo meets global best practice,” Mr. Mkhize said.
John Quinn, President of KBR’s Downstream division, has welcomed the appointment and said the company will work closely with PetroSA to develop a Competitive Supplier Development Programme plan to maximize Project Mthombo’s contribution to local economic growth, employment creation, skills development and BBBEE.
“KBR is pleased to continue its successful partnership with PetroSA, offering our expertise in designing this world-class facility,” he said.
The Coega project is regarded as strategically important to South Africa’s economic development aspirations. The feasibility phase of the project will be concluded by September 2009 and final Board approval for the investment will be sought in late 2010, after which construction will begin.
The refinery will improve security of supply and save the country billions of rand in foreign exchange by displacing expensive imports, while giving a much-needed boost to, in particular, the Eastern Cape’s economy. It is expected that the refinery will create about 25 000 direct and indirect jobs. Over the last six months the project has steadily achieved significant milestones.
In August HSBC, the leading international financial services provider, were announced as the project’s financial advisors. United Kingdom-based KBC Process Technology was announced as technical and commercial services advisor in October. The Department of Minerals and Energy also granted PetroSA a license to manufacture refined petroleum products at the Coega site during October. For more information contact Thabo Mabaso, Acting Head: Corporate Communications; http://www.petrosa.co.za.
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Dell, EMC & Infosys join PMI's Global Corporate Council
The Project Management Institute (PMI), the world's leading not-for-profit professional association for the project management profession, has announced that Dell, EMC and Infosys have recently joined its Global Corporate Council, having successfully fulfilled PMI's rigorous partnership criteria.
The PMI Global Corporate Council consists of major corporations and government agencies from around the world. These predominantly multinational companies represent more than two million employees in 190 countries and within 13 industries. The Council provides a forum for organizations that utilize enterprise-wide project management to advance the profession through increased publicity and global recognition. Global Corporate Council members are strong proponents of utilizing project management for tactical efficiencies, strategic advantage and a more effective overall organization.
PMI's Global Corporate Council partners gain access to the project expertise and knowledge of other senior-level leaders at key corporations and government agencies. As a strategic advisor to PMI, the Council meets twice per year.
By aligning with PMI’s Global Corporate Council, Dell, EMC and Infosys join organizations such as IBM, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, the U.S. Department of Energy, SAP and Huawei Technologies in advancing the profession by increasing recognition of project management’s strategic and tactical importance.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a leading advocate for the project management profession globally. Founded in 1969, PMI has more than 425,000 members and credential holders in 175 countries. PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential is recognized as the only globally transferable credential in project management. For additional information, visit www.pmi.org.
©2008 Project Management Institute, Inc. All right reserved. The PMI logo is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
PMP is a registered certification mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
The PMI Global Corporate Council logo is a mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
International Centre for Complex Project Management officially launched in Rome
The International Centre for Complex Project Management (formerly College of Complex Project Managers) was officially launched in Rome on 10 November 2008 at the 22nd IPMA World Congress on Project Management. The International Centre for Complex Project Management was established as a not-for-profit company in 2007 as part of an initiative that commenced in 2005 when Australian, UK and US Government bodies and defence industry organizations commenced an initiative aimed at improving the international community’s ability to successfully deliver very complex projects and manage complexity across all industry and government sectors.
Central to this initiative was the establishment in September 2007 of an international not-for-profit company to provide global leadership to achieve this exciting objective. That company is the International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM), previously known as the College of Complex Project Managers. Government support has since expanded to include Canada and Singapore. The list of global corporate partners including BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Raytheon and Thales continues to grow.
According to the ICCPM announcement, there is as yet no globally accepted definition of Complexity. The first ICCPM Knowledge Sharing Forum held in Washington, DC in December 2007, however, refined a series of statements describing complex projects to inform the discussion. These included:
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projects that are characterised by uncertainty, ambiguity, dynamic interfaces, and with significant political or external influences;
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projects that usually run over a period which exceeds the cycle time of the technologies involved; and
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projects that can be defined by effect, but not by solution
Complex ‘projects’ are not limited to capital acquisition. They include significant change programs as well as complex policy development and program delivery. Considering different perspectives; for the defence sector this would include the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program; for NASA this would include the Mars program; for the World Bank and World Health Organisation it would include addressing aids in Africa; and for governments around the world it would clearly include addressing the current financial crisis and climate change as key issues.
