Volume X - Issue IV - April 2008
PM Profession News
PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific 2008 Project Management Conference takes place in Sydney Reported by Rob Posener PMP in Sydney
The PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific 2008 Project Management Conference opened in Sydney on Monday 3rd March, with speeches by Greg Balestrero, Philip Diab and Robyn Meredith. The conference is being held at The Hilton in Sydney during 3rd to 5th March, 2008. Approximately 750 project management executives and professionals attended the opening session on Monday afternoon. The conference was officially opened by a troupe of Australian aborigines giving a performance of indigenous music (highlighted by the playing of a didgeridoo and music sticks) as well as traditional dances for clearing of the bad spirits, welcome and uncanny animal mimicry.
Greg Balestrero, PMI CEO, opened the conference with a slide show of his recent motor biking holiday with Gordon Bartlett (PMI Region 10’s Mentor) , linking this to the world of project management by asking the audience to think of the project management efforts that went into building the roads over a 50-year period. Philip Diab (pictured), Chair of the PMI Board of Directors, reconfirmed the value of project management to the assembly and introduced the keynote speaker, Robyn Meridith.
Keynote speaker Robyn Meredith is well-known for her book “The Elephant and the Dragon” which deals with the rise of the Indian and Chinese economies respectively. She carried over this theme to her speech in Sydney which summarised how, while they are different, they each are currently having and will continue to have a very significant impact on the rest of the world’s economies. Meredith, who lives in Hong Kong, is senior editor-Asia for Forbes magazine.
The two and a half day conference has 64 different topics being presented. For more information, visit http://sydney.pmichapters-australia.org.au.
The PMI Global Congress – Asia Pacific is one of four global congresses organized each year by PMI®, along with congresses in the Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA), Latin America and North America regions. The PMI Global Congresses are some of the largest project management-related events in the world and include educational seminars, professional paper presentations, vendor exhibitions, networking events, and professional meetings. PMI also conducts regional leadership meetings in connection with each Global Congress, at which leaders of PMI components, committees and operations staff meet on PMI business. For more information about Global Congresses, visit http://congresses.pmi.org/.
With more than 260,000 members in 171 countries, the Project Management Institute (PMI®) is the leading membership association for the project management profession and the largest association dedicated to project management in the world. As the leading advocate for the profession, PMI is actively engaged in setting professional standards, providing a professional career path for project managers and maintaining a family of globally-transferable professional credentials: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®), Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Program Management Professional (PgMPSM). Additionally, the Institute provides members with access to the knowledge, skills, educational support and networking opportunities needed to drive business results through project management. PMI is highly regarded for its extensive research capabilities. PMI was founded in 1969. Visit PMI.org for more information. APM elect new Hon Fellows Reported by: Miles Shepherd. in the UK The Association for Project Management (APM) in the United Kingdom (UK) has recognized four distinguished project practitioners in its award of Honorary Fellowship to David Hillson, Albert Lester, Geoff Reiss and David Shannon.
David Hillson (pictured right) is a world authority on risk management, is a former chair of APM’s risk management Specific Interest Group and is well known as an author. He is also known for his work in developing risk management within the Project Management Institute (PMI). David continues to support all APM activities and is also a prolific writer on risk management. "I have always tried to promote project management and the Association, and I hope that this honour will help me to do that more effectively,” he said, upon receiving this award.  Albert Lester (pictured left) has been tireless in his representation of the construction industry at a number of levels and this is one factor in his award. He has also been a stalwart of the British Standards Institute, where he was a member of the drafting team for BS 6079. This included his role as chair of the subcommittee for BS4079 Part 4 (Project Management in Construction). Albert has also produced a wide range of publications including Project Management, Planning and Control, currently in its 5th edition. "Perhaps one of the most satisfying experiences in one's professional life is to be respected and recognised by one's peers. Although it came as a complete surprise, the honour bestowed on me by APM is therefore very gratifying and greatly appreciated," he stated.
