PMI Global Insights

By: Zahid Khan
Deputy Director Asset Management, Sound Transit

Introduction

Traditionally, projects have been designed and constructed without integrating asset management (AM).  Either AM was overlooked or an afterthought when the assets are delivered.  Project management professionals are focused on completing their projects in a timely manner and within in budget and often are not aware of operational requirements.  Organizations often do not have any framework for integrating asset management during project planning.  As a result, during the project planning phase, asset requirements are not effectively incorporated in design, construction, and procurement of physical assets.  Lack of timely and effective incorporation of asset requirements and performance data reduces the ability of the organizations to optimize the value chain delivery.

How can organizations assure that the value created by projects will continue to meet stakeholders’ expectations?  This presentation includes a strategic approach for systematically integrating asset management in project, program, and portfolio management throughout the asset lifecycle.  This presentation also provides a practical approach for developing and implementing an organizational change management approach for integrating AM processes with portfolio management.

How to … or What is the Solution?

Portfolio Management (PfM) aligns interrelated processes that support decision making and balancing priorities of the portfolio. Sustainable value delivery requires strategic integration of AM in PfM. ISO 55000 defines AM as “the coordinated activities of an organization for the purpose of generating value from assets”. AM approach can be integrated in PfM through development of governance to maximize value delivery by:

1. Developing AM Framework (AMF) which integrates asset performance, risks, reliability, and operational requirements
2. Utilizing asset data for decision makings
3. Integrating asset requirements in project planning
4. Aligning with organizational missions
5. Implementing a management system to:
   1. Unify PfM and AMF to ensure value proposition
   2. Manage risks, quality, and performance domains consistently
6. Implementing Plan-Do-Check-Act process throughout the asset lifecycle

Organizations that are in the process of maturing their PfM and AMF can implement the Integrated PfM by:

1. Garnering support from all levels to champion AM
2. Developing governance to integrate AM in applicable business processes
3. Educating Stakeholders to understand the value of AM
4. Championing a cultural shift to work across silos
5. Managing change to foster data informed decision making

This presentation will describe the value of integrated PfM.  We will discuss two real-life examples where AM was integrated in PfM to make asset data informed decision-making for sustaining value derived from the projects. These examples will help you understand how you can integrate AM in your portfolio management system.

Closing – Interested in Learning More?

By integrating asset management with project, program and/or portfolio management your organization will realize sustainable value chain delivery. Value created by projects can be further improved and/or sustained by integrating AM through the utilization of a governance structure or a management system. We will discuss how various organizations can prepare to establish an asset management system that can be seamlessly integrated to an existing portfolio management system.

Interested in learning more and furthering the dialogue? Join us on December 1 at the Global Summit event for this presentation and take part in the question and answers with us and the rest of the PM community.

By: Erik Rueter
Senior Project Manager, American Marketing Association

Inclusion in the workplace doesn't just happen. You must be deliberate, intentional, and persistent in shaping more inclusive cultures; people need to feel safe, that their contributions are meaningful and valued, and that they have the intellectual and emotional bandwidth to contribute to the work. A PM only influences a small group within a larger company. So, how do you make a powerful, organization-wide impact? How do you foster an atmosphere where everyone - even members of historically marginalized groups - feels safe bringing their ideas, creative problem-solving, and passion to your project? As one of my mentors, internationally renowned nonprofit leader William E. Strickland, Jr., told me, culture change is like water on granite. You may not think you're making a difference with each drop. However, one day, you'll realize you have reshaped the stone. I can almost hear you saying, that's a great simile, Erik, but what does that mean to me and my PM practice?

As a PM, you have many methodologies you can use to structure and guide your project work. One powerful PM tool is human-centered design (HCD) (See the image for the phases of HCD and how they interconnect). Using HCD, you can increase your team's engagement and productivity, create a positive culture for your workers, and improve your leadership delivery... All at the same time! If you think that sounds too good to be true, read on, intrepid PM (or better yet, attend my session in Las Vegas)!

Let's talk about the power of human-centered design as a product methodology. By leading customers through solution-oriented activities, you will help unleash their creative problem-solving abilities while removing some systemic barriers preventing historically marginalized groups from meaningfully contributing to the process. Using HCD, you can keep the end users' needs, pain points, and preferences front of mind during every phase by documenting them in permanent, visual, and trackable artifacts. You'll create more intuitive, accessible, and profitable products because your customers have already contributed and vetted solutions. Because of this inclusion throughout the journey, they feel more invested in the product's success.

