Project Management Lessons to Manage Uncertainties India
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The PMI India National Conference 2013, held on September 27-28 in the National Capital Region, focused on the theme 'Project Management - Bringing Certainty in Uncertain Times', featuring diverse speakers and discussions across various industries. The conference highlighted the importance of project management in navigating economic uncertainties and recognized outstanding projects with awards in different categories. Positive feedback from attendees underscored the event's success, which included new features like a mobile application and interactive sessions for enhanced learning and networking.
Project Management Lessons to Manage Uncertainties India
- 1. Special Issue - PMI India National Conference 2013, National Capital Region. Volume 5 Issue 4 Special Edition PMI India National Conference 2013, National Capital Region Project Management - Bringing Certainty in Uncertain Times
- 2. Contents Managing Editor Raj Kalady PMI India Communications Priya Awasare Publication Project Team CyberMedia Services Limited (CMSL) Marketing Communications Division Project Editor Panchalee Thakur Project Manager Arjun A. Copy Editor Shipra Abraham PMI unveils the Hindi version of A Guide to Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) during the inaugural session. Letter from Managing Director, PMI India 3 Letters from the Organizers 4 Conference Overview 5 8 Keynotes and Special Addresses 12 Case Studies 14 Panel Discussions 16 PMI India Awards 2013 18 PMI Leadership Team for Awards 2013 19 Early Bird Sessions 20 Technical Papers 21 What Volunteers Have to Say 22 What Delegates Have to Say 23 Photo Gallery 2 November 2013 Design Depender Rawat Web Design CMSL developer team PMI Organization Centre Private Limited 302-305, III Floor, Balarama, Plot No. C-3, E Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai – 400051, India Phone +91 22 2659 8659 +91 22 2659 2235 E-mail pmi.india@pmi.org www.pmi.org.in
- 3. Letter from the Managing Director, PMI India Dear Practitioners, After a year of detailed planning and preparation, PMI India, North India Chapter, and an able team of volunteers delivered a superb PMI India National Conference in National Capital Region on 27-28 September. It was a conference of many firsts and the experiments worked out well, such as opting for a two-day weekday conference, separate government and corporate discussion panels, a wide range of speakers representing diverse sectors, and a mobile application that gave delegates conference details and updates. Besides the learning and the networking, delegates had the opportunity to indulge in some fun in the photo booth, the mobile app contest, and quizzes. The conference theme, “Project Management - Bringing Certainty in Uncertain Times,” attracted discussions and sharing of thoughts and insights on how uncertainties can be managed at both the organizational and practitioner level. Speakers from a wide range of industries – technology, healthcare, travel and leisure, project management, filmmaking, and spirituality and wellness – provided insights on the conference theme from their experience. Policymakers and corporate honchos discussed issues that govern public and private sector projects. A learning that clearly emerged from these sessions is that project management has a big role to play, whatever be the industry or area of work. I’d like to congratulate this year’s award winners. Larsen & Toubro Limited, Essar Projects (I) Limited, and Reliance Industries Limited won the Best Project of the Year in the large, medium, and small category of projects, respectively. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) won for NGO project and ITC Limited won best project under Contri bution to Community category. These projects demon strated superior performance, exemplary implementation, and innovative processes to achieve their business and strategic goals. Congratulations also to the runner up teams. A key indicator of the success of a conference is the feedback from delegates. It has been highly encouraging to receive positive feedback from delegates. My sincere thanks to Ms. Deena Gordon-Parla, member, PMI Board of Directors, and Mr. Craig Killough, vice president, organization markets, PMI, for their support by being part of the conference. My heartiest congratulations Raj Kalady Managing Director, PMI India go to Mr. Manoj K. Gupta, conference chairman and president, North India Chapter, Mr. Pritam D. Gautam, conference project director, and their team of volunteers for planning and executing a successful conference. The next national conference will be hosted in Hyderabad. We will come back to you with more details later. Warm regards, Raj Kalady Managing Director, PMI India November 2013 3
- 4. Letters from the Organizers Mr. Manoj K. Gupta Chairman, PMI India National Conference 2013 President, PMI North India Chapter The theme of this year’s conference, “Project Management - Bringing Certainty in Uncertain Times”, was aptly chosen to align with market conditions, and hence the focus was to bring in experts of various domains/industries to present challenges and uncertainties that they face and the way they have succeeded in their goals. The conference attracted both national and international guests, with 60-70 percent of delegates from outside the National Capital Region. International delegates were from Europe, North America, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Singapore. We had sponsors and speakers from Europe and North America. Practitioners benefited from two early bird sessions, 25 visionary speakers, five impressive case studies, eight keynote sessions, six invited speakers,15 technical papers, 37 sessions with domain experts, and unlimited networking opportunity. It was encouraging to receive compliments from delegates and fellow chapter presidents on the excellent quality of volunteering, practical sessions with something for everyone irrespective of his/her industry, a large variety of industries and speakers, and most of all, the audience connecting and learning across formats. The result was big smiles and a feeling of satisfaction for core committee members and the nearly 30 volunteers. Mr. Pritam D. Gautam Project Director, PMI India National Conference 2013 The words that cross my mind when I think about the PMI India Project Management National Conference 2013 are “memorable and gratifying”. It was the first opportunity for our chapter to host and deliver an event of this scale. We had a diversified mix of speakers from 15 industry verticals. A first that we achieved was to bring a speaker from film-making that is a heavy user of project management but is not so talked about; the speaker was film director, producer, and writer, Mr. Mahesh Bhatt. Another first was to involve volunteers from other chapters as well, thereby delivering a true national conference. The entire journey of this event was a memorable experience that brought together project managers, program managers, entrepreneurs, and independent consultants to work as a team. We changed the format to a two-day weekday conference that benefited delegates from outside the city. We added a case study track for industry leaders, two separate panel discussions for government and corporate, a handy mobile application, photo booth, and a mobile game in which delegates competed with each other by taking as many photos as they could. This conference could not have been successful without the passion and the active contribution of volunteers and PMI India staff. I thank each one of them. 4 November 2013
