1. PM
MARCH 2012 VOLUME 26, NUMBER 3
NETWORK
MAKING PROJECT MANAGEMENT INDISPENSABLE FOR BUSINESS RESULTS.®
HOW SAFE IS THE CLOUD?
STAKEHOLDER REALITY CHECK
WHAT TO KNOW
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE JOB
GANTT AS MOTIVATOR
LEADERSHIP WITHOUT
AUTHORITY
AIRPORT PROJECTS TAKE OFF
MANAGING
RISK
WITH NUMBERS
2.
3. Lead
March 2012 | Volume 26, Number 3
38
Risk by the Numbers
No one can see the
Patricia Galloway,
PhD, PMP, Pegasus-
future. But quantita-
Global Holdings tive risk management
Inc., Cle Elum, can help make it a
Washington, USA
little clearer.
By Sandra A. Swanson
4.
5. Features MARCH 2012 | VOLUME 26, NUMBER 3
30 Who’sdata into the handsCloud? party
Putting
Guarding the
of a third
can save money, but the projects raise a
host of security concerns. Here’s what every
organization needs to know.
By Sarah Fister Gale
44 Perception vs. Reality familiar?
“It’s just a little tweak.” Sound
Here’s some advice on breaching the
disconnect between a stakeholder’s
perception and how things really stand.
By Michelle Bowles Jackson
48 Massits mainframe becomes obsolete, a
When
Migration
city must instigate a program to move its
departmental IT systems to a new server.
By Peter Fretty
56 Six QuestionsJobAsk Before
You Take the
to
Even in today’s improving labor market,
it’s tempting to jump at any job offer. But
while a steady paycheck is an honorable
goal, it shouldn’t come at the cost of job
satisfaction, a healthy career trajectory or
a comfortable corporate culture.
By Cindy Waxer
48
60 Timecase studies reveal the winning
Four
Tamers
strategies project professionals used to
combat time constraints—especially as
circumstances changed.
By Lisa Tomcko
30 44 56 60
6.
7. 11
also March 2012 | VOLUMe 26, NUMBeR 3
Making project ManageMent
indispensable for business results.®
thE PulSE
8 Emerging Markets Ready
for Takeoff
Developing nations see airport
project boom alSO In thIS ISSuE
15
11 More Projects, Freezes Persist 7 Feedback
IT spending increase doesn’t Revisiting earned value
necessarily mean more jobs management
13 East Africa Looks for VOICES 18 Metrics
Strength in Numbers Stats on the CIO agenda,
Five nations hope partnership 20 Peer to Peer online shopping and clean
will bring economic success Leadership Without Authority technology
Pat Weaver, PMI-SP, PMP and
14 Chicago Rail Project Puts a Roberto Guandique 66 Help Desk
Lot on the Line The Rise of VoIP
High-profile revamp aims to 23 From the Top By Peter Fretty
update transit route Regular Checkups
Teresa Knudson, PMP, Mayo 68 Marketplace
15 Sensing Bridge Problems Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, Books that cover the
Before It’s Too Late USA “bagel metaphor” and
20
Projects seek to curb project management offices
infrastructure disasters 26 Project Perspectives
Can This Project Be Saved? 71 Directory of Services
16 Little Green Schoolhouses Project management
U.S. schools ramp up 28 In the Trenches resources
sustainability measures Unclear on the Concept
By Grace Willis, PMP 72 Closing Credit
Japan’s 40-year nuclear
cleanup
COlumnIStS
24 Trend Watch
Leadership Counsel
By Roberto Toledo, MBA,
PMP, Contributing Editor
24
25 What’s at Stake
The Gantt You Might Not Know
By Lynda Bourne, DPM, PMP
DOWNLOAD THE PM NETWORK APP and read the magazine on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
28
9. Feedback
EVM, Revisited Facebook
I am writing in response to Roger Kent’s comments in the Feedback section of the can a project manager become the
January edition (page 6). I am amazed that a PMI publication would print—even next ceo?
in a Feedback column—something that demonstrates such a basic misunder-
standing of professional project management. A better question is: How is a CEO not a project manager?
Mr. Kent seems to believe that understanding “percent complete” is somehow —Jefferson Nicholson
unobtainable. Professionals believe that knowing what has been completed on
a project, in terms of tangible deliverables, and expressed as a percentage of I feel that being a project manager is a great path to
planned completion to date, is critical. executive leadership. As a project manager, you’re
Mr. Kent fails to understand that if these numbers are made up, he has bigger exposed to many different challenges and varying tech-
problems than a nologies, and you are typically a master communicator
failure to apply and problem solver. Marry that with some strategic
The notion that EVM only works
earned value man- thinking, and you are on your way.
in the context of “very large,
agement (EVM). structured projects that last —Rick Roe
Likewise, tasks that over a year and spend more than
are “95 percent US$1 million” is nonsensical. join the discussion at
complete…for a facebook.com/PMinstitute.
long time” are not making any progress while expending money. It doesn’t take
EVM to understand this, though EVM techniques will tend to highlight these is-
sues before they are uncorrectable.
