This workshop was delivered two Senior PMO Specialists. They allowed delegates to explore the PMO world through the context of VUCA, the way that this context impacts how we learn PMO, and what you can do about it.
Emma and Marisa presented at FuturePMO 2019 which is a 1 day PMO conference hosted by Wellingtone. www.FuturePMO.com
10. #FuturePMO
Who’s afraid of Artificial Intelligence?
AI may replace the following tasks:
• Analysing large quantities of data
• Scenario planning
• Repetitive tasks
• Lessons learned and reporting
• Communication purposes
• Failure detection
• Risk identification
• Business analysis
Source: IPMA Blog
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20. #FuturePMO
'The illiterate of the 21st
century will not be those
who cannot read and write,
but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and
relearn.
Alvin Toffler
21. #FuturePMO
What do you think about when you
think about the future of
PMO learning?
Go to www.menti.com
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23. #FuturePMO
Learning Systems: Styles
Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding
Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music
Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing
Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch
Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems
Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people
Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study
24. #FuturePMO
Learning Systems: Approaches & Deficits
Virtual Learning
Good for those wanting to
learn at their own pace
Finding motivation can be
hard for some learners
Assessment Based
Teaches how to revise and
encourages time management
Lack of practical focus when
returning to work
Presentation Based
Ability to demonstrate and
view lots of information
Can lead to a lack of
interactivity
Exercise Based
Based around practice in a
contained environment
Can be difficult to assimilate
learning to real life
27. #FuturePMO
Learning Systems: Project Based Learning
Accountability
Real Practice
Tangible Benefit
Peer to Peer
Mentoring
Critical Thinking
Reflective Practice
Public
In fact, the world has become quite complex and this adds to be the level of uncertainty we face. See, for instance, coffee. No longer is sufficient to just say black coffee or coffee with cream. We are offered a variety of choice and while this is good for the consumer it also adds complexity for us, project managers.
Volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous
Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable
The world won’t change for you but you can learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. In this session, I’m going to show you different tools that you can use to respond to the different elements of VUCA. Volatility, the unstability, can be responded to with Agility. Uncertainty, the lack of certainty, can be addressed with Foresight. Complexity, the multiple interactions between parts, can be adressed by Systems Thinking and, finally, Ambiguity, the lack of clarity, can be addressed by Sense-making. Let’s explore further each of these concepts.
Tv show, channel 4 (UK)
Opportunity or threat?
PMO tasks but not the PMO role. Elevate the profile of PMOs
I prefer artifical intelligence to human stupidity
Hands up if you have a project that is about digital transformation.
New oil
Machines don’t make decisions, people do.
Wisdom of the crowds
Irrational behaviour: afraid of getting on a plane vs afraid of driving (false sense of control)
There are some great examples out there of companies which are already making sense of data from their customers, using analytics to identify patterns, preferences, and establishing real connections with users and clients. Check the example of Spotify and how they used data science for recent marketing campaigns.
Therefore, I have a question for you: are you paying attention or are you really paying attention?
Commodity
Something else to consider to cope with complexity in projects is that best-fit practices work better than best practices. Please don’t crucify me yet! I’m simply saying that Project Management is contextual thus you should keep your options open and don’t simply blindly follow the textbooks. No PRINCE2, no PMI, no AGILE – try all of them instead! Do some bricolage, combining and re-assembling methodologies as Lego pieces. Go for whatever works (as long as ethical and within the law, of course!).
This view is also visible in the Cynefin Framework, developed by Snowden, which stresses that sometimes best practices are simply not enough. Sometimes you need to apply emergent practices or even create new practices if your project is being developed in the edge of chaos. Don’t settle for good enough.
Learning styles that we all have an element of but a leaning towards one preferred
The way that trainers accommodate the learning styles
YouTube phenomenon
This curve shows how information is lost over time when there is no attempt to retain it
Students work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week up to a semester – that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question.
They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing a public product or presentation for a real audience.