- 5. Conference Overview Project Management Lessons to Manage Uncertainties Be it healthcare, IT, entertainment, or travel, the fifth PMI India National Conference welcomes people from across sectors to share their experiences By Panchalee Thakur As economic uncertainty continues to rage, organizations are recognizing the value of project management as a critical capability that will steer them towards their business goals. The PMI India Project Management National Conference 2013 put the spotlight on the way organizations are staying focused on their strategic objectives and seeing success through project management. Business leaders, policy- were talks on spirituality and how projects are done in Hindi cinema.The conference had many firsts– a conference mobile application, a photo booth, and separate panel discussions for corporate and government. PMI India presented the coveted Best Project of the Year awards during the conference. The awards were presented to Larsen & Toubro Limited, Essar Projects Limited, and Reliance Industries Limited in the large, medium, and small category, respectively. ITC Limited won for contribution to the community and The Energy Research Institute won under the non-government organization category. PMI unveiled the Hindi version of A Guide to Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) during the inaugural session. The conference attracts delegates from around the country and abroad, with 60-70 percent from outside the host chapter’s territory, the National Capital Region. makers, PMI executives, and project practitioners shared knowledge and exchanged ideas on the conference theme, “Project Management - Bringing Certainty in Uncertain Times”, during the two-day event. The fifth annual project management national conference, held on 27-28 September in Gurgaon, National Capital Region, drew speakers with wide experience in leading large organizations, growing entrepreneurial ventures, and providing direction to government policy-making. In keeping with the conference objective to help delegates develop life skills and new perspectives, this time there While delivering the inaugural address, Mr. Bhaskar Pramanik, chairman, Microsoft India, spoke about the need for companies and professionals to reinvent themselves to stay relevant in the highly dynamic business environment. He said social media, mobility, analytics through big data, and cloud technology are the four mega technology trends that will have a profound impact on how companies service users. Ms. Deena Gordon-Parla, member, PMI Board of Directors, said project management becomes an imperative for organizations as they look for better performance at a time when profit margins are reducing. As evidence of India’s growing adoption of project management, she pointed out that India today has more Project Management Professional (PMP)® certified practitioners than Japan and that the government of India recognizes it as a key skill in the 12th Five Year Plan. However, India has a long way to go to make the optimum use of project management at the workplace and adopting November 2013 5
- 6. Conference Overview it as a life skill. Highlighting the risk ignorance in the country, Mr. Raj Kalady, managing director, PMI India, said, “I see every day how people ignore grave risks to their life while driving on the road. I also see how organizations do not prepare risk mitigation plans to see them through unpleasant surprises.” passionate at work, and not succumbing to the fear of the unknown. Some key takeaways also came from corporate guru, Swami Sukhabodhananda. He interspersed life’s lessons for today’s corporate world with learnings from ancient Indian scriptures. Mr. Deep Kalra, founder and group CEO, MakeMyTrip.com, spoke about the challenges and excitement of taking the untrodden path. His success mantra as an entrepreneur is to get the timing right while introducing a product or service to the market, rely on analytics for business decisions, and build an enabling work culture. Besides the keynotes and special addresses, there were two panel 30 passionate volunteers come discussions – “Managing Uncertaintogether to plan and execute ties in Projects” and “E-Governance and Public Empowerment – Fiction the two-day conference. or Reality” – in which leaders from business and government discussed issues that plague projects in the private and public sector. There were two parallel tracks for case studies and technical paper presentations on both the Mr. Craig Killough, vice president, organization markets, days, plus two early bird sessions on 26 September. PMI, offered insights into the state of projects across the globe with some startling statistics. The highest performing The conference, which was planned and delivered by companies in terms of project success get it right only 80 volunteers, was designed to make it exciting and memorable percent of the time, and these companies constitute just for delegates who had come from all over India and abroad. The conference mobile application provided not just the eight percent of companies globally. conference agenda but also games. There were many contests and lucky draws to be won. Another feature that caught PMI is a partner of the India Backbone Implementation delegates’ interest was the photo booth, in which they could Network (IbIn), which was conceived under the 12th Five take pictures with catchy slogans as conference memorabilia. Year Plan to bring organizational capabilities together to coordinate, collaborate on, and implement issues, projects, The national conference moves to Hyderabad next year. and policies for the country’s development. Speaking The dates are yet to be announced. at the conference, Mr. Arun Maira, member, Planning (With contributions from Gayatri Appaya) Commission, explained the concept behind creating IbIn and likened it to the Total Quality Movement in Japan. India’s booming healthcare industry has been a late starter when it comes to project management. Mr. Vishal Bali, group CEO, Fortis Healthcare Limited, provided an overview of the challenges that the sector faces and the project management opportunities for better healthcare delivery in the country. This year delegates got a glimpse of the way film projects are managed in Hindi cinema. Mr. Mahesh Bhatt, film producer, director, and writer, drew lessons from his life to talk about the importance of believing in oneself, being 6 November 2013 Mr. Raj Kalady lighting the traditional lamp that symbolises knowledge and wisdom. With him on the dais are (from left) Mr. Pritam Gautam, Mr. Manoj Gupta, Mr. Brian Weiss, Mr. Craig Killough, Ms. Deena Gordon-Parla, and Mr. Bhaskar Pramanik