Voices on Project ManageMent blog
Finally, the notion that EVM only works in the context of “very large, struc-
tured projects that last over a year and spend more than US$1 million” is nonsen- //Poll//
sical. EVM works for any project that has a budget, can associate that budget with to what degree have
actual work, has a way to measure the work accomplished and compare it with you noticed increased
planned accomplishments, and captures actual cost. These are the basis of having schedule compression
on projects at your
a credible project plan and a credible project management method.
organization?
—Saul Ackovitz, PMP, Reston, Virginia, USA
Extensive 43.5%
We want to hear from you. Send letters to pmnetwork@imaginepub.com.
Some 43.5%
Opinions expressed in Feedback are not necessarily those of PM Network. Not at all 13%
10. thePul
US$3.1 120 million US$150
billion
The amount Brazil budgeted to rebuild its
The number of annual passengers the Al
Maktoum International Airport in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates, will be able to billion
The amount slotted for airport
airport infrastructure to prepare for the handle when it’s completed in 2017 projects in developing markets
2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics
8 PM NETWORK March 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
11. se EmErging
markEts
rEady
for
takEoff
high-flying economies in emerging
markets mean an influx of people
coming and going—further tax-
ing an already inadequate airport
infrastructure.
Governments from Vietnam to
Saudi arabia to Kenya are respond-
ing with a fleet of megaprojects
to revamp ailing airports or start
new ones from scratch. roughly
US$150 billion is slotted for airport
infrastructure and expansion proj-
ects in developing regions, accord-
ing to arabian reach.
Nearly one-third of that money
is being spent in booming Middle
East markets. That lineup includes
the luxurious US$10 billion al Mak-
toum International airport in
IMagE cOuRTEsy Of fOsTER + PaRTNERs
Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, Jordan
March 2012 PM NETWORK 9
12. thePulse
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which will be able to handle 12 million
Up iN The air
tonnes of annual cargo capacity and 120 million passengers upon A sampling of airport
completion in 2017. In neighboring Qatar, New Doha International megaprojects around the
Airport is due to open later this year in the capital; it’s billed as the globe:
first global project designed with the new Airbus A380 in mind. King abdul aziz
Struggling for a return to normalcy after years of war, Iraq international, Jeddah,
recently announced it will build a new airport in Mansuriya, with Saudi Arabia
project planners working under the protection of Iraqi security al Maktoum
forces, according to AviationPros.com. Karbala also plans to seek international airport,
The NighT bids later this year for an airport capable of handling 5 million pas- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
ShifT sengers a year. New Doha international
Almost all airport revamp Not all teams face such extreme conditions, of course. But emerg- airport, Doha, Qatar
projects have to take place
ing markets often present daunting project environments plagued
without disrupting day-to-day Daxing international
operations. by a lack of project management expertise and woefully inadequate airport, Beijing, China
Global engineering giant infrastructures. At the same time, teams are under extreme time
Bechtel is currently manag- pressures to accommodate growing airport traffic. Dubai international
ing an expansion project airport (Concourse 3),
at McCarran Airport in Las In response to a 15 percent jump in air traffic at Amman, Jor-
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Vegas, Nevada, USA. To avoid dan’s Queen Alia International Airport, the government launched
interfering with the airport’s a major expansion project. The renovated airport will feature a
500,000 annual flights—and
associated stream of baggage high-tech roof consisting of photovoltaic canopies that harness sun-
light, providing renewable energy and natural ventilation. Slated for
tractors, passengers and air-
line employees—the project completion later in 2012, a new US$600 million terminal should be
Although
team must juggle construc-
tion equipment, materials and
able to handle 12 million passengers a year, nearly three times the 56 percent
up to 2,000 workers.
In response to this chal-
current capacity. of U.S. com-
lenge, Bechtel shifted some
China’s four largest airports—including Hong Kong’s—each
saw passenger traffic increase by at least 10 percent, according to
panies plan
of the construction activities
to the early-morning hours, Airports Council International. To accommodate that influx, the to increase
when the flight schedule was Chinese government is building Daxing International Airport near tech spending,
less aggressive.
