Seems there’s never enough time for effective planning, but plenty of time is wasted fixing mistakes that good planning would have eliminated. 

‘Rapid’ development projects? ‘Fast track’ projects?  Both are often excuses for poor and inadequate planning.  Our world is rife with projects that launch without

o       a clear idea of what they’re really all about

o       a widely shared understanding of what their (explicit and objective) performance metrics should be

o       identification of major project checkpoints

o       a clear understanding of who all the project stakeholders are, and what deliverables will be required to meet their expectations

o       documentation of the conditions (identified as part of initial project planning) that would cause us to cancel the project in  

With the time that we do get to plan, we often create disjointed, poorly communicated documents that make no explicit connections between our project’s stakeholders, deliverables, risks and uncertainties, budgets and schedules. 

It doesn’t have to be this way.  In this presentation, Ken Hanley will lead the group through the creation of a meaningful, really usable, ‘evergreen’ project charter, using a flexible framework that can be applied to any project, a framework that adjusts to different sizes and types of projects.   

Use the framework to make the connections, open the communication channels, and get a firm grip on the project you have before you start to burn money, and burn out valuable people.

With this presentation, learn how to:

• build a results-based project plan
• avoid PM ‘trivia’, and focus on the real make-or-break issues
• identify and manage project stakeholders, and specifically and deliberately align their interests
• make effective use of a real project sponsor
• more accurately understand, assess, manage, and communicate project risk and uncertainty
• build an organic project control and tracking system

Ken has been an IT and Program Management Director and Principal in a number of large organizations, focusing on IT organization, strategic portfolio management, technology and strategy, business alignment, advanced project management practices, and teaching and training on program and project management tools, processes, and competencies.  He has a Masters degree in Engineering (Project Management) from the University of Calgary.

Ken has extensive experience in information technologies applied to the energy industries, in areas ranging from exploration (international and domestic), marketing, business development and production.

His specialities are large and complex program and project management, the management of complex project portfolios, setting up and operating Project Management Offices, and the management of information technology people and processes, planning, alignment, and risk reduction. He has also had considerable success in facilitation and project intervention for troubled projects and organizations, and working with and mentoring project managers on difficult projects in a number of industries.

Ken’s current roster of clients includes Elk Valley Coal, Teck, Microsoft, Volvo Construction Equipment International, McElhanney Surveys, Bell Canada, the Alberta Electric System Operator, Finning Canada, Tembec Forest Products, the Forzani Group, Comprehensive Care International, Hawaii Bioenergy, and New Zealand Trade and Export Development.

Ken has expanded his skill set by lecturing on effective leadership, IT organizations, and project management, and by continuing to teach in the Graduate Management and Engineering programs at the University of Calgary. He is also a guest lecturer on project management for the Queen’s MBA in Science and Technology, Royal Roads University, and the Executive MBA program at the University of Alberta.

Ken is a recognized project management expert and top-rated speaker who is regularly invited to speak on IT, project management, and strategic portfolio management best practices to:

·         ProjectWorld – Chicago, Boston, Washington, San Jose, Toronto, Vancouver

·         Project Leadership Conference – San Francisco, Toronto

Ken was nominated for the Southern Alberta Project Management Institute’s 2005 Distinguished Contribution Award.

Event fee is GST inclusive. Breaks and lunch will be provided.

Pay Parking available on premises.

This Workshop will allow PMPs to claim 7 PDUs.