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- 8. Keynotes and Special Addresses Arun Maira It is often said that India is a country of paradoxes, where opposites co-exist. Such paradoxes are visible as much in the standard of living here as in the country’s urban infrastructure. Mr. Arun Maira, member, Planning Commission, uses such a contrast to illustrate how a “nation of doubt” can sometimes produce something of excellence and pride. “On the Delhi-Gurgaon road, there is a junction that is in a terrible state of disrepair. And just above the junction I see a Delhi Metro train chugging along. The metro train reminds me of the China that we want to be. But just below is the India of confusion and muddle,” Mr. Maira said. Mr. Maira is a corporate honcho and a management consultant turned planner, who has worked on the country’s 12th Five Year Plan. Highlighting the importance of adopting project management, he said, “We didn’t finish the 12th Plan on time. This time we took a lot of public feedback that we incorporated in the plan. Some of it told us what people thought (of government functioning). One feedback said, ‘Don’t make another plan; just do it’. Another said, ‘We don’t want any more foundation stones; just give us finishing stones’.” These comments show how India has become a “nation of doubt”, where Indians do not any longer believe that the country has a lot of promise. They instead see only confusion and uncertainty. An initiative that the Planning Commission has started to bring people and organizations with different capabilities together is the India Backbone Implementation Network (IbIn). Through IbIn, partners with different strengths will coordinate, collaborate, and help implement issues, projects, and policies in India. Explaining the concept, Mr. Maira said, “IbIn has been conceived like the Total Quality Movement in Japan. It is a network and a learning mechanism where there are no bosses or budgets, and it is not under any ministry. One of our first partners in IbIn is PMI. We are hoping we will convert contention to collaboration, and confusion to coordination through this network.” Bhaskar Pramanik Times are changing, and organizations and professionals who recognize it and change with the times will find it easy to fit in. Mr. Bhaskar Pramanik, chairman, Microsoft India, spoke about the need to reinvent to stay ahead of the curve. “There are changes in the business environment with new technologies emerging and there are changes in the socio-economic space with people’s aspirations rising. Volatility is the keyword today and we must embrace it to manage change,” he said in his inaugural address. Indians, who have a propensity for reason and rationale, prefer all the answers before they want to take a decision. Now with uncertainty and ambiguity all around, that approach has to change. “Look at how technology is changing. Historically, at any given point in time, we had one dominant technology trend. Now, there are multiple technology trends that are impacting the way we do business or transact at a personal level. This is the era of personal computing, where we operate through multiple devices,” he said. This change is visible even at the corporate level. Microsoft, which was a software company till a year ago, has now redefined itself as a devices and services company. However, to drive consistency, a company must follow four core principles that remain the same through good or bad times. He listed them as living a company’s culture and values of integrity, honesty, passion, being self-critical and accountability; being consistent, committed, and relevant to customers and partners; adopting new business models; and investing in the country in which the company is present through social initiatives. 8 November 2013
- 9. Keynotes and Special Addresses He said the four mega technology trends that are impacting business and people are social media, mobility, analytics through big data, and cloud technology (SMAC). “The mobility in SMAC devices will improve agility and provide better user experience, social media will enable collaboration, big data will help improve business insights, and cloud technology will make it more affordable and thereby, delight users,” he commented. Deena Gordon-Parla The scope for project management has grown as organizations battle uncertainty and increased complexity on the one hand and reduced profit margins on the other. Ms. Deena Gordon-Parla, member, PMI Board of Directors, said companies earlier had more flexibility in terms of project schedules and resources because of sufficient profit margins but that flexibility has disappeared. There is now increased pressure to be more effective and hence, there is more reliance on project management for better performance. Ambiguity of project features is one of the main reasons for complexity. “In the case of IT projects, unknown project features are posing a huge challenge. It could be the result of new technology or technology that is not fully developed. Sometimes the project duration exceeds the relevance of the technology being used,” said Ms. Gordon-Parla. The world over organizations are seeking better management through standardized project management practices, effective communication technology, and a strong project management talent base. “PMI has over half a million practitioners in 185 countries (who are active PMI credential holders). Among Asia-Pacific countries, India is number one in terms of PMI membership. The number of Project Management Professional (PMP)® certified practitioners in India has overshot that of Japan. By 2020, the demand for new project management jobs in India is expected to reach 8.8 million,” she added. She also commended the government of India for acknowledging project management as a key skill in the 12th Five Year Plan. Deep Kalra An entrepreneur’s journey usually makes an interesting story, and if the entrepreneur is addressing an audience where most are his customers, the story gets even more engaging. Mr. Deep Kalra, founder and group CEO, MakeMyTrip.com, is a banker-turned-entrepreneur who tried his hand in the capital market and sports management before setting up what is now India’s largest e-commerce company, MakeMyTrip.com. Looking back at his own journey with MakeMyTrip.com, Mr. Kalra laid out the key factors that go to make a venture successful. “The market has to be ready for the business to take off, hence it’s highly critical to get the timing right. Entrepreneurs often get lost in what they are building and forget what problem they are solving. They have to continue to be in touch with the market. Analytics is very important for business decisions. Hire better talent than yourself so that you get the best people to work with you. Create the right work culture and remember that your team works with you and not work for you,” he said. Another factor that entrepreneurs in India must remember is that businesses here take much longer to take off than in the west. Right decision-making needs its fair share of data, experience, and gut feel. “During tough times, one needs to be resilient but not stubborn. We had three close shaves between 2000 and 2002 after the dot-com bust and 9/11 attacks in the United States when we ran out of money. We came out of these times. Whereas during my stint with AMF Bowling, I stubbornly stuck around expecting the company to take off and it didn’t happen. I just lost time,” Mr. Kalra added. He follows the life stories of successful entrepreneurs. “Apple founder Steve Jobs’ story has left a lasting impression on me. The other story from which I have learned a lot is that of South West Airlines. The airline has managed customer service by empowering front-line staff and has seen great success. And in e-commerce, there is the story of Amazon that is highly inspiring,” Mr. Kalra said. November 2013 9
