Live Webinar – July 30th, 2014 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm  EDT
Offered by IAG Consulting (REP 2858)
Duration 1 hour 1 PDU or  1 CDU 1 Category A – Free PDU

Enterprise Business Architecture is quickly evolving into a mainstream business capability.

Some would argue that it is already there particularly when 50% of the world’s top performing organizations have embraced business architecture as a strategic differentiator ranging from Government, Telco’s, Manufacturing and Financial Institutions.

However there continues to be a large population of change executives, managers and resources who regard Business Architecture as a theoretical practice.

Strategic change initiatives proliferate in business today. The speed and rate of change demands we maintain holistic oversight of all the moving parts to ensure realization of target operating models and designs.

Historically only a few strategic programs would be at play. In the last decade this number has grown to include on-shoring/off-shoring, centralization, spans of control, business transformation, vendor outsourcing, modernization, mergers/acquisitions, channel optimization, client segmentation, journeys and experience.

To facilitate strategic alignment and execution of these initiatives, firms are investing in business architecture.

Beyond Theory will focus on what are the market and internal forces at work which have been driving and will continue to drive organizations to use the models to better understand business impact, scope, execution and benefits realization.

The discussion will address the deployment and adoption challenges and look at industry standards and Blueprinting for strategic opportunities. It will provide a foundational knowledge of the business architecture framework and model types to crystalize scope, identify stakeholders, manage risk and how early analysis, through the lens of the business architecture, will influence estimating, resourcing, time, cost and quality.

Business Architecture is the link between strategy and execution.

Learning Objectives:

1. Provide clear, rational reasons to do business Architecture.
2. Present a foundational set of Business Architecture Models, views and uses to mitigate project and analysis risk, drive the value proposition
3. Recommend a staged Execution Model

Click to register for Business Architecture: Beyond Theory

Live Webinar July 31st, 2014 – 7:00 am – 8:00 am EDT
Duration: 1 hour webinar Credits: 1 PDU Category A – Free PDU
Sponsored by: PMI International Development CoP (REP #S034)

Multilateral and international development organizations have been heavily criticized by governments and donors for not realizing expectations due to lack of accountability leading to corrupt practices, waste of resources, bureaucracy and poor service delivery.

This trend has continued to plague development in the third world for decades, according to evaluations conducted on previous projects and programmes.

Many of the existing programming and monitoring tools used by development organizations do not have built-in mechanisms for highlighting shortcomings, discrepancies and financial irregularities and hence cannot effectively expose mismanagement or corrupt practices.

Although Earned Value Management (EVM) has been utilized mainly as a performance measurement tool in the corporate world, it may possibly be employed in development programmes as a tool for accountability and highlighting mismanagement of financial resources.

The first challenge will be to identify and establish the appropriate EVM tools that can be employed within the context of development programmes bearing in mind that development results and outcomes are not expressed as benefits in financial terms.

Suffyan will then explore a couple of scenarios whereby he will demonstrate how to apply EVM in monitoring and controlling development projects to ensure better accountability of project team members while also ensuring funds are not misused.

It is important to recognize that EVM alone will not be sufficient to resolve financial mismanagement or wipe out corruption.

It must be part of a broader framework that includes various programming, monitoring and auditing techniques that collectively strengthen accountability, enforce regulations and develop business processes that will reduce or greatly minimize illicit financial practices in development projects.

Presenter: Suffyan Bashir MBA PMP is a specialist in strategic planning, project and programme management with several years of experience working for international organizations and private sector institutions in various capacities. He has worked extensively with PRINCE2 and is well versed in Agile methodologies.

Note: You do have to be a PMI® member to register for this opportunity.

Click to register for Utilizing EVM to Combat Corruption In International Development Organizations

Live Webinar – July 31st, 2014 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm  EDT
Presented by: Eclipse Project Portfolio Management
Duration: 1 hour 1 PDUs Credits: Category C 1 PDU- Free PDU

During the project intake process all projects are considered critical, all others never get approved. So how do you decide which “critical” projects are most critical?

These decisions are typically made politically, emotionally or without consistency.

The Impact:

• Poor resource utilization
• Frustrated resources
• Projects not aligned with strategic objectives
• Higher risk and lower ROI

Solution Q invites you to attend a webinar demonstrating a balanced approach to prioritizing initiatives. Projects affect many aspects of your business; all factors should be considered when taking on a new project. Learn the prioritization secrets of successful companies using a Project Portfolio Management mentality.

The Result:

• Decreased risk
• Higher ROI
• Optimized resource utilization
• Maximum aggregate value of projects

Who should attend this webinar?
Managers/Directors of PMOs, Project Managers

NOTE: You may have to hit the MORE… link to register for this session on the registration page.

PDU Category C (PMBOK 5) documentation details:

Process Groups: Planning, Monitoring & Controlling
Knowledge Areas: 4 – Integration

• 4.1 Develop Project Charter
• 4.2 Develop Project Management Plan

As a Category C “Self Directed Learning Activity” remember to document your learning experience and its relationship to project management for your “PDU Audit Trail Folder”

Click to register for  How to Prioritize Projects When Each One is Critical

Live Webinar July 29th, 2014, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
Duration:1 hour Webcast Up to 1 Category C PDU – Free PDU
Hosted By:  StickyMinds/Techwell

Many organizations are embracing agile and lean practices to accelerate software delivery, and some are looking at continuous delivery and other DevOps technologies.

Frequently, organizations only end up accelerating development, pushing bottlenecks out to testing and beyond.
It does not have to be that way!

In their recent survey of test professionals, IBM and TechWell heard loud and clear that testers want to engage earlier in the development process and be involved from ideation to implementation.

In this interactive webinar you will learn:

1. How delivery teams—programmers and testers—can work in harmony and truly realize the benefits agile delivery offers
2. How to avoid having accelerated software delivery hit the wall when agility stops at testing and things start backing up
3. How testers can become the advocates of change in their organizations and really make a difference
4. How to reach the common goal of improving software quality

Join IBM and TechWell on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, as Janet Gregory, coauthor of Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams, shares her experience and expertise on transforming testing.

Don’t Forget to check out Janet’s very informative Blog!

Presenter:  Janet Gregory (LinkedIn profile, @janetgregoryca) Agile coach, trainer, quality process consultant DragonFire Inc. Janet Gregory is  a highly sought after Keynote speaker and the coauthor of Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams.   Janet specializes in showing agile teams how testers can add value in areas beyond critiquing the product. For the past ten years, she has been working with teams to transition to agile development. Janet teaches agile testing courses and tutorials worldwide, contributes articles to leading publication.

PDU Category C (PMBOK 5) documentation details:
Process Groups: Executing

Knowledge Areas: 4- Integration 5 – Scope 8 – Quality

• 4.4 Monitor & Control Project Work
• 5.3 Define Scope
• 8.1 Plan Quality
• 8.2 Perform Quality Assurance

As a Category C ‘Self Directed Learning Activity’ remember to document your learning experience and its relationship to project management for your ‘PDU Audit Trail Folder’

Click to register for Test Transformation: A Key Ingredient for Agile Software Delivery