Major Project Management Event in Dubai on 1^st of September 2007

At 1^st of September 2007, SUKAD FZ-LLC, a leading project management training and consultancy company that is based in Dubai but operating across the Middle East, and Dubai Knowledge Village, the only free zone in the world dedicated to professional development, education, and training, have organized a half day event on Project Management.

More than 100 people attended this event from all over the Middle East. The event was hosted by DKV and was an occasion for Project Management professionals to share their experience and know-how on the strategic importance of this management discipline.

Greece was represented by Mr. Theofanis Giotis PMP - κ/ος Θεοφάνης Γιώτης PMP, Co-founder/CEO of ITEC, President of PMI Greece Chapter (PMI-GREECE) and PM Forum Correspondent for Greece.

· Mr. Mounir Ajam PMP, CEO of SUKAD and PM Forum Correspondent in UAE

· Mr. Alexander Matthey PMP, Managing Director of 3PM Experts and PM Forum Correspondent in Switzerland

· Mr. Theofanis Giotis PMP, Co-founder/CEO of ITEC, President of PMI Greece Chapter (PMI-GREECE) and PM Forum Correspondent in Greece

“Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) is indispensable for delivering IT solutions faster, with fewer people, less risk and higher quality. MSF Process Model (5 phases) and MSF Team Model (6 roles or hats) focuses on managing the “people and processes” as well as the technology elements that most projects encounter.

According to Standish Group, IT project failure rates are still very high with only 29% of projects delivered successfully (53% of all projects are challenged and 18% fail completely). But creating meaningful solutions on-specs, on-time and on-budget requires a proven approach. Microsoft® Solutions Framework (MSF) is a deliberate and disciplined approach to technology projects based on a defined set of principles, models (Team & Process models), disciplines (Project, Risk, and Readiness Management disciplines), concepts, guidelines, and proven practices. This presentation introduces MSF and provides an overview of MSF’s foundational principles, core models, and essential disciplines, focusing on how their application contributes to the increase of success of technology projects.

Most of the people involved in projects trust Project Management. But people high in the organizations hierarchy (C-Suite Executives, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CxOs), do not treat project management the same way. Most companies that deliver projects are functional or weak matrix organizations and are having difficulties to deliver projects on time and on budget. These companies have also difficulties to understand the following:

·         Is Project Management crucial for them?

·         Is Project Management an overhead or an asset?

·         Is project management an accidental profession or it is art and science?

·         Why some companies are more successful in delivering projects than others?

Although project management is definitely needed, the steps to transform an organization from functional to projectized takes a long time. It cannot happen magically overnight. Lately, Program/Project Management Offices (PMOs) have become increasingly popular organizational structures.
But is a PMO enough? Is there anything beyond PMO? Experience shows that sometimes the PMO is a major milestone to an organizational transformation towards building a Project Based Organization (PBO). Project Based Organizations treat everything as “PROJECTS”. Managing by projects in project oriented organization gives strategic advantages to organizations.

“Knowledge is Power” is a global concept but is it true. What are the negative and positive connotations of this short phrase? How about “Knowledge Acted-Upon is Power” is this a better phase? Or are we talking about the knowledge of the individuals or community knowledge? Would Knowledge is Power = Individual Knowledge and Knowledge Acted-Upon is Power = Group, Community or Society Collective Knowledge? If there is a difference than how can we: (a) share the knowledge to increase the individual and collective knowledge and (b) how to close the gap between knowledge and action so we have the power of the “acted-upon knowledge” rather than just intellectual knowledge that might be limited in its usefulness to our community.

As we work toward helping Dubai move further and further into a true knowledge economy; these are the questions that we will pose to you in this event and challenge us to think about this concept and how to move forward. This topic is also timely in relationship to the volunteers’ effort; those who are driving toward and putting into action a plan (via a new association) that will help utilize the power of knowledge in project management toward growing our community knowledge in this dynamic field.

Professional Project and Process Management Association launched in Dubai

At the end of the event, Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV), the leading centre for learning excellence and a member of TECOM Investments, has announced the launch of an independent Professional Project and Process Management Association based in its premises.

Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City, said: “There has been a growing awareness in Dubai and the region about project management as a special skill and competency. We believe project management practices, which lead to strategic competency, are mandatory for companies to succeed and the association can effectively promote professionals in this field.”

