Projectified

More than a year ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Today, vaccines are rolling out, and it’s up to governments working with project teams to get shots into arms quickly, safely, efficiently and equitably.  Our guest is Kate Elder from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). She discusses how the group’s teams are working with governments to administer COVID-19 vaccines, pushing for global vaccine equity and diversifying vaccine production. Key themes [01:19] COVID-19 vaccine campaigns are underway—but there’s still work to do[03:52] How MSF works around the challenges of vaccine distribution  [05:55] Advocating for COVID-19 vaccine equity[08:41] Diversifying vaccine manufacturing [10:49] Pushing for innovation and knowledge sharing 

Artificial intelligence is officially part of the mainstream, sparking big changes across industries. But do companies have the talent they need to truly make the most of the technology? Guests are: Manolis Koubarakis, project coordinator, ExtremeEarth, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece: Koubarakis discusses building the team behind the environmental tracking project and the challenges of executing large-scale AI. Snehanshu Mitra, CEO, center of excellence, data science and AI, NASSCOM, Bengaluru: Mitra discusses the must-have skills for project leaders working with AI and how companies are working to solve the AI talent gap.  Key themes [01:50] Building the ExtremeEarth project team [04:23] Aligning skills to projects [06:49] Challenges: Finding the right data and project talent [10:23] Must-have skills for AI project leaders [11:49] The AI talent gap and how to solve it [16:06] Starting small and preparing data  

The climate crisis is one of the world’s greatest threats—and project leaders around the globe are stepping in, helping mitigate its effects with ambitious and innovative initiatives. Guests are: Dan Balaban, co-founder, president and CEO, Greengate Power, Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Balaban discusses the Travers Solar Project—one of the world’s largest solar-power initiatives—and why teams must be nimble, innovative and forward-looking in the fast-changing renewable energy sector, and how battery storage could be a gamechanger for the industry. Leyla Zelaya, national coordinator, CityAdapt, U.N. Environment Programme, San Salvador, El Salvador: Zelaya discusses how nature-based solutions can help cities reduce the damage of climate change, the importance of involving local stakeholders and why project leaders should consider climate change on every initiative. Key themes[00:59] How project leaders are fighting climate change[02:01] Developing one of the world’s largest solar-power projects[05:38] Building flexibility into the Travers Solar Project[09:01] The next gamechanger in renewable energy? Battery storage[10:04] Using nature-based solutions to mitigate effects of climate change[12:23] Collaborating with local stakeholders[15:45] Why climate change should be considered on any project 

COVID-19 has forever changed how—and where—people work. Some people are returning to the office, while others are remaining remote or adopting a new hybrid style. And it’s up to designers to reimagine offices in ways that encourage collaboration and innovation, no matter where team members are. Guests are:  Todd Heiser, principal and co-managing director, Gensler Chicago: Heiser discusses designing offices as places where people come together, the growing focus on health and well-being in workplaces, and integrating technology. Kahn Yoon, director, international projects, M Moser Associates, Singapore: Yoon discusses how companies are using office design to drive cultural change. He also talks about how the pandemic fueled interest in biophilia, air quality and touchless tech. Key themes [01:10] COVID-19’s impact on where and how people work [02:35] Designing offices with choice and health in mind[05:30] Creating workspaces where both in-person and virtual work can thrive[14:49] Driving cultural change through design[18:07] The lasting focus on well-being, from air quality to biophilic design[20:23] The ROI of office design

As many people head back to the office, they’ll return to a different world: one where remote work—at least part of the time—could be business as usual for many teams. Project leaders discuss how they led virtual teams during the COVID crisis and how they’ll adapt lessons learned to the new work ecosystem. Guests are: Marco De Santis, PMP, project management office digital transformation manager, Telecom Italia Mobile, Rome: De Santis discusses how he’s tried to lead with empathy and flexibility during the pandemic and how leaders can adjust to a hybrid model of remote work. Kush Dhillon, senior engagement manager, Capgemini, London: Dhillon talks about how leaders and team members should collaborate to create their own vision for the future of work—whether teams are in the office, working from home or both. Darrian White, vice president, IT, PFU America Inc., Sunnyvale, California, USA: White discusses how working with PMTraining.com prior to the pandemic helped set him—and his team—up for success. Key themes [01:07] Returning to the office in a changing world of work[02:51] Leading teams with empathy, flexibility and creativity[07:33] Hybrid models of work[09:38] Leaning on—and improving—power skills[15:41] Leaders and team members creating the future of work together[17:06] Understanding project responsibilities, expectations can help virtual teams

