PMI-AGC Kuwait conducted a five day training workshop on “Next Generation PMO and Portfolio Management”. Held from Sunday, October 09, 2011 till Thursday, October 13, 2011 at Holiday Inn, Salmiya, the hands-on and highly interactive workshop was attended by participants from Kuwait and other GCC countries.
This workshop delivered by Mr. Jack Duggal was designed to anticipate and answer the questions associated with the creation and implementation of PMO and portfolio management proficiency. In addition to the traditional elements of a PMO, this workshop outlined the steps necessary to establishing or enhancing a next-generation PMO that focuses on both the tactical and strategic aspects. The workshop also focused on creating the right environment for portfolio management by providing a framework for project selection, prioritization, oversight and governance.
On Thursday, October 13, 2011, PMI-AGC Kuwait also arranged a well-attended technical presentation titled “Managing the DANCE: The Need for a Different Approach to Dealing with Project Complexity”.
During the exciting and mind blowing presentation, the speaker Mr. Jack Duggal kept emphasizing on the fact that traditional practices for managing normal to complicated projects are not enough to manage very large complex projects. He stressed on the need of looking both "inwards" and "outwards". Inward looking is synonymous with applying the traditional principles, tools and techniques of project management. Outward looking requires being agile, continuously sensing the environment (project environment), adapting and recalculating (re-baseline). In other words, one has to continuously listen to the expectations of stakeholders to ensure that the intended value and benefits are delivered. The speaker explained that scope creep and change orders are not necessarily a bad thing in complex projects.
The presentation was followed by questions and answers session through which the attendees strengthened their understanding of challenges related to dealing with complexities of large projects.
At the end of the presentation, Mr. Wael Aljasem, President PMI-AGC Kuwait thanked the speaker and the attendees for their interest in the topic and for making the event a success through their active participation. Volunteers who helped with the arrangements of the event were also applauded.
It is pertinent to note that Mr. Jack S. Duggal, MBA, PMP, is an international keynote speaker, trainer, consultant and coach. He is a recognized expert in Organizational Program Management, Program Management Office (PMO) design and implementation and has developed a framework for PMO and Portfolio Management. He has implemented PMO’s for multiple Fortune companies, facilitated large-scale organizational change, designed and led comprehensive training programs, personally managed multi-million dollar technology projects, and been an executive coach and mentor to different levels of management. Jack is also an adjunct professor teaching in the MBA and Executive programs at the University of Hartford. He also has extensive experience in the region working with leading companies and government organizations in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in UAE.
Also, read Jack's article "Unpredictable Project Environment? Learn to Manage the DANCE" which was published in PMI's COMMUNITY POST.