“Obviously, there is always
Beijing. Scheduled for completion in 2017, the nine-runway facility workers can
a potential cost impact
associated with nighttime
will have a capacity of 200 million, staking its claim as the busi-
est airport in the world. The new project would also relieve some
expect average
working,” says Don Wright, of the pressure on the Beijing Capital International Airport. The raises of just
Bechtel’s project manager on
the Las Vegas expansion. “We
facility is currently over capacity despite construction three years 2.8 percent.
try to reduce nighttime work ago of Terminal 3—which by itself is 17 percent larger than London,
Source: InformationWeek’s Outlook 2012,
as much as possible, and we England’s Heathrow Airport. and Computer Economics’ 2012 IT Salary
would always advise contrac- Report
tors if overtime was expected
or required so they could plan Will Brazil Be Ready?
accordingly. Often, the con- The 2008 Summer Olympics provided some of the impetus for
struction costs for overtime Beijing’s Terminal 3, and preparation for the 2014 World Cup and
were significantly less than
the costs of disrupting pas- 2016 Olympics is putting host Brazil in a similar spot. Hundreds of
sengers and airlines during thousands of visitors are expected to descend for each event, putting
daytime hours.” more strain on an overburdened airport infrastructure.
So far, the US$3.1 billion revamp has had a bumpy flight. In early
2011, the Brazilian Audit Court criticized government officials for
missing deadlines, not controlling costs and lacking transparency.
Even soccer legend Pele, an ambassador to the World Cup, piled on,
saying “Brazil is not ready.” An upgrade of the Viracopos-Campinas
Airport near São Paulo suffered a significant schedule setback after
project planners failed to obtain necessary environmental licenses.
10 PM NETWORK MaRch 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
13. Delays in the bidding process also hampered how to schedule, given the rigid deadlines and
construction work at northeastern Brazil’s busiest booming traffic. “Brazil has a short timeframe
airport, in Salvador. to deliver significant capacity and efficiency
Experienced multinational partners are look- upgrades to their airport infrastructure,” she says.
ing to help, drawing on their earlier experiences Because the government requires consor-
with similar ventures. ICN Gateway, a network of tia tendering for concessions at the airports
Australian construction companies and suppliers, in Guarulhos, Campinas and Brasilia to have
is looking to fill that role in Brazil—again with at least one team member with experience in
the Olympics as a common thread. The company operation of airports with more than 5 million
is going in armed with experience preparing the passengers per year, most Brazilian consor-
country’s infrastructure for the Sydney Olympics tia will need a global partner in their team,
in 2000 and Melbourne’s 2006 Commonwealth Ms. Costa-Wong says. Likewise, she says
Games. multinationals hoping to get a foot in the door
To land any large airport contract, companies in Brazil will benefit from partnering with local
need to prove their project management exper- firms.
tise, says Candida Costa-Wong, ICN’s interna- If emerging markets can manage the myriad
tional business capability adviser in Melbourne, challenges that airport projects pose, the sky’s the
Victoria, Australia. Companies also must know limit. —Louis La Plante
IT Job ouTlook:
More
Projects,
Freezes Persist
U.S. companies plan to launch more IT
projects in 2012—but that doesn’t necessarily
mean a jump in job openings or salaries.
Even as a talent war rages in Silicon Valley,
career prospects remain sluggish overall. Infor-
mationWeek’s Outlook 2012 report found that
56 percent of the 605 U.S.-based tech profes-
sionals surveyed planned increased tech spend-
ing, and three-quarters reported heightened
demand for new IT projects. However, the
survey also found that hiring freezes will persist
for nearly one-third of companies, and 36 per-
cent said they’ll only fill openings for existing
positions. The survey posits that outsourcing,
virtualization and cloud computing are allow-
ing companies to get by with smaller staffs.
Overall IT compensation also remains
flat, according to a tracking survey by Janco
March 2012 PM NETWORK 11
14. thePulse
Different Skills, Different Fates
Not all IT project professionals computing skills will have no and oil and gas sectors—are
are mired in a soft job market. trouble finding work. struggling to fill roles, he says.
“In the IT world, there are IT project managers frus- “The ideal mix is someone
always skill shortages in the trated with the U.S. market who is bilingual with a project
growth technologies, and may also want to look beyond management background and
many IT organizations have no their home borders. knowledge of finance or engi-
choice but to pay up for those “Many clients come to us neering,” Mr. Shanahan says.
skills or turn to service provid- who are developing projects In Brazil, IT project man-
ers for in-demand expertise— worldwide, and they’re looking agers who speak English,
and pay a premium,” according for project managers who can Portuguese and Spanish can
to Computer Economics’ 2012 run big integrated projects,” virtually write their own tick-
IT Salary Report. says Keric Shanahan, Experis, ets, he says. “It’s taking 60 to
Dice.com predicts that Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 90 days to fill many of these
IT professionals with .Net, Companies in Brazil and high-tech roles, and the more
mobile application develop- India—particularly in the specific the request, the longer
ment, virtualization and cloud finance, mining and metals, it takes.”
