Living on the Edge

 

Living on the Edge

by Mike Frenette, PMP

So you have a daughter or son who is interested in learning more about project management. You decide you want to help them learn more about it, so you dutifully procure a copy of the latest PMBOK with its Agile attachment and hand it to them. Does it fall to the floor in the transition and break their toe? No - they accept it gratefully and get through the first few pages when their mobile beeps and they put it on a shelf in their bedroom. You find it there a year later, layered with dust, with a bunch of unrecognizable cables and cords twisted in a ball on top of them, and a few unmatched pairs of socks.

Have you ever experienced this sort of thing with an offspring, or a niece, nephew, neighbour's kid, or a really smart pet? OK... scratch that last bit. It was my lame attempt at a joke - just like the broken toe one above.

Seriously, though, most people under the age of 20 these days are so used to picking up their mobile device to find all the information they need, that giving them a 756 Page tome with a 167 Page companion document is just not going to cut it. Worse, it might just turn them off learning about project management altogether!

So what is the solution? There are probably many, but PMI has one at least that might just help carry the day. Yay, PMI! Does it involve mobile devices? YES! Does it serve up project management knowledge in bite-size pieces? YES! Does it look like something young people might like it? YES! Could it break your toe? NO! 

"So, cut to the chase, Mike!", you say. l hear you.

Have a look at edge.pmi.org, try it for a bit, so you know what you are talking about and then spread it around to any young person you know, or even some you don't know. Why not? Be clandestine about it. If you see random devices around, stick it in their favourites or on their Homepage. Pass out certificates for free ice cream. Whatever it takes! Use your imagination! 

Kudos to PMI for having the foresight to create an Agile project push this app out in very little time. They are looking for feedback. Make sure you give it!