- 10. Keynotes and Special Addresses Vishal Bali Healthcare is usually seen as a service that enables social good but going by the impact that inadequate healthcare has on a country, it must be looked at as a service that facilitates economic good. Mr. Vishal Bali, group CEO, Fortis Healthcare Limited, spoke to the large audience of project practitioners on what he called “the biggest project in the country of getting healthcare right”. He provided an overview of some of the fundamental challenges that healthcare delivery in India and around the globe faces. “Healthcare providers seek to use new technology to deliver efficient healthcare at affordable costs. To make healthcare affordable, we need to enhance its delivery mechanism and that is where the role of project management comes in,” Mr. Bali said. Globally, consumer health behavior is the prime determinant of health. Poor health habits contribute to 50 percent of diseases in the world. “In India, changing consumer health behavior will be the biggest project (for healthcare providers). Productive people translate to a productive nation. Hence, for a nation, healthcare is as much about economic good as it is about social good,” he remarked. A lot has changed in healthcare delivery because of technology and people’s access to the Internet. Patients today take more decisions about their health because they are more knowledgeable, and this has transformed the clinicianpatient relationship into one of partnership. “Knowledge management has become more important for us today. Project management can also make healthcare delivery more efficient and cost-effective, thereby making it more affordable,” he said. Fortis Healthcare Limited has adopted project management to integrate the assets that it received as part of the acquisitions that the company has made in a short span of time. “At Fortis, we have seen the impact that a strong project management team can make. We expanded our reach to six countries in the past three-four years and we were able to integrate these assets because of a team passionate in project management,” he added. Craig Killough Project success eludes organizations in bad times and good. Only 62 percent of projects meet their goals in terms of scope, budget, and business intent. The highest performers (a mere eight percent) achieve their goals only 80 percent of the time. These were some startling statistics that Mr. Craig Killough, vice president, organization markets, PMI, quoted while presenting on opportunities for project management in the years ahead. Quoting legendary writer, George Bernard Shaw, Mr. Killough said, ”You see things and say ‘why’, but I dream things that never were and say ‘why not?’ Similarly, project managers are the enablers of ‘why not’ - the enablers of strategy.” He cited several instances of government support for the growth of project management. According to a 2012 PricewaterhouseCoopers report, Current Project and Program Management Practices, 70 percent of companies surveyed in 26 countries responded that they had initiated efforts to improve project management processes. The European Union has its general regulation of cohesion funds that allows disbursement of funds according to a country’s project performance. The UK Government’s Civil Service Reform Plan includes changes to employment practices, policy-making, and project management. Australia’s Strategic Priorities initiative aims to remove all barriers to the recruiting of engineers and project managers to oversee very large projects. The Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act in the United States strengthens program and project management performance. The Indian government is looking to improve project management skills to improve returns from public investment in its 12th Five Year Plan. The India Backbone Implementation Network (IbIn) has been created to facilitate project manager and stakeholder management capacity building. According to the 2013 Global Project Management Census, China has the largest number of project management practitioners, followed by India with 5.5 million. “With 40 percent of the current project management workforce eligible for retirement over the next eight years, there is likely to be a huge talent gap. Until now global organizations 10 November 2013
- 11. Keynotes and Special Addresses were looking at project managers with strong technical skills. Going forward, they are more likely to hire people who have functional expertise, leadership skills, and strategic, business management knowledge,” said Mr. Killough. Mahesh Bhatt Speaking from the heart and narrating his own life story, Mr. Mahesh Bhatt, Hindi film producer, director, and writer, formed an immediate, close connect with his audience. “I do not know the meaning of life. I have experiences. Do I have knowledge of how to deal with uncertainties? No, I don’t,” he said emphatically. He traced his life’s journey and talked about how he began with absolutely no knowledge on the film industry. “Have the audacity to be at the stage of infinite ignorance,” he advised his audience. He spoke of how he learned filmmaking by filmmaking, rather than entering the industry after a formal film education. He urged practitioners to follow their gut instinct. “Thinking is a poor alternative to acting,” he remarked. While he has had his fair share of failures, he said these failures were the result of him trying to match what he believed was market expectation and not what he felt was right. Fear, he said, is the number one enemy – it can paralyze people. When he made his award-winning movie Arth, there was a great deal of uncertainty on how it would be received but he told himself, “Should I fall, I will fall on my own terms. Should I fly, I will fly on my own terms.” Self-belief is the most important quality for success, he stated. For inspiration in movie making, he has relied on the raw material that is his own life. It is important to realign yourself to the time that you live in – adapt to the changing world around you. In the film industry, for instance, the audience has shown that casting super-stars alone does not make for box office success. Yet there are many producers who still rely on a star cast. Reinvention, according to Mr. Bhatt, is the best way to cope with uncertainty. “There is no compass, no map that can help make your way through the human jungle,” he said. He spoke about the need to deepen one’s sense of humility to make place for knowledge. “Let go of certainty, be alive. Live with uncertainty. Embrace it,” he concluded. Swami Sukhabodhananda Swami Sukhabodhananda, founder chairman, Prasanna Trust, interlaced practical advice with wisdom from ancient Hindu scriptures in the concluding session of the conference. He began with a few anecdotes that highlighted the importance of ‘responding’ to situations instead of ‘reacting.’ He stressed on the need for project management professionals to be responsive to situations and change, rather than reacting to it. An attribute that he said project leaders must have is to validate and recognize the positive attributes of team members. He also urged the audience to enhance their consciousness and not to perform their tasks mechanically. “Stoic nature kills the alacrity of the individual,” he stated. In order to be successful within a team, it is important to inculcate these four qualities – darshan (seeing), shruthi (hearing/listening), mantavyam (thinking), and nidhidhyasanam (reflection). Empower your team to see things factually and not individualistically. Learn to tune in to your team members. Use your ability to think. Make sure thinking becomes a dynamic process to match our life which is dynamic. Practice what you have learned, meditate, and do not be restless. It is important to align all the team members physically and emotionally when working together. Utilizing one’s intellectual will is integral – “be a part of the solution, not a victim to the problem,” said Swamiji. He also advised project practitioners to not allow ego take over and keep the team ahead of oneself. Swamiji concluded his session by comparing teamwork to Indian martial arts. It is important to have vision, power, speed, skill, and strategy. Vision needs to encompass both the outer and inner self in order to attain complete fulfilment. Follow it up with commitment to work and speed (to execute). Demonstrate the skill to balance your head and heart, and finally, employ the best strategy that will simplify your life. November 2013 11
