Metro St Louis PMI Chapter

August 2010 Newsletter

I was asked to share my thoughts with Chapter members. My first thought – are we really this far along in the year??? Chris has done such a great job the past two years – big shoes to fill!

I joined the St. Louis Chapter in February of 2004. It seems like so long ago. I had no idea what was involved, what took place during the meetings or other opportunities Chapter membership offered. I joined, as many do, to prepare myself to take the PMPexam. I began to attend the dinner meetings, and I was impressed with the caliber of speakers and presentations I heard. I met folks, some who even worked for my company –

and I didn’t know them or know they were involved with Project Management!

In November of 2004, I sat for the exam – and passed! By next May, I was volunteering as Director of Continuing Education. And, I have been involved with the Chapter and the Board ever since that time. This brings me to my real focus for the upcoming year. This Chapter, as with most all PMI Chapters around the globe, thrives on our Volunteers! There are no paid positions, so we work to respect the commitment of those people who want to help. And, while there is no monetary reward, there are those PDUs! My focus is to find a spot on our committees for every member who wishes to help out by volunteering in whatever capacity they feel they have to share.

For those with other commitments, like family and/or full time jobs, there are opportunities for just a few hours a month or year. And, if you happen to be ‘between positions’, we can offer more intense opportunities which require more time.

At one of our Career Days, I was approached by a young man who was lamenting the fact he had passed his CAPM, but could not ‘break into’ a PM position because he had no experience. Just think of the experience one could add to their resumé for volunteering to work on a Chapter project! Give volunteering for the Chapter serious consideration. Get in touch with Debra Pratt, Director of Volunteers; or any STLPMI Board member and let us know how you would like to help! Email volunteers@stlouispmi.org.

I am looking forward to the remainder of this year – and beyond! Please let me know how our Chapter can help you. Let me know your ideas. Metro St. Louis PMI is only as good as it’s members – and we have GREAT members!

For any newsletter related queries or anything else, please email: media@stlouispmi.org.

From our President-Elect -

Theresa Luebcke

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

By Cornelius Fichtner, PMP

PDUs we need and PDUs we want. Professional Development Units (PDUs) dominate our minds, our conversations, and our spare time in the last quarter before Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) deadline. A little forethought would be nice, but the bottom line is that we want the fast and consistent path to our PDUs… and we want them now!

Just do what you do. The easiest way to earn PDUs is to leverage what you currently do. Here is the short list of PDU eligible activities that might already be part of your professional life:

1. Your day job (PDU Category 2H)

If you work as a Project Manager this is probably the easiest way to tick off up to 25% of the PDUs you’ll need at the end of the recertification cycle. If you are a practitioner of project management services for at least 1,500 hours each calendar year, you can claim up to 5 PDUs per year for a maximum total of 15 PDUs per three year period. (See http://www.pmi.org/pdf/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf#page=38)

2. Take a quiz! (PDU Category 3)

Did you know you can earn up to one third of your PDUs by taking the PMI publication quizzes? The member price is only $15 per quiz. Score a 70% or higher and you will earn from 1 to 2 PDUs depending on the individual quiz and the CCR requirement you are trying to fulfill. (See http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/PMI-Publication-Quizzes.aspx)

3. PDUs that go wherever you go (PDU Category 3)

The PDU Podcast™ delivers a variety of topics by a variety of presenters to your personal media player; whenever and wherever you want them. As a PMI Registered Education Provider (REP’s), there is no limit to how many PDU Podcast™ Category 3 PDUs you can earn. This subscription keeps you on track with fresh content delivered consistently and reliably month in and month out. (See www.pducast.com)

4. Free PDUs (PDU Category 2)

The Project Management Podcast™ is a free subscription that delivers a new podcast every so often to its subscribers. Like the PDU Podcast™, The Project Management Podcast™ has a variety of topics presented but it may take a couple of episodes to equal one PDU if the programs are shorter than the 1 hour needed per PDU. It’s important to remember also that Category 2-SDL PDUs has a limit of 15 PDUs maximum per 36 month period. (See http://www.project-management-podcast.com/pdu)

5. Watch a Movie

“Project Movie: A Practical Application of the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition” delivers 15 PDUs in the form of a movie via the internet to your home. It’s available on the PMI.org at a cost of $500 to PMI members. Well, I didn’t say it was cheap. I just said it was easy. (See http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/Web-Based-Self-Study.aspx)

6. Formal Academic Training (PDU Category 1)

Formal Academic educational courses related to Project Management can earn you 10 to 15 PDUs per semester. It’s probably the easiest of all the categories, so long as you are not financially challenged. Even if you

