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PMI Melbourne Chapter 
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PMI Melbourne Chapter Newsletter

Newsletter 043July 2010
Greetings!
 
Welcome to our July issue of the newsletter. 

Several news items are:
  • New Chapter Rules approved by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV); 
  • The Chapter Meeting is scheduled for 27 July;
  • PMI Australia Awards - Call for nominations;
  • Last couple days for PMOZ Early Bird Registration rates;
  • Upcoming events, including Dr Robert Kaplan of (Kaplan- Norton Balanced Scorecard fame) visiting Melbourne in September;
  • White Paper for this issue published in full content - remember we keep adding a new paper with every issue of the newsletter, thanks to Pat Weaver from Mosaic Project Services Pty Ltd, one of Chapter's training partners.
In addition, please make sure your email details are correct via www.pmi.org so that you can vote electronically for this year's PMI elections. It is important to keep your records up-to-date so that both global PMI and the Chapter can reach out to you for news/updates.
 
Enjoy the newsletter and remember to inform us about articles and/or PM events you would like us to include. 

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Upcoming Courses 
 
The PMI Melbourne Chapter offers a variety of courses based on the PMBOK to help people prepare for their PMI Credential examinations and to enhance their project management skills, knowledge and performance.
 
PMI Credential Courses:
CAPM Classic (Saturdays): 24 July - 14 August
PMP Intensive: 9 - 13 August
PMP Exam. Preparation Sat Series: 21 August - 21 November
 
Short Courses:
 

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Chapter Rules Approved by CAV
 
CAVConsumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has approved and registered the new Chapter Rules which was also endorsed by the members via a Special General Meeting (SGM) held on May 24, 2010. The new rules are now the operating rules for the Chapter. This was a great milestone to achieve and we would like to thank everyone who contributed against this outcome.

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Reminder to Update MyPMI Profile by 16 July 
As part of PMI's continuing effort to champion global sustainability, the Board of Directors election is "going green". Starting with this year's election, all balloting will be conducted electronically, which will make returning a vote simple and efficient.

In order to ensure that ballots are sent to the correct e-mail address, all PMI members are asked to log on to their MyPMI profile before 16 July and check that the preferred e-mail address listed is correct.

Balloting will open on 2 August 2010. 

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PMI Australia Award Nominations
 
The nomination date for the PMI Australia awards has been extended to 7pm AEST Friday 16 July.
 
Project Manager of the Year Award
There are currently sufficient nominations for Project Manager of the Year to make this award viable.  However, we welcome more nominations.

PMI Distinguished Contribution Award
The Distinguished Contribution Award recognizes an individual who has expanded or advanced the project management profession in Australia or made significant contributions to the aims and objectives of PMI in the year preceding the award.
 
We do need more nominations for the Distinguished Contribution award and would like to see at least one nomination from each chapter.  We're sure there must be at least one person in each chapter deserving of nomination for this award and we really need your help in identifying them.
 

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PMOZ Earlybird Registration extended until 15 July 2010
 
PM Oz 2009 
 
Managed by PMGlobal, PMOZ is the leading Project Management Conference in Australia. Now in its seventh year PMOZ will once again offer a range of dynamic and exciting presentations encompassing all aspects of "creating success" from the high level concepts of translating strategy into action through the tools and techniques employed at the coalface to make individual projects a success.
 
Registrations can be done via http://www.pmoz.com.au/.

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Upcoming Events 
 
Banner_StratEx_SeptAU
 
Strategy Execution and Performance Management Forum - 15 September 2010 with Dr Robert Kaplan, Hilton on the Park, Melbourne
 
Aimed at executives, finance, management and project management professionals who want to extend their understanding of strategy execution best practices, practical leadership trends and methodologies in order to accelerate organisational results. 
 
Entitled "Strategy Execution and Performance Management  - Breakthrough to the Next Decade", Dr Kaplan is one of the top 10 management thinkers of our time, few people have contributed as significantly to the art, and especially the science, of business strategy as Dr. Robert Kaplan has. Implemented by over 50% of Fortune 1000 companies, the well known Kaplan-Norton Balanced Scorecard has become the premier tool for effective strategy execution worldwide. In his research and writing, speaking and consulting, Dr. Kaplan has demonstrated how leaders can link their performance and cost management systems to strategy implementation and operational excellence. 
 
Click the link for more information and to register:

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White Paper 

The Art of Learning

1. Flinders StationBased upon years of observation of adult learners in both our face-to-face classroom courses and using our Mentored Email™ distance learning methodology, it is fascinating to see how the rate of information absorption (ie, learning) varies from person to person. The rate of learning does not seem to be correlated to a person's IQ, industry or role in the workforce. If anything, people who absorb the learning more slowly seem to retain the information longer.

It would appear the ability to learn is a skill that is exercised naturally by younger people, but as one grows older this natural ability seems to fade with only some adults maintaining their innate capability to learn, frequently
linked to active practice via a recently completed university course, etc.