- 12. Case Studies Delegates get an opportunity to hear about impactful projects of the country in the form of case studies straight from the horse’s mouth Managing Innovation Projects Tata Nano Project Shifting from Singur to Sanand —Shankar K. Sundaram —Girish Wagh Mr. Shankar K. Sundaram, head, Wipro Project Management Academy, laid out the principles of innovation management in his organization. He presented an innovative approach that his team used to deploy an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution on the SAP platform for mid-market consumer products group (CPG) companies. The shifting of the Tata Nano plant across the country, setting up operations in the new facility within weeks, and keeping to the original production schedule of the car is a story that has inspired the entire nation. Mr. Girish Wagh, head, Tata Nano Project, and vice president, Tata Motors, presented on the project management that went behind these mammoth tasks. The project included four sub-projects – dismantling and decommissioning of the plant at Singur in West Bengal where a political agitation had made it impossible to continue operations, setting up interim manufacturing facilities in Pant Nagar in Uttarakhand, land acquisition at Sanand in Gujarat, and starting operations to produce the Nano to meet the deadline. Wipro conducted a joint gaps analysis with SAP to understand what mid-market CPG companies sought in an ERP solution. The study revealed the perception of the SAP solution in the market and what the new model must incorporate. While devising the new model, the Wipro team faced several challenges during the stages of discovery, scoping, business case building, development, and testing and validation. An innovative approach was adopted to help the team develop an SAP model that took care of market concerns. Some of the key benefits the model delivered against the standard SAP model were an implementation cycle of two months against 12 months, better process knowledge, much lower cost of implementation, higher automation of processes, and lower dependency on expert resources. Wipro saw success in this model’s implementation with thorough risk management, engaging stakeholders through the process, and the use of resources with strong domain expertise. The Tata Nano team under Mr. Wagh followed well-defined project procedures to ensure the decommissioning, in which the team had no prior experience, and transportation of 495 containers on a 28hour drive across the country were both accident free. The team also ensured the Pant Nagar plant was augmented to start producing parts in the interim and set up the Sanand plant and produce the first set of cars within 13 months. Some of the project management techniques used were systematic planning of time-bound activities, daily work management, an organization structure with clear roles and responsibilities, simplified monitoring and control, and employee engagement to keep motivation levels up. Tech-enabled Innovation in Project Management for Business Benefits —Chandan Chaudhary The Tata Nano team under Mr. Girish Wagh follows well-defined project procedures to ensure fool-proof shifting of the project from Singur to Sanand. 12 November 2013 With project costs rising, the importance of executing projects on time cannot be emphasized enough. Companies will gain tremendous competitive edge if they complete their projects ahead of deadlines. Mr. Chandan Chaudhary, managing director, Dassault Systèmes, highlighted the importance of using technology-enabled innovation in project management to gain business advantage.
- 13. Case Studies Mr. Chaudhary spoke of the importance of optimizing plant construction using three dimensional (3D) software tools. Plant optimization drives four key values - visibility (realtime availability of project status), traceability (information presented in a consistent manner across all locations globally), less ambiguity, and minimum waste through Lean techniques. He used three case studies to illustrate these advantages. The Russian State Nuclear Corporation overcame construction delays and reduced the project duration from 60 to 48 months with virtual construction. During the construction of the Qingdao Highway Bridge in eastern China, 3D tools helped transform a theoretical concept into life. Using ‘what if’ scenarios, Dassault Systèmes executed the project smoothly in a busy, functioning city. In the third Invited speaker, Mr. P. H. Rana, speaking on how the Gujarat government successfully case, inventive technology was used developed the largest solar park in Asia in 2012. to create a potential future state during the construction of a nuclear plant in China. reasons for success were stakeholder alignment and the implementation of project management techniques. Effective Project Management for Delhi International Airport Construction — R. Shankar Narayanan Development of Largest Solar Park in Asia - Challenges and Implementation — P. H. Rana The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) that has Asia’s longest and widest runway was a mega construction project that was completed in a record time of three-anda-half years. Mr. R. Shankar Narayanan, head, strategy & planning, Larsen & Toubro Construction, spoke of his experience as the project head for DIAL. A new terminal in Delhi airport was being envisaged to meet the increased load. The project was to be completed before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. This target set the stage for alignment of purpose between the government and the project developer’s team. The project needed immaculate planning at the design stage as material from over 35 manufacturing locations had to be bought and global vendors across industries needed to be managed seamlessly. The passenger terminal building was constructed within 36 months. The project included mammoth components such as 45 acres of roof sheeting, 50 acres of glass, the largest cooling system in India, 145 toilet blocks, 6.3 kilometer of conveyor belts, 160 acres of apron space, and 13 different IT systems. Mr. Narayanan said that effective risk management, which included identifying possible pain points and creating a job risk register ahead of time, and constant project planning and monitoring ensured that the team achieved the tasks on time. He reiterated that the main Mr. P. H. Rana, director and advisor, Gujarat Power Corporation Limited, spoke on how the Gujarat government successfully developed the largest solar park in Asia in 2012. The main challenge for the project was the non-availability of a large stretch of vacant land. The Gujarat Energy Development Agency surveyed wastelands and identified a suitable area near Kutch to develop a 54-acre solar power plant. Other challenges during construction included poor connectivity to the area, lack of potable water, saline water in the region, non-availability of construction material, and harsh weather conditions. The project followed a master plan that provided the project scope for the construction of patrolling roads, internal roads, canals, reservoirs, and a water pipeline. The power plant is a multi-developer facility with 21 developers from India and abroad having worked on the project. It is a multi-technology (thin film, crystalline, and silicone), multi-facility, and multi-beneficiary project. The environment-friendly plant has helped develop the local economy and infrastructure, generated employment, and helped improve the socio-economic condition of the region. The other benefits include improved infrastructure, better communication, regular water supply, increase in water conservation, and increased vegetation. November 2013 13