August 2010 Newsletter Page 2 of 7

10 Easy Ways to Earn PDUs

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

are, there may well be project management related courses being offered at the community college that are more economical than the state and private collegiate institutions. The transcript or grade report is required for confirmation. (See http://www.pmi.org/pdf/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf#page=37)

7. Turning CEU’s into PDUs (PDU Category 1)

Like Formal Academic Training, Continuing Education (CE) can be submitted for PDUs. Unlike Formal Academic Training, CE’s are courses that comply with IACET standards. CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) can be converted to PDUs; generally at a ratio of 1 CEU to 10 PDUs. Your best bet is to confirm with the provider that the course you are interested in complies with the ANSI/IACET 1-2007 Standard. (See http://www.pmi.org/pdf/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf#page=36)

8. Volunteer Service to Professional or Community Organizations (PDU Category 5)

If you already attend your PMI chapter’s monthly meeting, you’re earning up to 1 PDU for the presentation. Did you know you could be earning additional PDUs for attending that same meeting by joining the registration, finance, internal marketing and/or meeting committees? Contact your local Chapter’s for more details. A maximum of 20 PDUs may be earned through professional service or by providing non-compensated professional PM Service to non-employer or non-client customer groups.

A letter or certificate from the organization acknowledging the participation is required for confirmation. (To find your local PMI chapter, go to http://www.pmi.org/GetInvolved/Pages/PMI-Chapters.aspx)

9. Knowledge Sharing (PDU Category 2)

Authoring or co-authoring an article which is published in a ‘refereed’ journal, earns you 30 PDUs for author and 20 PDUs for co-author. If published in a ‘non-refereed’ journal, you can earn 15 PDUs for author and 10 for co-author. (See http://www.pmi.org/pdf/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf#page=38)

10. Self-Study (PDU Category 2-SDL)

Discussions or coaching sessions with colleagues or clients that put to use informational materials such as CD-ROMs, articles, books, videos or instructional manuals can earn up to 15 PDUs per three year period through self directed learning. This includes personally conducting project management research or a study, coaching sessions with people in your professional network (colleagues, clients, coworkers, etc). Reading applicable studies, books, blogs, and listening to audio books would all fall under this category. Copies of publications, sample education material or program agendas are required for confirmation. (See http://www.pmi.org/pdf/pdc_pmphandbook.pdf#page=38)

So there you have it….

No matter what your budget or your learning media preference, these 10 Easy ways are waiting to help you amass the 60 PDUs for your recertification. Whichever route you take, keep consistent and remember to have some fun with it.

About the author: Cornelius Fichtner, PMP is a noted PMP expert. He has helped over 10,000 students prepare for the PMP Exam with The Project Management PrepCast at http://www.pm-prepcast.com and he guides PMI credential holders on earning PDUs with The PDU Insider at http://www.pdu-insider.com/.

August 2010 Newsletter Page 3 of 7

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

June 2010 Dinner Meeting

The topic for the June 2010 dinner meeting was Creating the Buildings of the Future - New Project Management Challenges. Jane Jones and Richard Reilly were the featured speakers. Jane Jones, PMP, talked about the project management challenges in the construction industry using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which promotes a whole-building approach to design. This requires intense collaboration from all project participants from the earliest stages of the project and presents new project management challenges. Richard Reilly, LEED AP and volunteer for Habitat for

Humanity, reviewed the various requirements for LEED certification and how it is changing the building process. He provided many examples of projects in the St. Louis area. The presentation was enjoyed by 75 people who learned the basics of LEED certification and the project management challenges that it brings to the construction industry.

Go to St Louis PMI Chapter website to get the presentation deck for this event. ( http://www.stlouispmi.org/ )

PMOLIG Roundtable

The St. Louis PMOLIG (PMO Local Interest Group) has taken off this year as a subgroup of the St. Louis Chapter. This is a professional group who share an interest in project/program/portfolio management offices. We’ve had several join the subgroup from various industries all located in St. Louis. This is a great opportunity to share knowledge and insight amongst colleagues. Every PMO is uniquely structured in an organization to meet the business needs.

The operational value of the PMO is also different depending on the organization on industry. This group targets those who run a PMO or have the responsibility of the PMO function.

The June 9th meeting was in roundtable format discussing portfolio management. Each participant brought a sample of their organization’s portfolio, selection and prioritization process, and reports. The room was buzzing with conversation as each person shared their knowledge. Some brought mature processes while others shared a more simple format. The mixture of experience and knowledge brought excitement to all.

To join the St. Louis PMOLIG subgroup, please visit PMOLIG Subgroup on Linked In:http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2787336

The next meeting will be scheduled in September (topic to be announced). Please contact Angela Triplett at atriplett@pmosig.org.