You're probably thinking, how is this product development methodology relevant to project managers leading increasingly diverse and cross-functional teams? Why don't we do some simple word swaps? Replace "customers" and "the end users" in the previous paragraph with the phrase "your project team members" and the word "product" with "project." You end up with the following - which is just as true as the first paragraph!

Let's talk about the power of human-centered design as a project methodology. By leading your project team through solution-oriented activities, you will help unleash their creative problem-solving abilities while removing some systemic barriers preventing historically marginalized groups from meaningfully contributing to the process. Using HCD, you can keep your project teams' needs, pain points, and preferences front of mind during every phase by documenting them in permanent, visual, and trackable artifacts. You'll create more intuitive, accessible, and profitable projects because your project team members have already contributed and vetted solutions. Because of this inclusion throughout the journey, they feel more invested in the project's success.

(Pro Tip: You can use the same activities to elicit customer feedback from your team members - often on the same project.)

How does one little methodology do all that? When successfully implemented, HCD can help:

• Empower everyone on the project to contribute. HCD works best with cross-functional, diverse teams. Every individual's perspective is valuable in uncovering potential solutions.
• Remove barriers to inclusion from the team. Many activities are formatted to promote an egalitarian solutioning process. For example, if you aren't fluent in the dominant language used on the project, you can contribute ideas visually. Another example is that non-collocated individuals can participate meaningfully through online collaboration tools.
• Team members feel valued. They can see their contributions to the project through permanent, visual artifacts that can be tracked back to them (if the team wants that transparency).
• Team members feel safe to contribute. If the team decides to contribute ideas or solutions anonymously, every idea can be documented and implemented based on the idea's merit and not on the contributor's identity. This can remove bias and privilege from the process.
• You to become a better leader. By focusing some of the HCD activities on the team and their needs, pain points, and preferences, you can begin to understand them on a personal level and help them grow and thrive.

And now we're back to the simile I used in the first paragraph. It may not seem like a lot - using some sticky notes to get your team members to post ideas and solutions. However, each time you persist and insist on distributing those sharpies and little yellow squares of paper or having your team log onto a virtual whiteboard, you are a drop of water on the granite of the corporate culture. You may feel like you are not making a difference. You will very likely get discouraged from time to time. Eventually, however, the value of what you are doing will become evident to your team, your coworkers, your management, and yourself. Your project team will become more engaged in their work as they feel more valued. Their productivity will increase. Other leaders in the organization will begin incorporating HCD into their work when they see your projects performing well. In time, you will look around the organization and realize that you have made an easier, more inclusive path for the people following you and the people following them.

After all that, you are most likely asking - but what HCD activities do I use to create a more inclusive culture at my organization? Unfortunately, a blog post isn't long enough to get into the details. Fortunately, you can join me in Las Vegas on Friday, 2 December 2022 at 9:00 AM for my session "Using Human-centered Design to Enable Engagement and Inclusivity on Project Teams" to learn tools and techniques you can apply with your teams!

By: David Summers
Executive Communications, PMI

At the recent PMI Virtual Experience Series: 9 June, attendees engaged members of our Board of Directors on various topics in an "Ask Me Anything" session. Due to time limitations, we could not answer all the questions individually. However, after reviewing the submitted questions we have selected a few topics to highlight in the interest of sharing insights that will help you understand what PMI is doing to address your needs, wants, and aspirations.

Project professionals will always be at the heart of our community, and PMI is committed to continuing to provide the resources, experience, and knowledge they need to support their personal and professional success.

Let’ have a look at some interesting questions - we hope our answers will provide needed insights and perspectives.

Agile vs. Waterfall

In most of the events, we hear a lot of questions from our community on the increasing role of Agile and the road ahead for Waterfall. We continue to believe that agile is evolutionary and embrace it as central to what we do. The key is to understand that the nature of the project, the industry, and the intended outcomes determine the approach that a particular endeavor will require.

PMI’s take: Always remember that not all projects are a good fit for the agile approach. Assess each project with the evaluation criteria and decide based on what works best in the organization's environment. Disciplined Agile (DA) is a great place to start to learn more about choosing the best Way of Working for the project you are tackling.

Demonstrating the Importance of PMO for Senior Leadership

We hear this often: project leaders must be able to clearly articulate the compelling need for an organization to have a Project Management Office (PMO). At PMI, we have taken this thought as a mission and created many assets and thought leadership discussions on the importance of PMO.