Geoff Reiss (pictured right) is the founder and current chair of the APM Specific Interest Group in programme management and has been heavily involved in the development of this area since its infancy. Geoff has authored the popular titles Project Management Demystified, Programme Management Demystified and One Project Too Many. A major developer of project management software in his early career, Geoff is also a major contributor to the APM Body of Knowledge. According to Geoff, "I was simultaneously very surprised and delighted to be invited to join the elite group of Honorary Fellows of the APM. This indeed is an honour to be proud of."
David Shannon (pictured left) has been closely associated with APM for many years. He was chair of the Professional Development Board and played a major part in APM’s certification development activities before fulfilling an extremely effective role as acting chief executive in 2000. David founded the APM Specific Interest Group on governance, which has produced the successful ‘Directing Change’ and the recent publication Co-directing Change. The honorary fellowship recognises David’s direct involvement with APM and its development over the last two decades. The Association for Project Management (APM) is the UK’s national body for professional project management. With over 15,000 individual and 390 corporate members throughout the UK and abroad, APM is one of the largest organizations of its kind in Europe. The organization develops and promotes project management across all sectors of industry and beyond. APM's published mission is: "To develop and promote the professional disciplines of project and programme management for the public benefit." APM is the UK member of the International Project Management Association (IPMA). With headquarters in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, APM has twelve regional branches throughout the UK and one in Hong Kong. Additional information can be found at www.apm.org.uk. International Project & Program Management Symposium Reported by PMForum from Tokyo The International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 opened in Tokyo, Japan on Monday, March 10 with welcoming addresses by Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka, Conference Chair, and Mr. Hiroshi Kunitomo, Director of the International Project Promotion Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of the Japanese Government. Master of Ceremonies for the opening session was David Pells, Managing Editor of PMForum and PM World Today. Dr. Tanaka welcomed delegates from more than 20 countries to the second international symposium hosted by the Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ). According to Hiroshi, “I hope this symposium will provide another platform where PM East meets PM West as IPMC 2001 did so successfully. Those of you who have come all the way from the West are invited to know the fast growing project management in Asia, from Kazakhstan, via Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, to India.”
Mr. Motonori Saeki, Senior Corporate Officer, Hihon Unisys, Ltd. Mr. Gaku Suzuki, President & CEO of Industrial Systems, Hitachi, Ltd. Mr. Koichi Hironishi, Corporate Senior Vice Prsident, Fujitsu, Ltd. Mr. Masahiko Yaegashi, Executive Vice President & Director, JGC Corporation. Hiroshi then introduced the members of the International Advisory Board, consisting of 15 well known project management authorities and professional leaders from around the world.
Representing METI, Mr. Kunitomo welcomed the 400+ symposium attendees to Japan and to the conference. He then discussed some actions that METI is taking to support professional project management. According to Mr. Kunitomo, “This global symposium is a wonderful occasion that we from Japan could introduce what we are doing. I am very happy and honored to talk to you as a Japanese government official that works closely with the industry that promotes project management. I would like to spend a few minutes to talk about how we at METI emphasize project management. First of all, we are continuing our support of the promotion of P2M in Japan. Practice of project management has spread into many branches of industry in Japan. Through the tough competition in the marketplace, the industrial society needs breakthroughs in project management. I believe here is a prospect that the horizon of P2M is extending. Secondly, METI has started a three-year program of developing project managers in the plant engineering and construction projects. The industry needs project managers who have, not only all-rounded global management capability of projects, but also balanced project risk management capability. Our industry and METI are making efforts together to tackle anew developing candidates for such project managers through the industry’s dedicated development program; according to the tough business environment. Third, if we look at global initiatives of PM, METI is supporting the Japanese Mirror Committee of ISO, International Standards Organization, Project Committee that is now under way. The Japanese Government has been pursuing, since 2006, the New Economic Growth Strategy that would realize a renewed, strong Japanese economy. The backbone of the strategy is acceleration of innovation. This strategy shows that under the limitation of natural resources and man power resources, in order to grow stably, Japanese economy will need to lay down five resource categories as fundamental muscles to move ahead the strategy. These five categories are human assets, capital assets or production means, financial assets, technological and intellectual assets, and managerial methods. I consider integrating these resources and maintaining a fine balance among them in order to conceive and realize new organizational value, is project management of a new breed suitable for solving complex and compounding problems of today.”