There is an emerging body of evidence and research indicating that traditional, linear project management tools and techniques, while still necessary, may be insufficient to manage the most complex of today’s projects through to successful delivery on time and within costs and performance targets. The ICCPM research and innovation strategy is a primary focus of the ICCPM and will enable it to work with partners and the international community to fund, facilitate and conduct applied research that advances knowledge and practice in the management of complex projects. The aim is to share these outcomes with its partners across all industry and government sectors, both nationally and internationally, and with the global community.
With support from its corporate partners and its major sponsor, the Australian Government’s Defence Materiel Organisation, the ICCPM has already made a significant contribution towards the development and delivery of the world’s first Executive Masters in Complex Project Management through the Queensland University of Technology. The ICCPM will continue to support the development and delivery of education and training programs aimed at improving global capability to deliver complex projects and for the management of complexity.
Potential benefits and savings from the improved management of complex projects are significant. Not only will there be substantial direct returns to those organisations participating with the ICCPM, there will be an increase in the capacity of the global community to effect the strategic change objectives required for these complex times.
For further information, visit www.iccpm.com.
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First Day of the PMI - IT&T SIG Global Conference
17-18 December 2008, Cairo, Egypt
Reported live from the PMI-IT&T SIG Conference in Cairo
Reported by Ahmed Saleh Mokhtar in Egypt
To the first time in Africa, the PMI-IT&T SIG Conference is launched in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday 17 December 2008 with opening and keynote speeches. The 2-day conference is held at a luxurious 5-star hotel and corporate resort near the airport of Cairo.
The conference was opened by representatives of the three organizers of the conference: Mr. Emad Aziz, CEO of Brisk Consulting, Mr. David Prior, Chairman of the Board, PMI IT&T SIG and Dr. Gamal Nassar, President of PMI MENA Chapter. The three organizers welcomed the conference attendees and introduced the keynote speaker HE Egypt’s Minister of State for Administrative Development; the conference is held under his auspice. He appreciated PMI-MENA chapter efforts in providing the Egyptian and regional market with certified project managers (According to Dr, Nassar the number of PMPs is increased rapidly from 7 PMPs in 1999 to around 1400 PMPs by end of 2008). The minister indicated that government’s intentions to sign an agreement with the chapter and other bodies to train about 2000 PMs of government projects. Also, Mr. Philip Diab, Chairman PMI BOD welcomed the attendees.
 (The opening ceremony of the conference)
The first session was conducted by David Prior, Program Manager at EMC’s Consulting Services. The session was titled “Soft skills for software development PMs” and examined the advantages a PM can gain by deepening their understanding of, and practical application of soft skills. In the second session, Mr. Bob Tarne, Senior Program Manager at Lombardi Software, presented similarities and differences between the PMBOK® Guide approach to project management and some basic Agile practices. Discussions with the attendees showed how the two approaches are more complementary than it seems in the first look.
After the coffee break, Mr. Jose Pinto, Project and Operational Leader at IDP, delivered the third session about “Project management in Mobile Banking” addressing how project management can help mobile banking in better understanding of the customer needs and expectations.
Then Mr. Andrew Mammalian presented the forth session of the day addressing “Project management and 3G”, providing an understanding of the history and lifecycle of wireless networks as well as on how solid project management and configuration management can be applied to 3G network design, deployment, optimization and ongoing operation.
David Prior and Bob Tarne came to the stage again to present the last and fifth subject of the day on “PM Best practices for infrastructure Practices” and leaded a discussion after the lunch break.
 (David and Bobe delivering the last session in Tandom)
Organizers:
The conference is organized by two regional organizations in Egypt
and one international organization:
The IT and Telecom SIG of the PMI targets highly knowledgeable and experienced project management and technology professionals in the Information Technology and Telecommunications industries. Its members are leaders of technically advanced projects that involve both Information Technology and Telecommunications. They help one another through scholarship, mentoring, and online information exchange programs.