Associates and eJobDescription.com. The experience should find opportunities. Proj-
total mean compensation for IT professionals ect management ranked number five on IT
across North America increased only 0.81 per- recruitment website Dice.com’s list of priority
cent last year to US$78,229 from US$77,604 skills to hire for 2012, for example.
“The best at the beginning of 2011. And even that came IT project managers looking to build their
opportunities with a major caveat: The bump only put com- marketability should focus on honing their
require pensation back to January 2008 levels. business analytic skills and demonstrating
people who Overall, 2012 doesn’t look all that promis-
ing on the salary front. Computer Economics’
the strategic value they’ll bring to a project,
says Keric Shanahan, PMP, director of global
can wear 2012 IT Salary Report revealed that the aver- project management at Experis, an engineer-
that business age pay raise for U.S. IT workers will be a less- ing, IT and finance resourcing firm in Atlanta,
hat and not than-dazzling 2.8 percent, with little variance Georgia, USA.
only run a for experience or position. “The best opportunities,” he says, “require
Despite the mediocre market, project people who can wear that business hat and not
project, but professionals with the right combination only run a project, but justify the requirements
justify the of technical skills and project management that go into it.” —Sarah Fister Gale
requirements
that go Down and Out
into it.” IT employment in the United States remains flat.
EmploymEnT (in Thousands)
—Keric Shanahan, PMP, Experis,
Atlanta, Georgia, USA 3,200
3,000
2,800
2,600
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
u.s. naTional novEmbEr EmploymEnT for iT by yEar
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics/Janco Associates
12 PM NETWORK March 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
15. East Africa Looks for Uganda
Kenya
Strength in Numbers
Rwanda
Burundi
More than three decades after its first attempt Not everyone is quite so bull- Tanzania Indian Ocean
fizzled, the East African Community (EAC) is ish on the prospects of the EAC
once again positioning itself as an economic pow- becoming a new project hot spot—
erhouse in Africa. By combining forces, Kenya, especially within the hoped-for schedule.
Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Uganda aim to The EAC leadership’s timeline for
pull in investment to support and sustain eco- regional integration is highly unrealistic, says
nomic growth—and projects—across the region. Mark Bohlund, senior economist, Sub-Saharan
The EAC was first founded in 1967, but dis- Africa at IHS Global Insight, London, England.
banded 10 years later due to intense political “The East African Common Market Protocol is
infighting. It was revived in 2000, and in recent nowhere near implemented, and when the leader-
years, the consortium has seen steady economic ship set those targets, they took little notice of their
growth. Combined real GDP increased 5.9 percent ability to meet them,” he explains.
in 2010, compared to a 4.9 percent global rate. The European Union took close to 50 years to
In 2012, the World Bank predicts EAC econo- achieve similar results, he says, “and they had supe-
mies will expand between 5 and 7.6 percent, with rior capacity during that time.”
Rwanda and Tanzania leading the pack. The EAC region is also under renewed pres-
That kind of growth is a powerful step toward sure to deal with rising security issues, including
the EAC’s goal of establishing a common currency piracy, cyber crime, terrorism, human trafficking
Traffic
this year and forming a political federation in 2015.
A single currency—patterned after the euro—
and money laundering. Beatrice Kiraso, EAC
deputy secretary general in charge of politi- Jams Stall
could ease regional companies’ concerns about cal federation, has said she’s worried that the Growth?
exchange rates and spur project activity. threats, if left unaddressed, could greatly under- Whether project investors
come or not could depend on
The group has already opened up borders of all mine regional integration. the ability of East Africa Com-
member states for labor and capital, and has a cus- There are also economic realities to contend munity countries to address
toms union, common market, legislative assembly, with. Burundi remains one of the world’s poor- their abysmal infrastructure.
Investments in infrastructure
bank and court. There are even calls to let South est nations, still recovering from the wounds of a in Sub-Saharan Africa have
Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo decade-long civil war. averaged about US$10 billion
join the bloc. Still, Mr. Bohlund says the nation has made per year, which is only half
of what is needed to support
As things stand, the efforts have sparked a progress in improving its business environment
sustained economic growth,
jump in intraregional trade from US$1.8 billion over the past year; the World Bank ranked it eighth according to the World Bank
in 2005 to US$2.7 billion in 2008, according to a on its 2012 list of the top business reformers. Group.
report in Financial Times. “The EAC is the fastest- Rwanda, too, has made tremendous strides Port and transportation
network projects could make
growing of all the Africa regional economic com- in improving its business landscape. The World or break the community’s
munities,” Donald Deya, CEO of the Pan African Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index ranked the future, argues IHS Global
Lawyers Union, told the U.K. financial newspaper. country 45th in 2012, taking into account 10 cat- Insight’s Mark Bohlund.