Mr. Kunitomo (on left in photo with Dr. Tanaka) joined METI in 1986 after graduating from Tokyo University with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Engineering. He completed his Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering at Imperial College of London University. He has been engaged in public administration and industrial promotion concerning oil and gas, mineral resources, environmental management, and the engineering industry, among others in his career of 21 years as a government official. The International Projects Promotion Office of METI is responsible for the promotion of the plant engineering and construction industry, and the governmental support for major-sized international projects in social and industrial infrastructures. These industry branches are highly dependent on project management in which you are experts. The plant engineering and construction industry is one of pioneers of project management. METI has been involved with the promotion of project management in Japan over the past 30 years and supported the promotional activities of the Engineering Advancement Association of Japan (ENAA) and Project Management Association of Japan, PMAJ, the organizer of this symposium. The “International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 – In pursuit of organizational project management value,” is being held in Tokyo, Japan during 10-11 March 2008. The symposium at Tower Hall, Funabori, Tokyo, Japan, was sponsored by the Project Management Association of Japan. The Project Director for the IP&PMS Tokyo 2008 was Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka.
The national Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ) was born in 2005 thorough the integration of the Japan Project Management Forum (JPMF – pioneer of Japan’s project management society) and Project Management Professionals Certification Center (PMCC). PMAJ has 3,000 individual and 110 corporate members from all branches of the Japanese industry and governmental agencies. PMAJ offers its own standard “The Guidebook of Project and Program Management for Enterprise Innovation – P2M” and P2M based certification system. For more information, visit http://www.pmaj.or.jp/. Report from Tokyo - Highlights of Day 1 of International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 Reported by PMForum from Tokyo The International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 opened in Tokyo, Japan on Monday, March 10 at Tower Hall, Funabori, Tokyo, Japan. The sponsor of the two-day project management conference was the Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ). PMForum was represented at the conference by Managing Editor David Pells, Master of Ceremonies for the opening session. Here are some highlights from Day One:
The “International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 – In pursuit of organizational project management value, was held in Tokyo, Japan during 10-11 March 2008. The symposium at Tower Hall, Funabori, Tokyo, Japan, was sponsored by the Project Management Association of Japan. The Project Director and Chairman for the IP&PMS Tokyo 2008 was Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka president of PMAJ.  The national Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ) was born in 2005 thorough the integration of the Japan Project Management Forum (JPMF – pioneer of Japan’s project management society) and Project Management Professionals Certification Center (PMCC). PMAJ has 3,000 individual and 110 corporate members from all branches of the Japanese industry and governmental agencies. PMAJ offers its own standard “The Guidebook of Project and Program Management for Enterprise Innovation – P2M” and P2M based certification system. For more information, visit http://www.pmaj.or.jp/. Report from Tokyo - Day 2 Highlights from the International Project Reported by PMForum from Tokyo  The International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 was held during 10-11 March 2008 at Tower Hall, Funabori, Tokyo, Japan. The sponsor of the two-day project management conference was the Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ). PMForum was represented at the conference by Managing Editor David Pells, Master of Ceremonies for the opening session. The Chair of the IP&PMS Tokyo 2008 was Hiroshi Tanaka, President of PMAJ, (shown in photo at podium). Here are some highlights from Day Two:
The day was capped with cruise of Tokyo Bay for international guests, followed by dinner at a wonderful restaurant in downtown Tokyo. The “International Project & Program Management Symposium Tokyo 2008 – In pursuit of organizational project management value, was held in Tokyo, Japan during 10-11 March 2008. The symposium at Tower Hall, Funabori, Tokyo, Japan, was sponsored by the Project Management Association of Japan. The Project Director and Chairman for the IP&PMS Tokyo 2008 was Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka president of PMAJ. The national Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ) was born in 2005 thorough the integration of the Japan Project Management Forum (JPMF – pioneer of Japan’s project management society) and Project Management Professionals Certification Center (PMCC). PMAJ has 3,000 individual and 110 corporate members from all branches of the Japanese industry and governmental agencies. PMAJ offers its own standard “The Guidebook of Project and Program Management for Enterprise Innovation – P2M” and P2M based certification system. For more information, visit http://www.pmaj.or.jp/. Construction Extension to the PMBOK Guide published by PMI The Project Management Institute (PMI) has announced the release of the Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide Third Edition. According to the PMI news release, the Construction Extension is a compliment to PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Third Edition. The PMBOK® Guide is a global standard for project management that can be applied to all industries in all regions of the world. The principles and terminology in the PMBOK® Guide allow project management professionals to speak the same project management language, providing a basis for overcoming language and cultural barriers on global project teams.