For more information: http://www.pmi-ittelecom.org/
Brisk Consulting SAE is a Joint Stock corporation that aims at delivering operational professionalism to businesses operating in Egypt and the Arabian Gulf. Brisk Consulting services cover a wide range of operations, supply chain, total quality, and project management advisory services to meet the challenges of today’s world by ensuring achievable results and providing sustainable solutions.
For more information: http://www.brisk-consulting.org/
PMI MENA chapter is one of the PMI chapters existing in 90 countries all over the world and following the mother organization PMI (www.pmi.org/). MENA Chapter has been charted since October 1998 to enhance and develop the Project Management Professionalism in the Middle East and North Africa region. The chapter founders believe the only way out of the ever-rising competition of globalization is through the development of cooperation and mutual understanding between different cultures.
For more information: http://www.pmimena.org/.
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Second Day of the PMI- IT&T SIG Global Conference
17-18 December 2008 in Cairo, Egypt
Reported live from the PMI-IT&T SIG Conference in Cairo
Reported by Ahmed Saleh Mokhtar in Egypt
The conference continued to its second and last day with five sessions and one roundtable discussion targeting advanced and senior level audience. The day included also good news for the project management community in Egypt.
The first session was conducted by David Prior, Program Manager at EMC’s Consulting Services and Mr. Bob Tarne, Senior Program Manager at Lombardi Software. The session was titled “Implementing Scrum in Waterfall Environment”. It gave more details to the Agile Project Management handled in the first day and described how to move an organization from waterfall to scrum environment. The audience showed great interest and delivered a pro- and contra agile discussion. In the second session, David Prior addressed “Emotional Intelligence for PMs” and provided a through background on key concepts of the EQ vs. IQ in project management.
After the second session, the conference audience became witness of the signature of Partnership Agreement between The Ministry of State for Administrative Development (MSAD), represented by Mr. Sameh Bedair, the PMI IT&T SIG represented by Mr. David Prior and PMI-MENA Chapter represented by Dr. Gamal Nassar, through which PMI IT&T SIG and PMI MENA Chapter will help the MSAD in building and improving PM Competencies of the government project managers responsible about delivering public projects. More on the cooperative details will be provided in a special article in the next PM World Today eJournal.
 (Ceremony for signing the Partnership Agreement)
Then a round-table discussion was held in presence of the four speakers from the PMI IT&T SIG: David Prior, Bob Tarne, Andrew Maximilian and Jose Pinto addressing “What Value Can PM brings to my IT Organization”. The audience participated actively in the discussion and many real-life project situations were discussed. The future of PM in light of the current economic recession was one of the subjects that raised differing views between the speakers themselves and the audience as well.
The last session of the conference is presented by Andy Maximilian, Senior Consultant at Blue Wing Services and Jose Pinto, Project and Operational Leader at IDP, on the subject of “on-boarding Project Management in my Organization” including the challenges of introducing PM into functional organizations.
Organizers: The conference was organized by two regional organizations in Egypt and one international organization:
The IT and Telecom SIG of the PMI targets highly knowledgeable and experienced project management and technology professionals in the Information Technology and Telecommunications industries.
Its members are leaders of technically advanced projects that involve both Information Technology and Telecommunications. They help one another through scholarship, mentoring, and online information exchange programs.
For more information:
http://www.pmi-ittelecom.org/
Brisk Consulting SAE is a Joint Stock corporation that aims at delivering operational professionalism to businesses operating in Egypt and the Arabian Gulf. Brisk Consulting services cover a wide range of operations, supply chain, total quality, and project management advisory services to meet the challenges of today’s world by ensuring achievable results and providing sustainable solutions.
For more information: http://www.brisk-consulting.org/
PMI MENA chapter is one of the PMI chapters existing in 90 countries all over the world and following the mother organization PMI (www.pmi.org/). MENA Chapter has been charted since October 1998 to enhance and develop the Project Management Professionalism in the Middle East and North Africa region. The chapter founders believe the only way out of the ever-rising competition of globalization is through the development of cooperation and mutual understanding between different cultures.
For more information: http://www.pmimena.org/.