Projects such as the mas-
The potential for even more growth is signifi- egories, including ease of securing construction sive retrofit of the dilapidated
cant: The EAC nations have more than 133 million permits, access to electricity, credit availability and Kenya-Uganda railways by
people, with a combined GDP of US$80 billion. protection for investors. the Rift Valley Railways con-
sortium must be completed
“We want to make business easier for the “This makes Rwanda attractive for foreign
for the region to sustain any
business community and to also make life easier investors in spite of its small size and lack of economic growth, he says. “If
for East Africans,” Owora Richard Othieno, head natural resources,” Mr. Bohlund says. “Many com- they are successful with these
of the EAC’s Department of Corporate Com- panies can use Rwanda as a base for project opera- kinds of projects, it should
have large implications for
munication and Public Affairs, told Public Radio tions due to its superior business environment.” the cost of doing business in
International. Kenya, on the other hand, ranked 109th, falling this region.”
March 2012 PM NETWORK 13
PMN0312 1-17.indd 13 2/22/12 11:46 AM
16. thePulse
three positions from the year before. But its advanced economy, size, location and in neighboring countries. “Tanzania is afraid
thriving private sector give it many distinct advantages over its peers, Mr. Bohlund Kenyans will buy up its land, and Uganda fears
says. Its strong banking sector and prime location on the Indian Ocean make it the Kenyans will take all their skilled labor jobs,” Mr.
business and transportation hub for the entire region. “If you want to go to East Bohlund says.
Africa, the easiest way is to go through Kenya,” he notes. Yet part of the bloc’s power is based on making
Kenya may in fact be too strong. Its advanced economy could create tension the most of each member’s individual strengths.
among other members, particularly when it brings its own citizens to run projects Both Tanzania and Uganda, for example, have
huge oil deposits, making them attractive destina-
tions for mining and energy projects. In January,
Real GDP Growth Rates Tanzania announced that it had begun working
on strategies to prepare the economy to better
Partner State 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
accommodate natural gas investments. The gov-
Burundi 0.9 5.5 3.6 4.5 3.5 3.9
ernment is planning a major project to construct
Tanzania 7.4 6.7 7.1 7.4 6.0 7.0
a gas pipeline from Mnazi Bay in Mtwara to Dar
Uganda 10.0 7.0 8.1 10.4 3.9 5.6
es Salaam to be operational by the end of 2012,
Kenya 5.7 6.1 7.0 1.7 2.6 5.6
according to Daily Monitor.
Rwanda 7.2 6.5 7.9 11.2 6.1 7.5
EAST AFRICA 6.2 6.4 6.7 7.0 4.4 5.9 They may have joined forces, but each nation
is wisely carving out its own niche.
Source: Partner States
Note: Rates for Uganda were computed using GDP in local currency —Sarah Fister Gale
RIDERS
Chicago
GOAL: Complete the project without alienating
commuters
Rail Project
CHALLENGE: The team has already exceeded the
federally required efforts to inform the public during
the planning and early construction stages. Follow-
Puts a Lot
ing the model of a decade-long CTA project to reno-
vate the Brown Line completed in 2009, the Red
Line team holds frequent community meetings.
On the Line “Input from public stakeholders—community
leaders, elected officials, residents and transit
riders—can inform decisions about project scope,
scheduling and phasing,” says CTA spokeswoman.
Every weekday, more than 250,000 rail Catherine A. Hosinski.
commuters ride the Red Line that connects
the north and south sides of Chicago, Illinois,
USA. Running 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, it’s the city’s busiest line. Given that
kind of traffic, the Chicago Transit Author-
ity (CTA) decided to launch a US$1 billion
mega makeover that covers track replace-
TRACK
ment, station upgrades and power system GOAL: Replace dilapidated tracks over the approximately
enhancements. Now the agency just needs 10-mile (16-kilometer) stretch between 18th and 95th
streets to eliminate so-called “slow zones” where trains
to figure out how to do all that within bud- must operate at 15 miles (24 kilometers) per hour, instead
get, on schedule—and with minimal disrup- of the optimal 55 (89)
tion to the city’s stakeholders. CHALLENGE: The Red Line travels through residential and
business areas, restricting the times that crews can labor
on the project. And because the line runs at grade on the
median of a major expressway, work must be scheduled
within space limitations and coordinated with the state
transportation department that oversees the expressway.
14 PM NETWORK MARCH 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
17. SENSING BRIDGE loads, weather, and other issues that cause damage or deterioration.”
The issue is figuring out which bridges are fine and which ones
PROBLEMS BEFORE need repair.