- 14. Panel Discussion E-Governance and Public Empowerment – Fiction or Reality? Moderator: Mr. Vimal Wakhlu, chairman and managing director, telecommunications, Consultants India Limited Panelists: Mr. Bipul Pathak, secretary, information technology, Government of Jammu & Kashmir Dr. Devendra Verma, deputy director general, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Mr. Devi Prasad, director, Ministry of Finance & economic advisor, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Mr. Wakhlu: E-governance is the only way to serve citizens in developed nations. However, in the developing world, e-governance is a luxury. In a country like India where 70 percent of the population lives in villages, providing conventional services is a challenging task. Equitable distribution of water, power, and food is possible through proper use of technology. Through e-governance, health services can also be accessed by all, as demonstrated by the state of Orissa. Homeland security can also be remedied. The government has put up the National Information Infrastructure and the National Optical Fiber Network. Today, India sees facets of e-governance. I request Mr. Pathak to speak on mobile governance and its success in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr. Pathak: We realized that the Internet and mobile penetration could be used to our advantage. We are making government services such as availing of certificates, passports, and applying for licences available to our citizens through e-governance. There is a misconception among citizens that e-governance is not a priority for the government. We have applied our e-governance initiative in border areas through geo-tagging, keeping security considerations in mind. We have provided security forces smart phones which allow for real-time monitoring. This has really changed the game in that area. Our government has been conducting quarterly reviews to gauge efficacy. It has been a hit and now other state governments are seeking our support to replicate the initiative. Mr. Wakhlu: I now request Mr. Prasad to highlight the success he has had with the Karnataka commercial tax initiative. Mr. Prasad: Our e-initiative focused on two levels – increasing collection efficiency and creating spending efficiency. Earlier, commercial taxpayers had to physically go to the offices to file their taxes, having to deal with bulky documentation and lack of transparency. The tax that was paid by goods vehicles on entering the state reached the treasury three-four months later. E-SUGAM (Simple Uploading of Goods Arrival and Movement) brought down this time significantly. All tax dues from the treasury also have to be made online. We introduced E-GRAHAK (Guaranteed Response Against Hidden Activities of tax evasion in Karnataka). Today, if any citizen does not get a receipt, they can send a text message to the commercial tax officer and this will be set right immediately. The main reason we were able to implement this initiative in Karnataka was because we received legislative backing. All government projects have to go through a process and this is why implementation takes time. Mr. Wakhlu: I now invite Mr. Verma to share his thoughts on the topic. Mr. Verma: We all know that e-governance should be synonymous with good governance. However, the reality is otherwise in India. Take railway reservation, for instance. Despite the fact that it is all online today, touts still function. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) initiative has now run into major problems. These issues should have been sorted out before money was allotted towards the program. The Aadhar card team and the National Population Register are doing the same thing – it is complete duplication of effort. The bottomline is that government projects lack the necessary project management skills. They also lack risk assessment. For example, under the Online Computerized Monitoring System, our ministry has to monitor 700 projects. First, our servers had to be replaced. After this, our operating systems were not compatible and had to be changed. Now, we are dealing with technical problems and in all probability, the whole system will have to be redone. Mr. Devi Prasad, Mr. Bipul Pathak, Mr. Vimal Wakhlu, and Dr. Devendra Verma at the panel discussion. 14 November 2013
- 15. Panel Discussion Corporate Panel: Managing Uncertainties in Projects Moderator: Mr. Hanumant Talwar, managing director, Convergys Panelists: Mr. Indranil Das, vice president, Ericsson Global Services (India) Limited Ms. Sophie Bechu, director – vice president, IBM India & South Asia Mr. Neeraj Bansal, partner, Risk Consulting, KPMG Ms. Leigh Moyle, CEO, PMGurus Mr. Talwar: As a project manager, there would not have been a project in which there was no uncertainty. My question to our panelists is how one manages uncertainty. Ms. Bechu: Uncertainty is not a question of “if” but “when”. Prepare for it rather than fear it; take ownership; communicate to people about the uncertainties; and leverage technology to manage it. Mr. Bansal: Surprises happen but a project manager needs to plan to respond to change, monitor it through technology and hold honest discussions, and communicate the urgency to the stakeholders. Mr. Das: Managing a project is like driving a car where you need peripheral awareness besides the knowledge of rules and techniques. Embrace uncertainty; act quickly but stick to the fundamentals and not take shortcuts; build and manage relationships within the team, clients, seniors, and stakeholders; and enjoy being in the situation of uncertainty. Ms. Moyle: Trusting your team is very important to mitigate uncertainty. It is largely around fear. Think of the worst possible scenario, plan in advance, prepare the team, and build the trust and calmness in your team. Mr. Talwar: How do you keep people motivated during such times? What if a project fails? I think reflexes work best during a crisis. Ms. Bechu: As a boss, exhibit calmness and have a relief mechanism for your team to express their concerns. Mr. Bansal: Sometimes a project gets shelved because of government regulation, which is beyond your control. Go back to the team, talk to them about the failure, and try to lighten the moment. Also respect team boundaries during a crisis. Don’t start micro-managing the crisis and make others feel unwanted. Mr. Das: When there is a project goof up, people tend to get defensive and try to find out the culprit. That’s not the right way. Don’t get into the blame game. Failures act as the stepping stones to success. Ms. Leigh Moyle, Mr. Indranil Das, Mr. Neeraj Bansal, Ms. Sophie Bechu, and Mr. Hanumant Talwar at the panel discussion. November 2013 15
- 16. PMI India Awards 2013 Project of the Year – Large Winner: Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) Project: The Mumbai High North process platform and living quarter The project set many records in the Indian offshore industry that implemented successful project management, engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning completely done using an Indian workforce. It was the largest offshore engineering, procurement, and construction contract awarded by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and executed by LT. Runner-up: Reliance Infrastructure 16 November 2013