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Big event in Middle East - Arabian World Construction Summit
in Abu Dhabi set for February 2009
Reported by Mounir Ajam in UAE
The Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS), one of the largest conferences and trade shows for the construction industry in the Middle East, will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during 9-11 February 2009. Approximately 700 industry executives and guests are expected at this event, which will be at the beautiful Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Some of the summary highlights of the conference include:
Pre-Summit Workshop on Sunday, 8 February on "Project Partnering in the Arabian Gulf - Bridging old divides for predictability, productivity and profitability", to be presented by TROWERS & HAMLINS.
Monday 9 February (Day One) - Achieving Business Sustainability - the first day of the AWCS will focus on the central theme of achieving business sustainability. The afternoon of day one will showcase Middle East projects selected for their uniqueness. Two interest groups will be featured.
Tuesday 10 February (Day Two) – Succeeding in a Challenging Market – the second day of the AWCS will explore ways of turning a challenging market into a profitable one. The afternoon will continue the format of the first day and present projects from the Middle East, Levant and North American regions, as well as featuring two interest groups.
Wednesday 11 February (Day Three) - Meeting the Material Demand - The third morning of the summit is dedicated to the issue that utmost affects and shapes the construction industry: shortages, uneven supply and the rising cost of building materials. The afternoon will feature a site visit to Al Raha Beach - one of the most prestigious UAE based projects. For more information, visit the summit website at http://www.arabianconstructionsummit.com/.
AWCS is organized by MEED, Middle East Business Intelligence, internationally recognised for providing essential business intelligence for anyone doing business in, or with, the Middle East and North Africa. With journalists and contacts across the entire Middle East and North Africa region, MEED provides reliable, up-to-date business news, analysis and data in both print and online. MEED attracts customers from across 78 countries worldwide. Visit http://www.meed.com/.
MEED Events provide delegates with the very latest business sensitive information. Over the past 10 years, MEED has organised events attended by senior government officials and thousands of international business people. The MEED conference series is aimed at companies active or seeking business in the markets of the Middle East. For more information visit http://www.meed.com/events/index.html.
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Citec signs on as Partner for 23rd IPMA World Congress
on Project Management in Finland
The project team for the 23rd IPMA World Congress in Helsinki, Finland has announced that the Finnish company Citec has become a congress "Partner". Citec consists of Citec Engineering and Citec Information, and offers a combination of engineering, technical communication and environmental consulting know-how. The 23rd IPMA World Congress on Project Management will be held in Helsinki during 15-17 June 2009. Other partners previously announced include ASTROSOFT, INNOTIIMI, IXONOS, PÖYRY, and WÄRTSILÄ. Information at http://www.refresh09.com/.
Based in Vaasa, Finland, Citec companies employ more than 1000 people in offices and client locations in Finland, France, India, Russia and Sweden. The estimated turnover for 2008 is expected to be about 60 million euros. Citec Engineering offers complete engineering solutions in mechanical, automation & electricity, civil & structural, process & environment engineering as well as product development and project management services. Citec Information offers a wide range of services related to technical communication. Citec Environmental is specialised in public procurement and environmental consulting. Additional information about Citec can be found at http://www.citec.fi/.
The theme for the 23rd IPMA World Congress on Project Management in Helsinki next year will be "Refresh Yourself" The event will be aimed at regenerating one’s professional career, organization and personal development. Congress website is http://www.refresh09.com/?index.
Providing a unique opportunity for project-based organizations and suppliers of project management products and Services, Congress Partnerships are being offered for the 23rd IPMA World Congress in Finland. As a profiled partner, participating companies will be exposed to at least 50,000 practitioners of project management from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. According to congress organizers, the top five reasons for becoming a partner are (1) An outstanding opportunity to enhance your organization’s brand familiarity as a Project management and business professional; (2) An excellent opportunity for networking with the leading persons and experts in the projects world during the event; (3) The Congress provides a great opportunity for making new contacts and relationships and opens a venue for recruitment; (4) Broad marketing visibility via the seminar programme both nationally and internationally; and (5) Opportunity to state your own expert opinions and research results.
The event will bring together highly targeted top managers and professionals from all fields in emerging and leading economies. Exclusively designed networking opportunities will connect partners to decision makers, leaders and senior management and all levels of delegates, while helping expand contacts in a "Refreshing" atmosphere. Congress partners can participate in a partner exhibition or sponsor specific activities at the Congress. Four partner levels are offered: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Interested companies should visit http://www.refresh09.com/partners for benefits and pricing information.
