PMI Mass Bay Chapter e-Newsletter

The very first project I ever managed should have been called "The Stupid Things We Do" project. It was essentially a re-engineering project in a major bank where I worked. Having long observed peers’ project management styles, I thought my job was to demonstrate that I always knew everything there was to know about the project, the people, and the desired outcome. Confident in my people management skills, I thought I knew exactly how to manage this detailed and complicated project. How could I possibly fail? Well, needless to say, I learned a few things while leading this project.

Click on FULL STORY to read the Lalig's complete letter to the membership...

[FULL STORY]

Chapter Meeting - March 18, 2004
Register by March 12th to Receive a Discount!
by Hannah Sukonick, PMP, Director of Programs

Increasing Project Manager Value in Each Phase of the Product Lifecycle
Our Presenter - Rob Olney

The rapid pace of change in business today has led to global projects for product development with various internal and external organizations. Amid this chaos, project managers are still expected to deliver projects on-time and on-budget. One way to continue to meet aggressive product development schedules among dissimilar organizations around the world is to adopt a common product development process. Developing internal processes and training takes valuable time and money.

Click on FULL STORY to learn more about this month's Chapter meeting...

[FULL STORY]

Special Event YMCA Field Trip and Project Coaching Workshop!
Note New Date - Tuesday – March 30th
by Greg Woo, PMP

The PMI Mass Bay and PMI New Hampshire Chapters have partnered to sponsor a very special evening of learning and fun. On Tuesday, March 30, 2004, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, we are going to review a large and complex project the Mass Bay Chapter recently helped the YMCA of the North Shore complete. This is one of the largest YMCA organizations in the country and is now one of just four YMCAs to have a 50-meter swimming pool! It sports the largest YMCA youth swimming team in the country.

To learn more about this special event, click on FULL STORY...

[FULL STORY]

Call for Nominations
by Ed Horniak, PMP, President-elect

The PMI Mass Bay Chapter Needs You!

The PMI Mass Bay Chapter Nominating Committee is seeking candidates for the position of President-elect for the 2004-2005 term and Vice President of Professional Development for the 2004-2006 term.

Click on FULL STORY to learn how to be considered for these important Mass Bay Chapter positions...

[FULL STORY]

Project Estimating
Response to January PM Q&A
by Barry Devitt, Managing Partner, VPO Consulting

In January, the Mass Bay Chapter introduced a PM Q&A bi/monthly e-newsletter feature in which a member’s project management-related question is presented and responses are solicited from our diverse subscriber base of more than 1,700 readers. Following is the question from January and the best response the Chapter received.

Question of the Month from January:
My company is trying to develop a methodology for project time estimation that can be used early in the project lifecycle. What methods have members used and how accurate were the methods? Is it possible to get a realistic estimate early in the lifecycle or do most project managers rely on past experience to guide them?

Executive Summary of the Response:

The challenge of Project Cost and Project Schedule estimating (project estimating) can make or break your project and even your organization. Organizations that have the luxury of relying on projects with a high level of repeatability can operate with less rigorous project estimating methodologies. On the other hand, where project repeatability is low, and risk is high, project estimating demands a mature project estimating methodology. This article describes a Best Estimate methodology for project estimating which integrates the PMI disciplines of Project Cost Management, Project Schedule Management and Project Risk Management with the Cone of Uncertainty.

The PMI Mass Bay Chapter is pleased to present Barry Devitt’s detailed response to the project estimating question from January. Please click on FULL STORY to review Mr. Devitt’s complete white paper…

[FULL STORY]

Chapter Meeting - February 19 Report and PDU Information
by Ted H. Webber, PMP, CPA, CISA, CGFM

Achieving Project Value with Stakeholder Management

Jeff Berman knows about organizational change and the impact it can have on the perceived value of your projects. He also knows that the key to maximizing your project’s value is to manage that change so your stakeholders realize the full true value of your project at its conclusion. Jeff Berman shared these thoughts and others with the members of the PMI Mass Bay Chapter on February 19, 2004. The statistics and ideas he presented to us that night were staggering.

Click on FULL STORY to read more about the February 19 Chapter meeting and to get the associated PDU information...

[FULL STORY]

Keep those Cards and Letters Coming!
by Tom Price, PMP, Director of Membership Services

A warm thanks to all of the members who have forwarded their questions and ideas regarding how the Mass Bay Chapter can be more personally and professionally relevant to them.

To read a summary of what some of the communications contained and what the Chapter is doing as a result of hearing from you, click on FULL STORY...

[FULL STORY]

A Thank You Letter to the PMI Mass Bay Chapter

To: The Project Management Institute

From: Chris Lovasco, Regional Executive Director, YMCA of the North Shore

Subject: Volunteer Assistance from PMI Mass Bay Chapter’s Community Service Team

Date: January 19, 2004

The YMCA of the North Shore would like to thank the PMI Mass Bay Chapter and its Community Service Team composed of Greg Woo, Willie Rich, Ron Ferrara, Kirsten Barton, Bette Jenkins, Keith Laidley, Frank Petrucci, Byron Garcia, and William Hayes for the guidance, coaching, training, and research work that they provided to our YMCA on our recent Sterling Center Expansion project.

This project was an enormous undertaking for our organization and we were struggling to organize the project and to get the momentum needed for a successful outcome. Without the enormous commitment and professional assistance that the PMI team provided to us, we would not have been able to complete this project in such an efficient manner nor would we have been likely to achieve the level of satisfaction that resulted at the project’s completion.

We struggled to find the time and focus needed to launch this project for six years before the PMI team came aboard. Under their guidance, and with their dedication and help, we made more progress in getting the project launched and executed over the course of six months than we had on our own for the prior six years. We’ve also learned an enormous amount about organized project management practices and are now able to utilize that new knowledge on our other projects and work activities. The training and facilitation that we received from the PMI team was priceless. We also now know that there is an organization for project-oriented professionals called PMI.

Your community service team listened to our project situation discussions, issues lists, and work activities on a regular basis – once a week for several hours at our peak time of need – and helped us understand the project management options, tools, and techniques that might help us do better with the management of the project. They also facilitated meetings, trained us on several valuable tools and techniques, and coached us through the definition, launch, and execution of this project. This knowledge and assistance enabled us not only to complete the project in a manner that met our expectations, but it also helped us avoid a number of problems that could have severely impacted our ability to serve our members while the project was underway. It was a particularly challenging and complex project because we tripled the size of the facility while keeping it open and operational for use by our members.

The outcome has our membership and the community in awe. Our newly expanded facilities enable us to serve the North Shore community of Greater Boston more thoroughly and effectively in a large variety of areas too numerous to describe here. This facility will be enjoyed by many thousands of people of all ages and with diverse needs for generations to come.

We are looking forward to continued assistance from the PMI team as we begin our next expansion project at the Sterling Center. Thanks so much.

Sincerely,

Chris Lovasco

Regional Executive Director

YMCA of the North Shore

Published by PMI Mass Bay Chapter, Inc.
Copyright © 2004 PMI Mass Bay Chapter, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Website: www.pmimassbay.org / Email: info@pmimassbay.org / Edited by: Barbara C. Alevras, PMP, Director of Marketing and Communications

TELL A FRIEND
View Archive