Mr. Hasan Makansi, Partner Development Manager of Dubai Knowledge Village said:
“Since project management practices are emerging rapidly in this region, we feel it is essential for us to support a body which can develop and promote the industry and professionals. We believe our support for a locally-based Project Management Association will encourage professionals to focus on different industry methodologies and aspects.”

Home to more than 450 companies, DKV has generated tremendous interest from prominent Human Resource Development (HRD) and Human Resource Management (HRM) institutes from around the world. DKV covers sectors such as human resource development, innovation, tutoring and coaching, executive education support, management development, management consultancy, professional training, research and development, human resource advisory and e-learning advisory.

Bios of Speakers

Dr. Ayoub M. A. Kazim is an executive director of Dubai Knowledge Village (KV) of Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority (TECOM). He received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Alabama in 1989 and his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnic University in New York in 1994, and Ph.D. from University of Miami in 1998. Dr. Kazim has an extensive experience in technical, administrative and academic fields for more than 17 years through working at Dubai Municipality and UAE University in Al Ain. Moreover, he is actively involved in research where he published numerous articles related to renewable energy, hydrogen energy, fuel cells and energy policy and economics.

Engineer Mounir Ajam is a project management expert with 20 years of professional and consultancy experience in various industries such as: engineering, construction, oil, gas, petrochemical, and utilities. He is heavily involved with the PMI® at the regional and global levels. In 1998 he achieved the internationally recognized Project Management Professional (PMP®) and in 2007 he graduated from the Project Management Institute (PMI®) Leadership Institute Masters Class. He has served on the advisory group to the Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) program and on the Board of Directors for the PMI-Arabian Gulf Chapter.

Professionally, Engineer Mounir joined SUKAD FZ-LLC as its Chief Executive Officer in 2005. His clients include top names like: Arab Media Group, ARAMEX International, Dubai Holding, Jumeirah Group, Kuwait National Petroleum Company, Ministry of Finance and Industry, National Commercial Bank, Saudi Arabian Parsons, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), TATWEER, TECOM Investments, among others.

Mounir holds a Master of Science in Engineering & Construction Management from the University of California at Berkeley and an honor graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He is a member of the Project Management Institute, the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineers International, and is on the International Who’s Who of Professionals.

Mr. Theofanis Giotis is a Co-Founder and CEO of ITEC Training & ITEC Solutions since 1988. He is also the cofounder and president of the PMI Greece Chapter. He has over 20 years of professional experience in services and consulting. He has managed hundreds of IT/TELCO projects and delivered more than 100 presentations on ICT and Project Management. Theofanis is a graduate of PMI Leadership Institute Masters Class and PMForum International Correspondent from Greece.

ITEC, established 20 years ago, is a Greece based global firm specialising in Information Technology and Project Management Training, as well as Information Technology and Project Management Consulting. ITEC is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner specializing in Enterprise Project Management, Cisco Learning Partner and Project Management Institute’s Registered Educational Provider (PMI R.E.P.).  For more information refer to http://www.itec.edu or contact, Mr. Theofanis Giotis, at [email protected].

Mr. Alexander Matthey, PMP, expert and trainer in Project, Programme and Project Portfolio Management, possesses 24 years of professional experience in numerous industries from across Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. He is a visiting professor at the Geneva University, at the Ecole Supérieur de Commerce Lille and Faculty member of the International University in Geneva.

As VP Marketing and Sponsorship at the PMI Switzerland Chapter he promotes Professional Project Management by speaking and holding seminars at international and national conferences, at private companies, at universities and government organisations.

Mr. Matthey holds a Master’s degree in Science and in Business Information Systems. He is a certified Project Management Professional. He speaks French, English, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Russian.

Άρθρο του κ/ου Θεοφάνη Γιώτη PMP - Theofanis Giotis PMP, εκπρόσωπο του PMFORUM (www.pmforum.org)  στην Ελλάδα, που δημοσιεύτηκε στις 6 Φεβρ. 2007 στο PMFORUM με θέμα:
Ραγδαία ανάπτυξη του Project Management στην Ελλάδα.

Εμφάνιση όλου του άρθρου: http://www.pmforum.org/blogs/news/2007/02/rapid-expansion-of-project-management.html

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες για τον κ. Θεοφάνη Γιώτη μπορείτε να βρείτε εδώ: http://www.pmforum.org/blogs/news/2007/01/theofanis-giotis-becomes-pmf.html.

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες για το PMI μπορείτε να βρείτε εδώ: http://www.itec.edu/Forms/frmEducation.aspx?CID=333