As the world marks International Women’s Day this week, Projectified® spoke with two women project leaders making their mark in traditionally male-dominated sectors: cybersecurity and mining. Guests are:  Kat Megas, PMP, cybersecurity for Internet of Things program manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology, McLean, Virginia, USA: Megas discusses leading projects in cybersecurity, how women communicate differently—but no less decisively—than men and her hope that different leadership styles are recognized rather than females having to fit an existing mold.  Sevi Rich, senior portfolio manager, project development, BHP, Perth, Australia: Rich discusses the ways companies can improve gender equity and how she’s helping BHP recruit and retain women in mining. She also discusses solutions for working women, such as seeking out both male and female mentors, and companies offering more flexible work schedules.  Key themes [01:14] COVID-19’s toll on working women[03:47] Male versus female communication styles[06:48] Supporting future women leaders in cybersecurity[10:51] Recruiting and retaining women leaders in mining[13:28] The value of having male and female mentors

When project management office (PMO) leaders help define strategy, they can deliver more value. Guests include: Katitja Molele, PMP, strategy and innovation PMO manager, Africa operating unit for The Coca-Cola Co., Johannesburg, South Africa: Molele talks about how PMOs are evolving and how actively engaging PMO leaders in crafting strategy helps companies turn ideas into reality. Tom Kuczynski, vice president, IT, DC Water, Washington, D.C., USA: Kuczynski discusses how he helped build—and evolve—the organization’s IT PMO, winner of the 2020 PMO of the Year Award. He also outlines how he and the team look beyond basic on-time and on-budget metrics to whether the project achieved its intended benefits.  Key themes [00:58] PMOs helping craft strategy can deliver more value[02:02] The PMO’s role in turning ideas into reality[03:40] Defining value to better meet business goals[06:33] Building DC Water’s IT PMO[11:53] Measuring success 

Five megatrends are reshaping The Project Economy, fundamentally altering how we live, work and play. We talk to project leaders taking on these trends through projects:  Farhad Abdollahyan, PMI-RMP, PMP, head of the project management office at the U.N. Office for Project Services in Niger, discusses the group’s infrastructure projects aimed at bolstering the country’s economy. He talks though how the organization measures these projects’ outputs and impact, and how it engages with partners to increase efficiency.  Rob Wilhite, senior vice president and director of global distributed energy at U.S. construction giant Black & Veatch, shares how he’s seen COVID-19 accelerate projects to battle climate change in the energy sector as well as AI’s growing role in infrastructure and engineering projects. Key themes [02:21] Investing in infrastructure to bolster Niger’s economy[06:23] Measuring project outputs as well as outcomes and impact[08:51] How partners contribute to success[11:18] How COVID-19 is fueling projects to address climate change in the energy sector[12:55] AI’s role in infrastructure, engineering projects 

The citizen development revolution has arrived. With low- and no-code platforms, more people can quickly learn how to build apps—without waiting for the IT department.Arjun Jamnadass, managing director at FTI Consulting in London, discusses how citizen development can reduce the burden on IT teams and deliver the solutions teams need more quickly.Christian Peverelli, co-founder of WeAreNoCode in Los Angeles, talks about empowering citizen developers and how organizations can make the most of the movement. Key themes[01:05] The growth of citizen development[03:26] Delivering value by quickly creating solutions[06:08] Recognizing citizen development as another way to deliver projects[07:59] Empowering nontechnical team members[11:08] Rethinking agile with low- or no-code platforms[13:19] Training citizen developers

The pandemic has fundamentally shifted how people work. While some sectors and regions struggle, others are full of activity. So what does that mean for project leaders and their careers in 2021? Alice Chow, a director at engineering giant Arup in Hong Kong, China, discusses what she’s seeing on the post-COVID jobs landscape. She also explains why project leaders should strengthen their listening skills. Lindsay Scott, co-founder of Arras People in London, shares her outlook on job hot spots for this year. The career columnist for PM Network also talks about how project leaders can align their personal risk appetite with career opportunities. Key themes[01:04] Uncertainty and opportunity in 2021[02:32] The 2021 outlook[04:38] Improving listening skills to better address clients’ needs[07:46] Analyzing personal risk: Seeking safety or new opportunities in adversity[12:08] The world of work post-COVID-19