Making the wrong choice could lead to sudden closure of a criti-
IT’S TOO LATE cal transportation link—or worse, a collapse. In 2007, the eight-lane
Interstate 35 bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Min-
nesota, USA, collapsed during evening rush hour, killing 13 people
Cash-strapped U.S. municipalities are playing a dangerous game and injuring 145. It was the fifth-busiest bridge in the state, and was
with aging bridge infrastructure, often postponing maintenance proj- out of commission for more than a year.
ects until absolutely necessary. But they now have a new weapon: Using sensors can help municipalities better manage risk and align
high-tech tracking sensors that can better pinpoint those bridges in maintenance funds with the bridges in the greatest need of repair.
need of immediate renovation. “Traditional metrics rely on visual inspections,” Dr. Sanayei says,
“Using these sensors, we can increase safety, reduce risk and save but that information should be complemented with sensors placed
millions of dollars annually by focusing investments on those bridges around the structure to track strains and stresses associated with
that require fixing,” says Masoud Sanayei, PhD, a professor in the everyday usage that cannot be easily found with visual inspections.
department of civil and environmental engineering at Tufts Univer- Dr. Sanayei and his team are completing a pilot project to test the
sity in Medford, Massachusetts, USA. technology on a bridge in Barre, Massachusetts. With support from
“Just because a bridge is old doesn’t mean it will collapse,” he the National Science Foundation, the team installed more than 200
explains. “It depends on how well it’s been built and maintained, traffic sensors on the span. The data collected will then be compared to a
STATIONS
GOAL: Revamp aging and sometimes run-
down stations, including adding elevators and
rehabbing the platform and mezzanine at the
69-year-old Clark and Division stop
CHALLENGE: The work could entail multiple
and simultaneous speed restrictions, single-
track operations and temporary track closures—
all while the station stays operational. That
means the project team must develop not only
service plans that reflect the multiple construc-
tion projects, but also new service contingency
plans for any unplanned interruptions, says Ms.
Hosinski.
IMAGES COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
SUBWAY
GOAL: Upgrade the ventilation system on the underground
portion of the Red Line that runs through downtown
CHALLENGE: The bulk of Chicago tourists visit sometime
during May through October—and most of them congregate
downtown. Those additional passengers require the project
team to schedule accordingly and communicate any changes.
MARCH 2012 PM NETWORK 15
18. thePulse
them is fairly small, whereas if the problem is left
undiscovered it can lead to more costly problems.”
Dr. Kalantari founded his company, Resen-
sys—a startup funded by the University of Mary-
land—to commercialize a technology that uses
wireless sensors installed on bridges to track strain,
IMaGE cOuRTEsy Of WIKIPEdIa
vibration, tilt, temperature and other conditions.
The devices transmit data to servers using cellular
networks so bridge conditions can be tracked in
real time. A central computer analyzes the data
and instantly warns officials of possible trouble.
In February, Dr. Kalantari wrapped up a pilot
The Interstate 35 Mississippi River bridge after the 1 August 2007 collapse project, with support from the Maryland State
Highway Administration, that used more than a
baseline of what a healthy bridge looks like. dozen sensors to monitor conditions and measure
Being able to more accurately assess risk and select bridge maintenance projects is structural parameters of highway bridges. After
vital in a country where one in four bridges were deemed either structurally deficient 18 months of tracking results and conducting
or functionally obsolete by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The organization follow-up evaluations, the project demonstrated
called for a US$17 billion annual investment in 2009 (the last year for which figures are that every time the sensors detected an issue, the
available), yet only US$10.5 billion is spent annually on bridge construction and main- location and scope of the problem detected were
tenance projects. accurate.
Sensors could help make the most of those limited funds. U.S. President Barack Obama has made a
“The most up-front benefit of the technology is the cost savings in maintenance vigorous appeal for additional infrastructure
projects,” says Mehdi Kalantari, PhD, research scientist at the University of Maryland spending, but the sensors could be another way to
in College Park, Maryland, USA. “If you can discover issues early enough, the cost to fix bridge the gap. —Sarah Fister Gale
Little Green Schoolhouses
The next generation of U.S. students won’t just learn about in Wallingford, Connecticut, USA. The 31,325-square-
sustainability—they’ll live it every day in the classroom. foot (2,910-square-meter) alumni-funded structure
Schools across the country are looking to launch thousands targets LEED platinum status, and includes labs,
of projects to retrofit or completely rebuild facilities in the adjacent greenhouses and 14 dorm rooms. Designed
coming years. by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the building will be
“It’s a big goal, but it’s also a tremendous opportu- powered by a 250-kilowatt photovoltaic array, a
nity to transform the entire design and construction roof-mounted solar water-heating system, a geother-
Educational industry for schools, as well as the schools themselves,” mal heat pump, a water-recycling system and waste
facilities says Rachel Gutter, director of the U.S. Green Building vegetable oil.