The local host of the 23rd IPMA World Congress on Project Management in Helsinki will be Project Management Association Finland (PMAF), based in Espoo, Finland. PMAF is the national membership body for Finland in the International Project Management Association (IPMA). The general manager of PMAF is Jyry Louhisto, who is also the project director for the 23rd IPMA World Congress. For further information, visit www.pry.fi.
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 federation of 44 national PM societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. IPMA’s Annual World Congress is one of the largest and most important gatherings of project management authorities and leaders each year. The president of IPMA for 2009 is Brigitte Schaden. Additional information about IPMA is available at www.ipma.ch.
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Oger Systems wins Middle East Project Management
Company of the Year Award
To recognize and reward the incredible feats that project managers have provided across the region, the IIR PMEA committee presented the first ever Middle East Project Management Excellence Awards, which honored in dividuals as well as organizations for their achievements.
The Awards Ceremony took place at the JW Marriott Hotel in Dubai, to reward, appreciate and celebrate outstanding institutions and individual successes.
Oger Systems was selected as the award winner in two categories: “Project Management Company of the Year” and “Project Manager of the Year”. The reason behind winning these prestigious awards is that Oger Systems has and is continuously demonstrating that it is ready for tomorrow by ingraining the discipline of project management into its culture, structure and everyday work.
Oger Systems in its endeavor to become the leading consulting and systems integration firm in the Middle East has worked immensely on embedding the integration of ground-breaking technology savvy expertise with user centricity and clients needs as parmount with a solid and flexible underlying stratum of project management expertise and methodology which is put into action in every delivered project. This is further emphasized by the selection of Mr. Raed Skaf, Oger Systems Project Management Office Manager as the Project Manager of the Year. Mr. Skaf is one of the selected few OPM3 certified experts in the Middle East and among the top 100 in the world.
OPM3 or Organizational Project Management Maturity Model is a standard introduced by the Project Management Institute, USA in December 2003. OPM3 will help organizations in re-examining their pursuit of strategic objectives via best practices in organizational project management and provides means to assess an organization’s capability with respect to best practices. An assessment with this model can be used in making decisions with regard to planning and implementing improvements towards organizational maturity. The concept of Organization Project Management (on which the OPM3 model is based) itself is new.
OPM3 provides a basis for improving maturity of project management so that projects implemented can lead to successful organizational objectives. It is a new approach towards project management maturity wherein projects are considered not only at project level but also at program and portfolio levels. OPM3 is a structure where organizations can choose certain best practices and related capabilities and make an assessment and decide to implement whichever is suited to them in terms of resources, priority and time available.
Oger Systems, a Saudi consulting, systems integration and professional services firm, addresses Middle Eastern market through its offices around the region. As a systems integrator, Oger Systems specializes in delivering user centric infrastructure, enterprise and technology services and solutions.
Information about Oger Systems at http://www.ogersystems.com/home.php. Global Media Contacts: Bishr Al-Madani at Bishrm@ogersystems.com.
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PMForum named Media Partner for Arabian World
Construction Summit in Abu Dhabi
Reported by Mounir Ajam in UAE
PMForum has been named a Media Partner for the Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS), one of the largest conferences and trade shows for the construction industry in the Middle East, to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during 9-11 February 2009. The theme for the 2009 summit is 'achieving business sustainability in a challenging market'. Approximately 700 industry executives and guests are expected at this 3-day event, which will be at the beautiful Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi (photo).
The second Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) will focus on the construction sector in the Middle East, and explore industry-specific solutions to deal with the current global financial crisis.
A pre-summit workshop on 8 February will discuss ‘Project Partnering in the Arabian Gulf’, focusing on the three Ps: predictability, productivity and profitability. Led by industry leaders Trowers & Hamlins, the workshop will highlight successful strategies for collaboration and partnership in the Middle East region.
Anca Westley, Director of Summits at MEED, said: “We live in exciting times where the overall dynamics of the construction industry are changing. We’re looking forward to the outcomes of the summit and anticipate strong viewpoints and intense debate. We are confident the upcoming summit will generate industry-defining outcomes.”
