Projectified

As 2021 comes to an end, project leaders are looking back at what they’ve accomplished—and ahead to 2022. Projectified[R]  reconnects with guests from the last year to discuss the lessons they’ve learned, the biggest changes they’ve seen, the emerging must-have skills and what lies ahead in the new year.Guests include: Sevi Rich, BHP in Perth, Australia; Kris Sprague, PMP, PgMP, PfMP, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in Tarrytown, New York, USA; Alice Chow, Arup in Hong Kong; Leyla Zelaya, United Nations Environment Programme in San Salvador, El Salvador; and Miguel Monteiro, Emaar in Dubai.

The financial services sector is evolving—using new technologies to meet changing customer preferences. We discuss the future of fintech with: Michal Raczka, PMP, IT director at mBank, Warsaw, Poland: Raczka discusses how shifting demographics and customer habits are pushing digital transformation in the financial services sector, plus how low-code platforms are helping his teams deliver innovative products.Kimwood Mott, project manager, digital currency implementation at Central Bank of the Bahamas, Nassau: Mott discusses creating Sand Dollar, the first government-backed digital currency—that’s number 5 on our Most Influential Projects list. He talks through how the team built buy-in and his advice to other leaders looking to launch similar projects.

Change is constant in The Project Economy. That means project leaders must adapt and evolve, too. Our guests discuss how leadership strategies are shifting—and offer hands-on advice for bringing out the best in teams.Tim Munden, chief learning officer and head of employee wellbeing at Unilever in London, discusses the move away from a command-and-control leadership model to one characterized by humility and vulnerability. He also offers tips for creating a more inclusive culture by leaders listening to team members and modeling the behavior they want to see.Plus, three project leaders discuss the changing leadership landscape: Jaspreet Dol, CAPM, PMP, DXC Technology in Manila, the Philippines; Geetha Gopal, PMP, Panasonic in Singapore; and Neeraja Ganesh, Aspire For Her in Bengaluru. 

Buckle up—the world is entering a new era of spaceflight as startup commercial ventures join forces with government agencies. We discuss turning cutting-edge innovation into reality with:Jermey Gajadhar, PMP, program manager at Virgin Galactic, Mojave, California: Gajadhar talks about building a project management foundation at Virgin Galactic, mitigating risk and what’s next for commercial spaceflight. Pierrik Vuilleumier, project manager at the European Space Agency, Noordwijk, the Netherlands: Vuilleumier discusses collaborating with established agencies and space startups on the Sentinel-6 project, and why teams must be ready to adapt and problem solve.

PMI’s 2021 Most Influential Projects highlights nearly 250 initiatives that deliver serious innovation in everything from healthcare to mobility. We discuss two of those projects with:Josh Katz, founder and CEO of YellowHeart, New York City: Katz discusses how his company collaborated with the Kings of Leon to create a first-of-its-kind NFT package—paving the way for other artists to use the emerging tech.Patrick Omondi, PhD, director, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Naivasha, Kenya: Omondi discusses how the team overcame the challenges it faced conducting Kenya’s first systematic wildlife census and how the data will be used to protect the country’s wildlife—and its tourism sector.

Infrastructure projects form the bedrock of modern society­—delivering expressways, clean water supplies, internet access and a bevy of other essentials. Yet project leaders must also ensure these initiatives deliver value now—and for decades to come. We discuss this with:Innocentia Mahlangu, PMP, senior civil engineer and project manager at Hatch, Johannesburg: Mahlangu discusses the socioeconomic impact of infrastructure projects, the need for meaningful stakeholder engagement and future-proofing for long-term value. Casey Canfield, PhD, assistant professor, engineering management and systems engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA: Canfield discusses how COVID-19 heightened awareness of the need for digital infrastructure, the pilot project she’s leading to expand broadband access in rural areas and how she’s measuring social impact.

As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, consumers are increasingly interested in electric vehicles (EVs). And that means lots of projects, not just to deliver cool new products, but also the underlying infrastructure that supports them. We discuss e-mobility trends with: Gaurav Batra, global advanced manufacturing and mobility analyst team leader at EY in New Delhi: Batra discusses how the pandemic—and climate change—shifted EV adoption rates, and the role of government leaders in boosting the EV ecosystem.Dan O’Shea, director of utility strategy and business development, EV infrastructure at ABB in Seattle: O’Shea talks about what’s needed to build out EV charging infrastructure and how projects leaders can adapt to the industry’s rapid rate of innovation. 

Data fuels collaboration and innovation—but it can also be a vulnerability. That means project leaders must keep security and risk top of mind—at all times. We discuss this with: Tim Hurley, PMP, cybersecurity project manager, Sempra, San Diego, California: Hurley discusses why teams must address security concerns early—and often—and offers his advice to project leaders on how to keep data secure. Maxine Holt, senior research director, cybersecurity at Omdia, London: Holt talks about the cybersecurity practices organizations should be implementing and why teams need to analyze cyber risks—as well as their potential impact. 

With disruption a near constant, project leaders must be able to solve complex problems in uncertain situations. We discuss this with: Raquel Selem Moreira, design and innovation project manager at Pierre Fabre Group, Rio de Janeiro: Selem Moreira talks about breaking down complexity on projects and using design thinking to deliver innovative solutions.Marianna Sarmiento, assistant director of administration at Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Riverside, California, USA: Sarmiento shares how she’s using PMI’s Wicked Problem Solving framework to take her team virtual. 

When the pandemic hit, many hallmarks of city life—public transportation, skyscrapers with shared amenities, bustling streets—flipped from pros to cons. But don’t count cities out. We discuss how project teams are reimagining the urban environment with:Jun Huang, partner, Wei Yang & Partners, London: Huang discusses the aspects of urban life most strained during the pandemic—and how cities can change in response. He also shares ways project leaders can best collaborate with multiple stakeholders to keep citizen needs at the forefront.Zhengkai Jiang, PMP, senior project manager, CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co. Ltd., Zhuzhou, China: Jiang discusses rail transit trends and his project to design and manufacture fully autonomous trains. Soo-Jin Kim, head of the urban policies and reviews unit, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris: Kim discusses how cities can become more sustainable, walkable and resilient, plus how digital transformation is changing urban life. Key themes[01:13] The growth—and evolution—of cities[03:33] COVID-19’s stress test on urban life[06:15] Urban development trends: creating sustainable, inspiring cities[09:15] Collaborating with stakeholders while keeping citizens’ needs at the forefront[12:18] Next-gen public transit: autonomous rail[17:04] Three steps for a more resilient city[19:15] Urban digital transformations [20:54] Making cities more adaptable, walkable and eco-friendly