Author: editor@mpug.com
Project Managers Invited to Help Transform Education
The Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, the non-profit arm of the global membership organization for project managers, is inviting PMs to participate in a sizable initiative: transforming education to help schools implement project-based learning. The foundation recently gave a grant to an education non-profit, Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21), which develops resources to guide schools in adopting 21st century learning and instructional practices. The funding helped P21 develop a set of free, online resources to teach the practices of project management to educators. The “toolkit” as it’s called, is intended “to bring project management into community conversations about school transformation,” the site explained. It provides tools, definitions and explanations of unfamiliar subjects, and links to other resources that will help project managers, other professionals and existing stakeholders “to better understand their communities, connect to existing dialogues and reform efforts, and navigate the complex world of education.” The toolkit also provides educator resources, including links to projects that can be used in the classroom and to successful programs already running in schools and districts. Project-based learning is a teaching method in which students build their knowledge and skills by immersing themselves into a complex problem or challenge — an “inquiry” — using project management techniques. As a recent article on the P21 website noted, a project in a history class might ask students to “investigate how slavery impacts the lives of black citizens in their towns.” Answering that inquiry would require multiple kinds of the “21st century” activities encompassing collaboration, creativity, communication and critical thinking. In a statement about the toolkit project Michael DePrisco, who heads up academic and educational programs for PMI, said that “The skills that young people need to be successful in the 21st century world of work are unquestionably inherent to project management… We understand the value that project-based learning adds to the classroom, and equipping teachers and students with project management skills better ensures that they know how to expertly manage those projects.” The toolkit is freely available online.
Kidasa Software – Milestones Professional
Milestones Professional is produced by Kidasa Software. Product Summary: Milestones Professional works with Microsoft Project to schedule, track and present projects   using click-and-drag scheduling. Users can: Generate presentation-ready schedules in multiple formats Manage large or multiple projects by linking schedules across networks and setting up master schedules that update as other schedules are changed Choose different ways to track, calculate and display cost, earned value, staffing and other project figures. Have experience using this software? Tell MPUG readers what you think! [WPCR_INSERT] Buy or Try today! Where to buy? Buy it now! Want to try this product for yourself? Try it now! More products by Kidasa®: Milestone Simplicity
Report: 7 Conditions Will Help Feds Improve PM Muscles
The federal government could improve its project and program management capabilities if it pursued a more systematic approach backed by law. That’s the finding of a new report written by the National Academy of Public Administration and sponsored by the Project Management Institute. Among the challenges emphasized in “Improving Program Management in the Federal Government” are these: Laws and policies address specific problems without holistically tackling the challenges inherent in large-scale complex change initiatives; Government agencies don’t recognize program management as a discipline “essential” to government performance, success and results; and Nor do agency leaders or staff “clearly understand” roles or responsibilities. According to the report’s authors, if government were to take a more systematic approach, backed up by the authority of law, they’d achieve more rapid and consistent development of project and program management capabilities. The report offered seven conditions it believes are important to institutionalize program management discipline across the federal government: 1. Taking an integrated approach to the development of government-wide program management policy and oversight of agency implementation; Pursuing agency leadership support for program management; Integrating program management into strategic planning, goal-setting and performance improvement processes; Establishing clear roles and responsibilities for agency executives and stakeholders in program management processes; Implementing a strong, senior-level program management organization in agencies; Launching a government-wide job series for program managers that spans business functions with a career path that extends into senior career executive management ranks; and Building an organization to bring together senior program management officials from across the government to advise on government-wide policy, share leading practices and oversee development of expert program management resources. “The panel believes that institutionalizing the discipline of program management across the federal government should be a top priority,” the report concluded. “There is no guarantee of success in large-scale, complex change initiatives. However if program management is undertaken by well-trained, experienced professionals within a supportive infrastructure, based upon proven standards and practices, we believe that success will be more consistently achieved.” The report is freely available on the National Academy of Public Administration website.
OnePager Pro Compatible with Project 2016 Preview
Add-in companies can now test their products with Microsoft Project 2016 — or at least the preview version. Chronicle Graphics, which develops timeline presentation software, recently announced that OnePager Pro works with the upcoming version of the project management application as well as the latest version of Project Online. OnePager expands on Project’s basic timeline presentation features. While the out-of-the box functionality allows the project manager to modify colors and fonts of timelines, rename tasks and reposition tasks on the page, OnePager allows the user to customize the view for extensively. He or she can display as many tasks as desired; create conditional formatting rules; generate a project legent, group and sort tasks; change task labels without modifying the original Project file; and other modifications. “We’ve had a long and healthy relationship with Microsoft Project, as add-in developers and as a Microsoft Certified Partner,” said Nathan Black, the company’s VP of Solutions in a prepared statement. “We’re excited about Project 2016 and look forward to strengthening this relationship as the new Microsoft Project goes to market.” The company has found traction for its technology in multiple industries, including aerospace, professional services, finance and insurance and government, among others.
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