have a higher Council (USGBC) Center for Green Schools, Washing- Slated to be operational by the 2012-2013 school year,
percentage of ton, D.C., USA. the center will be home to roughly 20 students in a com-
Progress has been steady. As of 2011, 2,292 schools from petition to maintain a net-zero environment. Students
LEED-certified
kindergarten through 12th grade had either registered or will not only be able to track their usage via a building
green space
become certified through the USGBC LEED (Leadership in dashboard, but on their smartphones as well, according to
than any Energy and Environmental Design) program. That number Fast Company magazine.
other was nearly double among universities, with 1,370 buildings Of course, not every school can line up project fund-
market certified and another 2,982 registered. ing from generous alumni—so the up-front cost of new
sector. One of the most ambitious is a US$20 million proj- construction or retrofits can be a tough sell to schools
ect at Choate Rosemary Hall, an upscale prep school on a tight budget. However, Ms. Gutter says most
16 PM NETWORK March 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
19.
20. [metrics] The laTesT
sTaTisTics, surveys
and sTudies
InsIde the CIO’s AgendA
Where they’re spendIng
more than half of CIos said their project investments would include: As most
wIndows 7 server networK-Based dAtA CIOs are
mIgrAtIOn vIrtualIzatIon seCurIty proteCtIon
direct
reports to
38%
of CIos were plannIng to
launCh data Center Con-
of those,
67 perCent
Intend
to adopt
server
vIrtualIza-
the CEO
or have a
seat at the
solIdatIon projeCts In 2012
tIon.
executive
table, the
25% salary
of those,
55 perCent
are Imple-
mentIng
software
and com-
saId they’ll IntroduCe
Cloud ComputIng
as a servICe
(saas). pensation
needs
to be in
source: techtarget. results based on a survey of 2,642 global It professionals and business analysts published in january.
line with
the BOttOm LIne [that of]
US$144,000 the average base salary of
senior It executives in 2011
the busi-
ness line
leaders
The portion of reporting
IT executives
who took on
The portion of
IT executives at that
new roles in
2011 in pursuit
who reported
a decrease in level.
45% of greater
compensation
17% compensation
in 2011
—daniel m. ryan, CIo, City of Battle Creek,
michigan, usa
source: CIo/It strategy media group. results based on a survey of more than 1,700 global It executives and professionals conducted in november 2011.
18 pm networK March 2012 www.pmI.org
21. taken to the
the CryStal Ball CleanerS
49% the portion of executives in developing mar-
US$8.99 billion
The global spending on clean
kets who expected the global economy to get
tech investments in 2011, a
worse in the first six months of 2012
13 percent jump over 2010
39% the portion of executives in developing mar-
kets who expected their own economies to
get worse in the first six months of 2012
Source: Economic Conditions Snapshot, McKinsey Quarterly. Results based on a survey of 2,299 global executives across industries conducted
in December 2011.
The increase
in clean tech
investments
in North
America
Career ConneCtionS +
30%
-
92% of our U.K. program and project management practitioners have a
LinkedIn account
30%
The
decrease in
clean tech
55% of those had been approached investments
about a job opportunity through the in Europe
social media network in the 12 months and Israel
prior to the survey
Source: 2012 Arras People Programme and Project Management Census, Arras People. Results based on an ongoing survey of 1,000 U.K. project Source: Quarterly Investment Monitor Report,
and program management practitioners who were actively looking for a new position in 2011. Cleantech Group
Shopping networkS
The average number of consumer online purchases per person per month:
90 perCent
netherlandS: 2.6
Of ChINESE
FranCe: 2.6
ONlINE
China: 8.4
USa: 5.2
Uk: 4.3
ShOPPERS
USE SOCIAl
MEDIA.
“Today’s global retailers have a huge opportunity to enhance the mechanisms necessary
to keep up with shoppers who are demanding more customization in terms of delivery
and returns, product choice and number of channels from which to choose.”
Source: Customers Take Control, PwC. Results based on a survey of 7,005 consumers across three continents published in December 2011.
March 2012 PM NETWORK 19
22. Voice
Can you be a true project leader if you don’t have the power
Peer to
Peer
embedded in an organizational hierarchy?
Two project professionals discuss what it takes to be
Leadership Without
Authority
Pat Weaver, PMI-SP, PMP: Some project managers are completely responsible for the on-
time, on-budget performance of work—but many organizations refuse to give them any control
over the people needed to do the work. The project manager is blamed for not achieving time
and cost outcomes.
This is a failure of organizational governance, which is the responsibility of executives,
and it’s all too common. A project manager with brilliant leadership capabilities, managing
20 PM NETWORK March 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
23. Pat Weaver, PMI-SP, PMP, is managing
director of Mosaic Project Services pty Ltd.,
a project management training and con-
sulting company in Melbourne, Australia.