Many construction projects require large amounts of materials, physical tools and labor, and involve many key individuals and organizations, thus the need for a specific set of tools, techniques and methodologies exclusive to the construction industry. Part of the PMI Global Standards Program, the Construction Extension adapts the globally accepted standards of PMI’s PMBOK® Guide to the construction industry and aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of construction project management. “Construction projects have many moving parts and often times project teams don’t speak the same language or live in the same country, making communication and understanding difficult,” said John Zlockie, manager, PMI standards. “Global standards such as the Construction Extension and the PMBOK® Guide are crucial to the profession because they ensure a basic project management framework is applied consistently worldwide. Simply put, they translate project management practices into one standard, unified language. ” With so many different aspects of a construction project and so many different team members, it is imperative to the success of the project and the organization that there be consistent ideologies that the project team can follow, even across language barriers. Through global standards such as the PMBOK® Guide and the Construction Extension, the PMI Global Standards Program improves the understanding and competency of project management practitioners and executive leaders worldwide by identifying, defining, documenting and championing project management practices that are generally recognized as good practice and a common project management lexicon. The Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide Third Edition (ISBN: 9781930699526 | Paperback, 191 pp. | Retail: US$39.95) is available from the PMI Bookstore at www.PMI.org/Marketplace.
PMI-Montréal Strategic Conference explores the success factors Reported by: Alcides Santopietro in Montreal PMI-Montréal, one of the most active PMI offices in Canada, with close to 3,000 members, has organized a Strategic Conference in the city to present “The Management of the Metropolitan Transport Agency’s Major projects” (AMT – Agence métropolitain de transport). The event took place on March 27th at the St-Paul Hotel in the heart of downtown Montreal.
The speaker, Mr. Joël Gauthier, AMT’s President and C.E.O, not only presented the recent achievements of the most important projects managed by this agency, but also emphasized the success factors of one of the most important ones, the Montreal subway expansion, a 5-year endeavor with a budget of US$ 745 millions. Mr. Gauthier has emphasized that the project was finished under budget and he was also proud to say that the average cost per km (US$ 143 millions) was lower than the international average (US$ 175 millions). Mr. Gauthier explained that for a project with such an importance for the region, it is crucial to keep a transparent communication channel with every stakeholder. He stated that a clear supplier selection process is crucial for obtaining the solutions which have the best cost-benefit ratios as well as for keeping the whole process transparent.
PMI Athens Chapter selects new Board - Giotis elected President A new Board of Directors (BOD) has been announced for the Athens, Greece Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI®). According to news received by PMForum, Theofanis Giotis was named president of the PMI Athens, Greece Chapter on Thursday, 27th March 2008.
Theofanis Giotis is CEO of ITEC Total Solutions SA, an Information Technology Solutions company, and managing director for ITEC Training Services SA, an IT, Project Management and Management Training company. He has an MS degree in Operations Research from the University of Lancaster (UK) and a BA in Economics from the University of Athens, Greece. Theofanis has 20 years’ experience in Management, Finance, IT, Security and PM. He is a co-founder of the PMI® Greece Chapter and a member of the Greek Computer Society, Greek Operations Research Society, Hellenic Management Association, and several other Greek and international professional organizations. Theofanis is also an International Correspondent for PMForum and PM World Today. Theofanis can be contacted at Theofanis.Giotis@ITEC.edu or Theofanis.Giotis@PMI-GREECE.org. Other newly elected members of the PMI Athens Chapter include:
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