- 17. PMI India Awards 2013 Project of the Year – Medium Winner: Essar Projects (India) Limited Project: Mechanization Paradip Port of the cargo quay – III (CQ3) berth at The project connected the six million metric ton per annum (MMTPA) pellet plant with the central quay-III at Paradip Port to cater to the massive logistics requirement at the port. Runner-up: IBM India Private Limited Project of the Year – Small Winner: Reliance Industries Limited Project: he polyester stable fiber – new draw machine innovative installation T to increase production by 15 percent The project included equipment installation using very high capacity customized industrial vehicle instead of conventional cranes to obviate constraints of time, budget, and physical inaccessibility to erection location. Runner-up: CBRE India Project of the Year – Non Government Organization Winner: The Energy Research Institute Project: Extending solar lighting in selected Indian states The project included implementing solar charging stations with portable lanterns in remote and backward districts of the country using an innovative financing model, in which the village community also contributed. Runner-up: Samarthaman Trust for the Disabled Project of the Year – Contribution to Community Winner: ITC Limited Project: The Kalyanpura integrated watershed development A public-private-people initiative that demonstrated a viable strategy for strengthening ecological and institutional foundations, based on a model evolved by ITC. The project is aimed at creating sustainable livelihoods through community based governance of natural resources. November 2013 17
- 18. PMI Leadership Team for Awards 2013 This year PMI India set up the PMI Leadership Team for Awards (LTA) to provide more structure and rigor to the awards selection process. One of the prime objectives of LTA is to make the PMI India Awards the most aspirational awards in the project management community across corporate India, the public sector, non-government organizations, and practitioners.LTA aims to bring recognition to project management for its immense impact on humankind and as a profession that is imperative for India’s growth and development. The LTA 2013 team conducted an assessment of challenges of previous years through an online survey of past nominees and jury members. The survey results formed the basis for the awards categories and the eligibility criteria. The team then created a program schedule, award application and assessment frameworks, and a web interface for nominees and jury members. They monitored the awards application submission and evaluation process, selected and trained jury members, finalized the assessment criteria, and collected and analysed feedback from nominees and the jury. For the awards presentation ceremony, the LTA team created a template for the video presentations of the award finalists and executed the awards ceremony. They have also put together a list of enhancements goals for the awards program in 2014. The LTA team was headed by Mr. Ramam Atmakuri, vice president, Cognizant Technology Solutions. The other team members were Mr. Anil Kumar, senior vice president, Sobha Developers Limited, Mr. Muktesh Murthy, head IT – global delivery, Sigma Aldrich; Mr. Mitra Wani, general manager - IT, Lodha Group; Mr. Naval Gupta, vice president, Goldman Sachs; Mr. Naveen Indusekhar, seniorprogram manager, McAfee-Intel Inc.; and Mr. Raju Rao, consultant, Xtraplus Solutions. The PMI Leadership Team for Awards 2013 being felicitated by Mr. Arun Maira (center) and Mr. Raj Kalady (fourth left). The team members are (from left) Mr. Mitra Wani, Mr. Naveen Indusekhar, Mr. Raju Rao, team leader Mr. Ramam Atmakuri, Mr. Naval Gupta, Mr. Anil Kumar, and Mr. Muktesh Murthy. 18 November 2013
- 19. Early Bird Sessions Are your Soft Skills too Soft? Fine Tuning Soft Skills for Hard Skill Application With businesses becoming more global and social, understanding the value of soft skills in an organization is critical. Ms. Valerie Gray, director and founder, Talent Makers, kicked off a pre-conference session, “Are your Soft Skills too Soft? Fine Tuning Soft Skills for Hard Skill Application,” for early bird registrants. The fun-filled session with quips, brainteasers, and group exercises demonstrated how critical it is for an organization to develop effective, measurable soft skills. Many projects fail due to lack of soft skills. Quoting an IAG Consulting report, Ms. Gray said that 68 percent of technology projects are “improbable,” or in other words, likely to fail, because the level of competency required is higher than what is employed by companies. Valerie Gray director and founder Talent Makers Ms. Gray went on to define hard skills and soft skills in project language. Hard skills include data exchange, detailed project report, estimated activity duration, network diagramming, stakeholder risk tolerance, change controls, business case development, work breakdown structure, constraints and assumptions, critical path, project charter, and resource assignment matrix. Soft skills include collaboration, communication, time management/planning, thinking, conflict management, dealing with change/flexibility, decision making, teamwork, team building, handling stress, problem solving, leadership, and diplomacy. Clearly, hard and soft skills are intertwined. She also spoke about income producing activities and income reducing activities that define organizational culture today. Ms. Gray also spoke about Scrum, the framework under agile project management methodology. She felt that Scrum does not work in a country like India. In the west, when there is a conflict, the western default response is to confront the crisis and take it to a resolution state. In India, when there is a conflict, the default response is to avoid the conflict, prolong the crisis, and hence, the conflict continues. Scrum does not say that one needs to confront/question a conflict, and this makes it unfit for the Indian work culture. How Social networking is Turning into Business Networking – Indian Case Study Ms. Leigh Moyle, CEO, PMgurus, presented some India-specific social media statistics to set the context for her session on “How Social networking is Turning into Business Networking – Indian Case Study.” India ranks second in Facebook and Linkedin usage. As far as Google+ goes, India holds the number one position. These statistics reveal that the use of social media for networking and seeking jobs is on the rise in India. Social networking sites could also be what project management professionals use to get ahead in the workplace. There are currently several problems faced by project managers in India and Ms. Moyle touched upon some of them. These included limited time, lack of work-life balance, and not being located in a large center, like those employed in the energy sector who are often based in remote locations. Many of these professionals look towards career mobility and some may want to change their domain. It is important for them to build social and professional linkages. Leigh Moyle CEO PMgurus Ms. Moyle felt that people from India could benefit greatly using social networking to establish business contacts. How about a business networking site for project managers to share experiences and find solutions to professional problems? PMgurus is one such networking site that fills this gap and will help the community becomes more knowledgeable about project management. The company also had a stall at the conference venue. November 2013 19