Business sustainability will be the focus area on the opening day of the summit, with panellists seeking solutions for achieving long-term growth. Panellists for the discussions will include Richard Clare, Chairman of EC Harris, Ivor Catto, Chief Executive Officer of Hyder Consulting, and Johan Beerlandt, Chief Executive Officer of BESIX Group, among others. The role of multi-disciplinary international expertise on business sustainability will also be analysed. The afternoon will feature landmark projects such as the Masdar City, Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, and the Dynamic Tower.
The second day of the summit will be themed around business success in challenging markets, featuring talks on price volatility, health and safety issues, and capacity building.
The third and final day will focus on raw material cost fluctuation, price volatility and supply chain management. It will conclude with an on-site visit to Al-Raha Beach development, a multi-billion dirham project situated on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. For more information, visit the summit website at http://www.arabianconstructionsummit.com/.
AWCS is organized by MEED, Middle East Business Intelligence, internationally recognised as providing essential business intelligence for anyone doing business in, or with, the Middle East and North Africa. With journalists and contacts across the entire Middle East and North Africa region, MEED provides reliable, up-to-date business news, analysis and data in both print and online. MEED attracts customers from across 78 countries worldwide. Visit http://www.meed.com/.
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NASA Announces new rules for Attending 2009 PM Challenge
in February - no registration fee!
According to an announcement from NASA, the NASA Office of General Counsel has determined that the 2009 PM Challenge will be an internal NASA training meeting. The PM Challenge 2009 will be held as planned, with a few minor adjustments, during February 24-25, 2009 at the Daytona Beach Hilton Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.
The NASA PM Challenge 2009 will have 14 separate training tracks and general session speakers, as in the past. The NASA awards ceremony will be held on February 25 at lunch time. Since this will be a training event, NASA will pay for the facility and support, there will no longer be a registration fee. There is still a required registration process so that NASA knows and approves the attendance.
There are a few more rules changes regarding attendance at the event:
Meals - Each participant, including NASA civil servants, speakers and invited guests will pre-purchase meal tickets for lunch each day. The cost of each lunch is $10. The Hilton will sell these tickets on a website to be announced shortly. Due to the volume of people anticipated, the Hilton requires that all meal tickets be purchased by February 18, 2009. There will be no refunds, although a process will be worked out to transfer your ticket to another participant if you cancel your attendance after paying. You will not be granted access to the lunch room, the meal, the lunch speakers or the awards ceremony without buying a meal ticket. The Hilton will not sell meal tickets after February 18, 2009.
NASA Civil Servant Registration - All NASA civil servants and JPL employees will register with the PM Challenge Team, and must submit a SATERN training request to obtain your center approval to attend this training event. Please note that you are responsible for your own travel arrangements and cost, including hotel reservations.
All Other Registrations – Others will be permitted to attend this NASA event on a "space available" basis. You will be required to submit a request to attend this NASA training. This process will be defined on the PM Challenge website. Requests to attend the PM Challenge will be considered on a first come, first served basis, so applications should be submitted early. Register at http://pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov/registration2009.htm
Speakers and Panelists - Speakers will be issued an invitation to participate in the PM Challenge. As in the past, your travel arrangements and cost will be your own responsibility. Additionally, you will need to purchase meal tickets if you would like to participate in the luncheon.
The annual NASA PM Challenge conference is organized by NASA’s Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL). Additional information can be found at http://pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov/speaker2009.htm. The co-chairs for the NASA PM Challenge 2009 conference are Dorothy Tiffany and Walt Majerowicz.
Under NASA’s Office of the Chief Engineer, the Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) provides leadership, advice, direction, and support for the development and learning of the NASA program/project management and engineering community. APPEL trains the technical workforce through a competency-based and experiential development process; promotes continuous learning through a blended learning model, which leverages the expertise of university and private industry partners; offers performance support to project teams through assessment, workshops, expert consulting, rapid deployment training, coaching, and mentoring; and facilitates the dissemination of lessons learned through online resources and communities of practice. The Director of APPEL is Dr. Edward Hoffman. For more information, visit http://appel.nasa.gov/.