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Chapter Activities

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

Mentoring Program

Every great project manager has been influenced by someone in their careers, either coming from a senior project manager, career coach, or other manager. Mentoring is an invaluable part of a project manager’s development as the shared “tricks of the trade” enable a project manager to grow in his or her career. Chapter members who have the heart of a teacher and thrive on developing others have the ingredients to be a strong mentor. We are looking for Project Management mentors from across all backgrounds and experience. Chapter members looking for a mentor may apply as well. Mentor volunteers must be Metro St. Louis PMI chapter members and PMP certified. Mentors are eligible for 5 PDUs. Mentees (those looking for a mentor) must be chapter members to be eligible for a mentor. Mentees are eligible to earn 5 education credit hours toward PMP (if not already accredited). The Mentoring program is facilitated by a Mentoring Coordinator and Committee. The Committee is responsible for reviewing mentor/mentee applications and resumes and making matches based on career goals, experience, and occupational role. Once a mentor and mentee have been matched a member of the Mentoring Committee will contact the pair and set up a face-to-face meeting to cover the requirements of the program, do’s and don’ts, and collect signed Mentoring agreement forms. A minimum of 2-4 contact hours a month for a 6-9 month duration is required for a mentored relationship. Upon the end of the formal mentoring period the mentee may submit a feedback form to help the Committee continuously improve the program.

Application forms and templates will be located on the new Metro St. Louis PMI website. If you would like to volunteer to be a mentor, mentee, or help run the program as a Committee member, please send an email to volunteers@stlouispmi.org, and state your intention of being a mentor, mentee, or Committee member.

Marketing Committee

The Marketing committee met over the past two months and has finalized the chapter marketing plan for year 2010 and beyond. Primary mission of the committee is to increase the outreach of our chapter to the companies and universities and increase the reach among the chapter members though regular newsletter issues and social media presence. Metro St Louis PMI chapter already has the presence on professional site like LinkedIn, now we are planning to setup presence on Social media sites like Twitter. There are also plans to setup Registered Company Coordinators ( RCC ) for the top five companies we have members from.

CALLING volunteers !!! We are in need of volunteers who can devote only few hours every month helping perform chapter activities. Earn PDUs towards your PMP credentials. If you have marketing experience, lend us your valuable time. If you do not have any marketing experience or background, then too you can help. Getting involved with marketing committee will get you adequate exposure and opportunity to learn new skills. Get precious experience which you can leverage in your next job search.

Contact volunteers@stlouispmi.org if you are interested. Or directly contact marketing@stlouispmi.org

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Updates from Chapter committees

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

Every Organization can implement OPM3

When: Saturday, August 28, 2010; Continental Breakfast; 08:15 a.m.; Speaker: 09:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Presenter: J. Alan Northrup

Topic Summary: The Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) is rapidly becoming the preferred tool for improving organizational project management around the globe. Similar to the Capability Maturity Model ( CMMI ), OPM3 is a framework of Best practices that demonstrate the key components required for world class project management. World Class project management does not come about by time and chance. It must be intelligently designed into the fabric and culture of organizations. When implemented correctly, OPM3 processes take organizations from ad-hoc, immature execution, to mature and disciplined project, program and portfolio execution.

This workshop is developed to give consultants and organizations a thorough understanding of the Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3).

Where: Washington University West Campus Library Room A/B

Go to http://www.stlouispmi.org/ and choose Events → Current Events to register for this workshop.

Implementing Lean Six Sigma

When: Wednesday, September 15, 2010; Dinner & Main Presentation: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Presenter: James C Coe, PMP

Topic Summary: Implementing Lean Six Sigma. Matching Lean Six Sigma methodology with the project management life cycle described in the PMBOK. Introduction to Lean Six Sigma methodology, tools, and techniques as used in US Army including examples from actual project that saved over $4-million. Illustration on integrating Lean Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control process with the PMBOK described project life cycle.

Tutorial : Volunteering for PMI – Debra Pratt, Director of Volunteering, Metro St. Louis PMI ChapterHave you ever thought about volunteering for the Metro St. Louis PMI Chapter? Have you shied away from volunteer because you didn’t know what to expect or what positions were available? Do you know how many PDUs you can earn? Get all of these questions and more answered at this tutorial. This is an information session so come and get your questions answered without being required to make a commitment.

Go to http://www.stlouispmi.org/ and choose Events → Current Events to register for this dinner meeting.

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Upcoming Events for our chapter

Metro St Louis PMI Chapter http://www.stlouispmi.org/

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