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Topic: Project Management Recruitment & Careers
Last Reply: Indeed - the forum has been a little quiet of late. It is the old chicken a egg - needs more content/opinions for people to deem it worth contributing....
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Nick Boothroyd
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Topic: Project Management Recruitment & Careers
Last Reply: It doesn't look like this forum is used very much which is a shame, especially with the outlook being a little gloomy and many project managers are lo....
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Topic: contract roles
Last Reply: Hi Matt,
Just noticed that this was posted some time ago, hopefully you will pick up this reply.
I work for Wellingtone Project Management, one ....
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| TELL A FRIEND |
Why not recommend PM Lifeline to a friend?
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| YOU ARE NOT ALONE |
Ref: A/1760
Date: 12/10/2007
Contributor: PM Lifeline Editorial, Eddie Lamont, Project Manager
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| The Value of Project Management Interest Groups, Conferences and Seminars |
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When your organisation first decides to address the manner in which it approaches the management of its programmes and projects, you can feel very isolated and alone.
Once you have identified a method that may work for you (most commonly Prince2) then you are faced with the challenge of how you acquire the knowledge to ensure that is suits your needs and embed it into your organisation. One quick option is to identify a qualified Prince2 consultant to work with you. This can be very costly and you have to consider what level of knowledge your organisation is actually building if an external consultant is doing all the work for you.
The thing is, you are not alone. Many organisations, in both the public and private sector, have been there before you. They have made mistakes and learnt from them as well as had successes. Interest Groups, such as the Best Practice User Group (BPUG) can be of great benefit. As well as the conferences and workshops that they organise having presentations and exercises based around the subject matters that will be relevant to you, the networking opportunities are invaluable.
At CEC we developed an internal project management approach based on Prince2 (the PMA) early in our development. This idea came through discussions with Manchester City Council who I first met at a BPUG event and were much further down the maturity path than us. You will also get to meet several consultants who will impart some free advice to you (usually after you have bought them a pint in the hotel bar!)
Once you have developed a plan for how you want to move forward, you may consider setting up a Project Support Office of some description. This is where specialist groups such as the PPSO become worthwhile. Again, conferences provide the opportunity to learn from experts and others who have went through what you have and faced the same problems and pitfalls.
Once you have a vision of where you want to be, the next challenge is identifying the most suitable partners to assist in getting you there. This can range from external consultants to IT service providers and training organisations. Visits to either the Best Practice Showcase or Project Challenge provide the opportunity to speak face to face with providers and to arrange follow up meetings if desired.
The networking theme continues through all of the above as does continual learning and soon, when attending events, you will recognise faces and call on them at different times for guidance and advice. You will then one day find that it is you who is being contacted for advice from another organisation starting out.
Since starting out, I have created links with many different organisations in both the public and private sector. I have presented to and passed the PMA to several other public organisations on request. Through membership of BPUG, I am now involved in the refresh of Prince2 as part of the Scoping and Review Group and recently participated in the review of the APMP Examination for Prince2 Practitioners. This brings the feeling that I am not simply a user of a methodology, but a stakeholder and in a position to directly impact on the future of programme and project management throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.
Eddie Lamont
Project Manager
The City of Edinburgh Council
{CEC in partnership with NHS National Services Scotland recently created a new Interest Group in Scotland, the Scottish Programme and Project Management Group. Membership has grown from 8 original organisations to over 20 and we are currently working on a 5 year plan for the growth and development of this group. For details of SPPMG events or membership, please feel free to contact me on 0131 469 5383 or eddie.lamont@edinburgh.gov.uk}
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| If you would like to comment on this article, please email us, quoting the article reference number A/1760. |
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