- 20. Technical Papers The Presenter Topic Rajeev Mukundan Adoption of Lean Start-Up Techniques in the Indian IT Industry Vijay Sane Construction of Mega Township at Pune Using PMI Techniques R T Sundari Change Management - A Success Story in a Government Organisation Vimal Kumar Khanna Managing Small Simplification Dr. Chakradhar Iyyunni Understanding Project Milieu in Account Project Pipeline Management in Engineering Outsourcing Industry Raed Hadda Are your Projects Supporting Your Vision Statement? Prove it! Deep Kamal Singh Strategic Approach to Ascertain Accurate Decisions After Unplanned Service Outage in Telecom Operations Asoke Das Sarma Managing Innovation Program in Large Organisations Pranabendu Bhattacharyya Experience Predictability in Software Project Delivery Avinash Kumar Optimizing Client Expectations in Delivering Certainty Paramita Mukerji Plan A, Plan B, Plan C.... How Far? Vineet Kumar Hanjarimal Transforming to Learning Organization: Converting ‘Bench’ Threat into Great Opportunity Alankar Karpe The Leader’s Choice: Five Steps to Ethical Decision Making Anju Drolia Risk Management Framework Using FMEA for Concurrent and Complex Engineering Environments Karthik Parvathi Integrated Framework of HR and Business Processes is the key driver for a Strong Engaged Workforce 20 November 2013 Teams - Look Beyond Process
- 21. what Volunteers Have to Say Mr. Atin Wadehr – Technical paper, hospitality, and registration This was a very good experience of managing diversified tracks for a large event. There were program managers, project managers, and entrepreneurs working together as team members. It was like a marriage function organized over three days to attend to guests, paid delegates, sponsors, and PMI members,and ensure everyone was happy. There was a lot of For the first time, volunteers from other chapters were involved, making it a true national conference. co-ordination between PMI, the host chapter, the event management agency, and the hotel staff to ensure all the sessions went off efficiently. Last minute changes in plans were also handled gracefully without inconveniencing delegates. Mr. Vikram Verma – Hospitality This was my first opportunity to work on an event of this nature and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It brought back memories of college days. There was perfect teamwork; for example, when the speaker memento is to be given away, there are so many people involved and each one has to play his/her part perfectly on time each time. To sum it up, I’ll borrow a line from a Shah Rukh Khan movie - No one can take these three days away from me. Thank you PMI North India Chapter for this opportunity. Mr. Chetan Gupta – Multiple roles The conference gave me good insight into project management activities which include coordination, taking care of minute details of the various components involved, best use of technology to achieve the goals, leadership capabilities to be able to deliver great results on time and with the available resources, and to create partnership and bonding with a team that one has met for the first time. I am really glad that I was given this opportunity to be part of the conference as a volunteer and get involved in its preparation and execution. Mr. Rakesh Prasad – Speaker track PMI rocks! Conference planning was an experience of a lifetime. There were several takeaways for me. I’ll remember what Mr. Mahesh Bhatt said, “Mind khali rakho. (Keep your mind empty.)” Some of the other sessions I enjoyed were by Mr. Deep Kalra on entrepreneurship and by Mr. Girish Wagh on shifting of the Tata Nano factory from Singur to Sanand. I’m proud to be a part of an awesome 35-member team. Yes! We made it happen. We tasted euphoria at the end. PMI North India Chapter has set an example. Ms. Shweta Goyal – Registration track I’m extremely thankful for being part of such a mega event. Kudos to the PMI National Conference 2013 organizing team and the North India Chapter who worked for months to make the event successful. It was truly a remarkable event which had eminent speakers from different industries, from Mr. Bhaskar Pramanik from the IT industry to Mr. Mahesh Bhatt from the film world. It was enlightening to hear their views on project management. Being a part of the registration track, I was lucky to have been involved in almost all the tracks, including the speaker track. November 2013 21
- 22. What Delegates Have to Say “I liked the keynote speaker sessions but it would have been better if we could interact with them as well. Interactions help discuss issues, findings, and clarify doubts.” Mr. T. Srinivasan, group manager, Mphasis “The conference taught me many things important for a project manager like managing a team, servicing a client, and meeting his expectations.” “This was my fourth national conference and I have seen it grow. The sessions were insightful for a budding entrepreneur like me. I focussed on attending the case study sessions to gain practical knowledge.” Mr. Prabhu Rajpurohit, project manager, Theorem Solutions What Delegates Have to Say Ms. Seema Sonkiya, project manager, Konstant Info solutions “The infrastructure case studies were excellent and there have been some very good speakers this year. I am so glad that I attended the infrastructure sessions, eventhough I am from the information technology industry.” Mr. Ashneet Bakshi, customer project manager, Ericsson 22 November 2013 “Through the conference, I got to meet people who I was in touch with only on social networking sites. A few of the keynote sessions and case studies were really good and useful to me. This event has raised my expectations for the next conference.” Ms. G. Sowmya Lakshmi, business head, Synergy School of Business Skills “The conference helped me learn how to correlate hard skills and soft skills in project management. I am impressed by the way speakers kept the audience together and interacted with them.” Mr. Hisham Km, business planning specialist, RasGas Company “Being from the infrastructure industry, I thoroughly enjoyed the sessions presented by my colleagues.” Mr. Ravi Tandon, senior deputy general manager – product development, Larsen Toubro Limited “This conference has been an outstanding experience. It’s great that there were many delegates from noninformation technology sectorsand from outside New Delhi. I enjoyed the fact that people are willing to share their successes, failures, and strategies and this is an amazing learning for us.” Mr. Jayant Malhotra, vice president global account director, Schlumberger Limited
- 23. Photo Gallery ◄ elegates get ample opportunities to interact with speakers and share D their thoughts. A highly popular corner is the photo booth in which delegates can click photographs with interesting placards. ► ◄ Mr. Karthik Ramamurthy, former president, PMI Chennai Chapter, takes the stage for a fun quiz on project management. Sponsor stalls receive a steady flow of visitors through the two days of the conference. ► ◄ Visitors keep volunteers at the PMI India stall busy with enquiries about PMI India programs, certificates, and volunteering opportunities. November 2013 23
- 24. Photo Gallery ◄ Speakers keep the audience engaged with thought-provoking ideas, learnings from life’s experiences, and humorous anecdotes and observations. Delegates take interest in product demonstrations and briefings in sponsor stalls. ► ◄ A lucky delegate who wins a prize at the conference. Volunteers managing the stall of PMI Education Foundation that provides grants, programs, scholarships, and educational resources to local communities. ► ◄ Delegates get ample networking opportunities during session breaks. 24 November 2013
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