PMI’s Take: Strategic PMOs enable strategic change in organizations. PMOs vary widely - some serve to standardize project-related governance processes and facilitate sharing of resources and tools. Others serve as centers of excellence; others align project and program work to corporate strategy across an enterprise.

Please read this paper on A Roadmap to PMO Excellence to gain insights into the impact of a PMO on the organizations.

Questions on Volunteering and How to Enlist?

What do our mentors say? PMI’s Volunteer Relationship Management System (VRMS) makes it easy to search for volunteer opportunities worldwide. To get started, log in or register and visit the VRMS to find volunteer opportunities that interest you. Explore more about volunteering opportunities at https://www.pmi.org/membership/volunteer

The Importance and Relevance of the PMP Certification

Many questions revolved around the career advantage one will get out of having the PMP credential. As disruptive as COVID-19 has been, project management skills and expertise are still heavily in demand. For instance, the 12th edition of Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey charts the salary landscape for project professionals. Get more insights on this at https://www.pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey

There is also some great information here: Why You Should Get the PMP.

Being a Part of the Board of Directors

We were pleased to see many of our community members evincing close interest in how to join the PMI Board of Directors. You can learn more about how the Board is selected at https://www.pmi.org/about/leadership-governance/board-of-directors/nominations-and-election

Project Management Trends

Our megatrends research is an invaluable resource for getting a grip on the global trends impacting projects. Our Global Megatrends 2022 report analyzes the global forces significantly impacting society and the project management profession today. Global Megatrends 2022 helps project professionals understand the world's rapid transformation and the global context in which they work so they can use tasks to solve complex problems.

In-person and Virtual Events

With the world cautiously and safely continuing to re-open, the excitement among our community is palpable. We saw many questions about the upcoming in-person and virtual events. The PMI.org Events Calendar presents opportunities for project professionals worldwide to network, learn and develop. Events posted on the calendar can be face-to-face or virtual. Event organizers and sponsors include PMI chapters, the online community (ProjectManagement.com), and other nonprofit project management-related organizations with prior review and approval. Find more information about our events at https://www.pmi.org/events/calendar!

It Is Always Great to Connect!

Whether virtual or in-person, what we love about our community is the enthusiasm and the mindset of lifelong learning. We greatly appreciate your questions and have tried our best to address your queries and concerns. These are exciting times for project managers, and we would love to hear from you. Stay connected with us on our social channels, and please attend future AMA sessions at any of our events.

By: Quincy Wright, PMP
President, PMO Nerd LLC

I recently presented at the PMI Virtual Experience Series: 9 June which had more than 28,000 attendees globally. My presentation, Leading an Inclusive Project Team, focused on the art and science of project management with a strong emphasis on nontechnical skills, growth mindset, and systems needed in leading projects and project teams. The primary goal of this presentation was to help leaders incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE/I) principles, tools, and techniques in project management throughout the initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closeout phases.

My presentation learning objectives focused on:

• Developing a growth mindset by recognizing and identifying the beliefs, behaviors, and practices that get in the way of managing projects and project teams; and
• Describe the leadership and nontechnical skills required to be an inclusive leader in project management with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE/I).

During my presentation, I received a lot of great questions that we didn’t get a chance to cover, and my responses are below.

Question 1: So, to come up with realization of unconcious bias we need to first self-aware ourselves as best as we can?

Self-reflection can help create an inclusive work environment by removing barriers and creating allyships. Self-reflection helps project managers and leaders recognized and identified the values, feelings, and potential blindspots that can create barriers between you and your project team. These barriers can lead to stereotypes, bias, prejudice, and discrimination if left unchecked. Self-reflection starts with understanding and identifying your own personal culture/identity: ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

• What are your values you feel strongly about or live by (e.g., family, friends, social justice, money, love)? These are what drive your actions. 
• What part of your identities, values, emotions, or lived experience might be obstructing your ability to fully empathize and engage authentically with people? Try to identify where these feelings are coming from.

Question 2: Is the culture shaped by the people or people are molded by the organization culture? Both ways, isn't it?

As a leader, you are responsible and accountable to creating an inclusive work environment where all employees feel welcomed, valued, and respected. Creating an inclusive work environment starts with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Diversity encompasses the range of similarities and differences that each individual brings to the workplace. Equity recognizes that each individual is unique and accommodates their needs properly (e.g., fair, just, and impartial treatment and advancement for all individuals). Inclusion is an organizational effort and practice in which different groups or individuals are culturally and socially accepted and welcome. Justice focuses on fixing the systems in a way that leads to long-term, sustainable, and equitable access. Culture is shaped by the people and leadership; as a project manager, you have the opportunity to create a positive and inclusive culture.