Roberto Guandique is an Atlanta, Georgia,
USA-based partner at RTI (RealTech
International Inc.), an IT consulting and
training firm.
and initiative. He or she does not need anybody to present the
mantle of “authority.”
Mr. Weaver: Leadership without management backup tends
to create a mob on the rampage in one form or another. How-
ever, far too many project managers rely on authority and have
unhappy, unproductive workers in their team. The only way
you become a true leader is if others decide to follow you. Your
power, authority, position and management skills are largely
to make decisions or aren’t irrelevant.
Mr. Guandique: Yes, Mr. Weaver, nobody becomes a leader
an effective leader. without followers. But the true leader does not want followers;
he or she wants to teach others how to be leaders. When I teach
our junior people, I am trying to teach them to become inde-
pendent, to give them autonomy. What I am trying not to do
upwards, can sometimes overcome these hurdles, but good is to have them depend on me to do what they are supposed to
governance should be focused on removing those obstacles in do themselves. This might seem like a paradox, but I think that
the first place. every leader wants that.
Roberto Guandique: Neither authority nor position will make Mr. Weaver: Mr. Guandique, you’re correct—effective leader-
you a leader. I see many professionals who, because they have ship is embedded in the motivations of the people who elect to
been given authority by someone higher up, think they are lead- be your followers, and one of the key motivators is autonomy.
ers. If that were the case, any fool with authority could be called Good followers and good team members are also good leaders in
a leader. their own right or aspire to become good leaders.
When I was new in my career, I thought you needed author-
ity to be a leader, but not anymore. If a person needs authority Mr. Guandique: I have seen project managers who act domi-
to lead, he or she is not a leader but a manager. A leader leads by neering in order to be in control. It’s sad—many of the more
pure charisma, dedication, engagement, knowledge, experience experienced project managers are the ones who try to apply this
March 2012 PM NETWORK 21
24. Those who rely on
authority or position are
the worst leaders—and
the most common.
—Roberto Guandique, RTI, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
“behavioral leadership style,” and most of the time
with negative results.
Mr. Weaver: The fight to climb up the corporate
ladder in most Western corporations and bureau-
cracies, such as those in the United Kingdom, the
United States and Australia, does encourage selfish behaviors. who people are following. Following can take many forms: the
Then, after succeeding in the corporate jungle, those same person who is asked for advice to solve complex problems, the
people must become holistic, generous and supportive to be person who is asked to help in negotiations or discussions, the
really effective top-level executives. It’s a hard task, and only a person who is listened to in a meeting.
few succeed. Leaders do not need to rely on power or authority; in fact,
leaders can manage without formal authority if their followers
Mr. Guandique: If a leader is constantly living to the “Super- are happy to follow.
man syndrome” created by some societies, he or she burns out
and the organization collapses. Leaders need to create other Mr. Guandique: Sometimes the “I have 30 years’ experi-
leaders so they can take care of other personal and professional ence and I have seen it all” mentality is the cause of failed
matters. leadership in projects as well. We need to renew the way we
A leader can be anybody who shows initiative to lead. Leader- approach leadership in project management. Young, inexpe-
ship can be taught, but not everybody who goes to leadership rienced project managers are more open to new paradigms,
training school becomes a leader. He or she must know the and eventually I believe they will be the
responsibility and sacrifice of leading. ones who will change the approach to
leadership.
Mr. Weaver: Leadership can be taught—but not in school. Core
traits include integrity and trust, which are innate, as well as great Mr. Weaver: I completely disagree with
communication skills and efficient management capabilities, par- Mr. Guandique on this point. Many of the Join the
ticularly delegation. The last three can be taught or improved. important traits that help leaders lead tend discussion in
to accumulate with age. Where older people the Career
Central
Mr. Guandique: With so many employees, managers and “wan- can be at a disadvantage is cultural—what
group on
nabes” pretending to be leaders these days, how do we recognize worked 20 years ago probably won’t be LinkedIn.
a true leader? much use today.
In my opinion, a leader does not try to blind us with his or But the traits of any effective leader
her brilliance; a true leader makes us see ourselves so we can get include a burning desire to keep on learn-
better. Few project managers I know have shown this capability. ing, linked with flexibility, adaptability and the ability to
Those who rely on authority or position are the worst leaders— develop rapport with and motivate their followers. Stuck-in-
and the most common. the-mud project managers who want to do the same things
they did 10, 20 or even 30 years ago aren’t leaders—and aren’t
Mr. Weaver: If someone has to tell you they are a great leader, very good managers. Great leaders are continually adapting to
they probably are not! To identify a leader, you just have to see the needs of the situation and the needs of their followers. PM
22 PM NETWORK March 2012 WWW.PMI.ORG