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TPG The Project Group expands into UK
Reported by Bob Owen in the UK
TPG The Project Group, a leading Microsoft Project Partner and provider of products and services for Microsoft Enterprise Project Management (EPM), has announced the creation of a UK-based subsidiary, TPG The Project Group UK Ltd. The TPG UK office is located in Manchester, and will assume responsibility for sales and implementation of TPG products in the markets of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The new office will put a particular focus on TPG PSLink® and on close collaboration with EPM partners in the UK. Peter O’Neill has been named as Operations Director of the new company and Stavros Georgantzis as Financial Director. Dr. Thomas Henkelmann, TPG’s Director of Consulting Services, completes the three-man board of directors of TPG The Project Group UK Ltd.
“Over the last few months, we’ve been seeing strong demand from UK companies for our products, and particularly for TPG PSLink, which integrates Microsoft Project with SAP”, said Stavros Georgantzis, Managing Director of TPG The Project Group in Munich, Germany. He noted that the company had decided to establish a local office in order to be more responsive and flexible in serving UK clients and responding to partner requests.
“It was clear to us that we could only do this successfully with proper support by local staff. That’s why we’re delighted to have Peter O’Neill on board. He’s a hugely talented professional and has a deep knowledge of our products as well as of the UK and Irish markets for Microsoft Project and SAP. Together with us here in Munich, Peter will be developing the company in UK”, added Georgantzis.
“With its EPM knowledge and unparalleled SAP integration expertise, TPG offers a range of products and services to help organizations meet the project management challenges they currently face. Customers around the world enjoy the tangible business benefits that TPG can bring, and we’re confident that we can continue this track record in the UK”, said Peter O’Neill.
Peter O’Neill joins TPG with 12+ years experience in the implementation of Project Management solutions centred around SAP Project Systems in all major industries including aerospace & defence, pharmaceuticals, telecoms, mining and the public sector. As an independent Solution Architect, he worked with TPG to provide a Microsoft Enterprise Project Management based solution with SAP integration using TPG PSLink® and TPG ResourceLink at BAE Systems. Following this very successful collaboration with TPG, Peter recognized that the TPG authoritative yet collaborative approach to delivery and support would work well in the UK and Ireland.
TPG The Project Group GmbH is based in Munich, Germany, with subsidiaries in the USA and United Kingdom, and has specialized since 1998 in IT solutions for enterprise-wide project management. The company implements Enterprise Project Management (EPM) solutions based on Microsoft Office Project Server and Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server, extended with its own products. TPG is a Microsoft Premier Project Partner and a Gold Certified Partner. The flagship TPG PSLink®, launched over 10 years ago, is the company’s highly-configurable product for integrating Microsoft EPM with SAP. For further information, visit www.theprojectgroup.com/index_e.html
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PMI Dallas 2009 Project Management Vendor Showcase
set for 5 February
The PMI Dallas Chapter will hold its annual "Project Management Vendor Showcase" on February 5, 2009. The PMI Dallas Chapter Vendor Showcase provides opportunities for suppliers of project management products and services to gain one-on-one time with project management professionals in the Dallas Area. Project management practitioners and leaders will find opportunities to see the latest project management technologies, including the leading PM software systems and tools.
The 2009 PMI Dallas Vendor Showcase takes place on Thursday, February 5, 2009 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, at the Crown Plaza Hotel at 14315 Midway Road in Addison, Texas.
According to the PMI Dallas announcement, this event is by far the most popular event of the year for the chapter. PMI Dallas chapter members attended free, while PM product and service suppliers pay reasonable prices for exhibition space. Usually with more than twenty participating vendors, and a generous buffet dinner, attendance can exceed 400 participants.
Although free to PMI Dallas Chapter members, registration is still required. For more information, visit http://www.pmidallas.org/index.phtml?menu=s-cb-evt&evtCode=105&evtDate=2009-02-05
Project management companies interested in promoting or demonstrating products, services or technologies should visit http://vendorshowcase2009.eventbrite.com/
The PMI Dallas Chapter is a volunteer-based professional association dedicated to supporting the growth and development of project management practitioners, as well as building awareness of the project management discipline and its critical role in business and organization success. With more than 270,000 members in over 170 countries, the Project Management Institute (PMI®) is the world’s largest membership association for project management. Founded in 1984 and with over 4,000 members, the PMI Dallas Chapter is one of the world’s largest PMI components. To learn more about the PMI Dallas Chapter and its service offerings, visit
www.pmidallas.org
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