Question 3: One part of developing a diverse cultural environment is challenging the current culture fit. Is it not?

Developing a diverse and inclusive culture starts with evaluating and assessing your current culture. Collect, analyze, and measure data, including developing a scorecard to display and communicate the data. This is an important step in evaluating your current culture. Nevertheless, developing a diverse and inclusive culture is more than data points, it’s also a “feeling”; therefore, understanding empathy and microaggressions plays an important role in developing a diverse and inclusive environment.

• Empathy is the ability to identify, relate, and share similar feelings or emotions another person may be experiencing.
• Microaggressions are the everyday slights, insults, putdowns, and offensive behaviors that people experience in daily interactions with generally well-intentioned individuals who may be unaware that they have engaged in demeaning ways.

This was a great event with featured speakers, exhibits and networking activities and amazing participants. I had a great time presenting, and I was blown away by your participation and feedback. The full presentation will be on demand through 31 January 2023. Visit PMI Virtual Experience Series 2022 for more details.

By: Genevieve Bouchard
Project Director – Industrial, Groupe Alphard

On 9 June, I presented a session on operational readiness for the PMI Virtual Experience Series 2022.  This was a great event with featured speakers, exhibits and networking activities.

My presentation focused on the use of a project management approach in operational readiness in industrial construction projects. It was based on the experience of one particular project where operational readiness was planned and executed in a systematic manner, and it explained how the same approach can be used for a wide variety of construction projects in the industrial field.

During my presentation, I received a lot of great questions that we didn’t get a chance to cover, and my responses to some of these are below.

Question 1: What about storage of OEM as-builds and other critical documentation?

Documentation is an important part of operational readiness and was one of the challenges in the project that I presented. Documentation control and expediting with suppliers must be done actively during the project so that it can be delivered with the asset.

The client for this project uses an asset management system where the technical documentation is kept. We met with the operation’s planning team and established a format for the data and documentation to be delivered to them. It was decided that the data entry in the system would be the planners’ responsibility. But gathering and organizing the data was an intensive task, and the project had to dedicate a full-time resource for several weeks to this task.

This is one aspect of operational readiness where the limit of responsibility needs to be established carefully. Delivering a documentation package that is not organized properly could pose a risk to the client’s ability to operate and maintain the asset.

Question 2: Gaining engagement from operations/maintenance can be difficult. Any insight on how to obtain engagement other than informing them of the points you are stating?

I am glad that this question was raised because it touches on a critical success factor: operations and maintenance teams’ buy-in. The result of operational readiness activities depends on the level of participation from the teams that will operate the asset, but it’s a fact that these people are busy with their day-to-day work and can sometimes be difficult to keep engaged.

In the project that I described in my presentation, we took a few measures to ensure their buy-in early on. The most important one was to hold one-on-one interviews with the main stakeholder team leads, where we presented the project and listened to their needs and their concerns, followed by an in-person workshop with representation from each stakeholder team. It is critical for everyone to understand the project and to feel like they have a word in the execution, and the project team must make it clear that the ultimate goal is to deliver an asset that fits their needs. We also made sure to obtain buy-in from their management, so that expectations would be communicated from their own team as well.

I believe, however, that a culture shift is needed in the industry. Operational readiness should be identified as an important part of the business and explicitly mentioned in role descriptions. All teams are involved in some way in operational readiness, and the right level of engagement correlates to a better return on investment for organizations.

Question 3: Did you face any delays from your sub-suppliers due to the Covid-19 situation of steel fabrication in Europe due to the current geo-political environment ? How did you overcome that?

We did, in every step of the project. For operational readiness, this meant that lead times for the delivery of some critical spare parts were much longer than usual. We mitigated this by direct ordering some spare equipment that we knew was critical much before our official spare parts list was completed. But human resources shortages also added to the challenge since suppliers had to prioritize equipment delivery over documentation. As a result, some inputs became available late and the risk mitigation was only partial.

Since all risks could not be eliminated, a big part of risk management for the project was to keep the right stakeholders informed. Many of the blocking issues that were encountered during the mandate were brought up at a steering committee involving directors from the project and operational teams. The committee was able to resolve or mitigate most of the issues, and it provided a platform where information was shared so that the few issues that could not be resolved entirely were assumed conjointly.

I had a great time presenting, and the full presentation will be on demand through 31 January 2023.  Visit PMI Virtual Experience Series 2022 for more details.