Assimilating new information
When presented with a large volume of new information (eg, a PMP course) the rest of us need to learn how to learn! Some of the easier ways to absorb, make sense of, and retain information include:
 
Using analogies and metaphors

You can learn abstract processes by creating metaphors for more common events. So whenever you learn a fact, ask yourself what the idea is similar to in the tangible world; eg, a data store in a software program may be a cupboard with different things on each shelf.

Build mental pictures
If you break apart a complex mathematical formula into components, you can try to imagine what it would be like as a graph or how each component influences each other in a railway switchyard.

Build on the basics
Do a bit of extra research on your most difficult topics focusing on their foundations. You might not understand the more complex theories perfectly, but it makes understanding your testable material much easier.
 
Become the teacher
The act of explanation creates connections. Ask yourself how would you explain what you're learning to someone else? Teaching forces you to simplify and break down complex ideas and then re-connect them to build the overall picture.

Stop writing transcripts
Try to free yourself from rigid note taking (the course handouts fulfil his need), instead write down ideas in branches and connections. Add your own thoughts, diagrams and arrows linking ideas so you have a web of
information. 'Mind mapping' tools are great for this but pencil and paper work just as well.

Draw Diagrams
Most people think in pictures and maps. Research suggests drawing will increase your concentration and help develop the connections between ideas. A picture may not be worth a thousand words, but it can often illuminate
the connections that lead to a greater understanding.

There are many more sophisticated memory techniques available in a range of books on the subject but certainly in our areas of teaching, the ability to link ideas and understand the flow of both ideas and information seem to be the key to real understanding.

Making the most of a training course
The second part of this white Paper highlights some simple ideas that can help you to get the most from your training course.

Before the training course
� Have a clear picture of what you hope to get from the training course expressed in terms of the benefits to you: a pay rise and promotion is more motivating than a PMP credential.
� Do any pre-course reading and make a note of any questions to bring along and ask the trainer. You won't pay extra if you make the trainer work hard......

At the training course
� Arrive prepared.
� Be open to learning new concepts, even if these challenge your previous understanding.
� Don't be afraid to ask the trainer to clarify points; remember that if you don't understand something, it is likely that you are not the only one.
� Share experiences when they are relevant and learn from others in the group, they are likely to be from different industries and have different experiences; take advantage of the fact that you're surrounded by people
with diverse work backgrounds.
� Dedicate time each evening to completing your homework activities, or reviewing the work covered during the day (our training courses cover a great deal of content in a condensed fashion - reviewing the material each day helps to cement the ideas in your mind).

After the training course
� Use the resources provided during the training course to help you integrate the concepts into your every day work life (the first 24 hrs after the course are a critical period for reinforcing learning by practice).
� Make the effort to change if you have discovered better ways of approaching your work, but remember you will need to explain the benefits of the change to people who did not attend your training sessions.
� Recommend the training to any colleagues that you believe will benefit from it, being part of a group of people helps retain and reinforce your learning.

Learning new things should be an enjoyable process at all stages of life and career, and is becoming increasingly important to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. Learning how to learn effectively is the first step along the journey.

This White Paper has been developed by Mosaic Project Services Pty Ltd; Mosaic is a PMC training partner. For additional information see: http://www.melbourne.pmi.org.au/Page/Training-and-Certification.aspx  

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The Melbourne Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) is part of an international not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to the advancement of project management excellence through professionalism. With more than 500,000 members in over 170 countries, PMI is the leading membership association for the project management profession. PMI is recognized for the advocacy programs conducted with governments, organizations and industries around the world as they recognize and embrace project management to achieve business results.
Sincerely,
Communications Team
PMI Melbourne Chapter
In This Issue
Upcoming Courses
New Chapter Rules
MyPMI Profile
PMI Awards
PMOZ 2010
Upcoming Events
White Paper
Chapter Meeting
PMI Standards Shop
Tax Benefit Reminder
Chapter Meeting
Tuesday 27 July
 
1. Flinders Station
 
Subject: 
Let's Talk Coaching 
Speaker:
Heiner Karst 
 
Venue:
Telstra Conference Room 1, Level 1,
242 Exhibition Street

Timing:
5.30 pm to 8.00 pm
5.30 pm refreshments for a 6.30 pm start

Cost:
PMI Melbourne Chapter Members
Free!
 
Guests & Other PMI Members
$35.00

Register Here
 
Members - If you login first and then register, you can see the event under your bookings.

Please tell us if you have registered but are now not coming! It saves expense for the Chapter (and you). 
Our Sponsors

eastwood 
 
 Paxus logo

APSC logo - medium
 
GMT Medium
 
PMI Melbourne Chapter thanks its sponsors
Download
White Papers
  
The Art of Learning
 
 Attending a workshop is easy, making effective use of the information presented is more difficult!
To read our curent white papers, please visit White Papers in our website under Resources menu.
PMI Standards
 
Did you know that you can obtain PMI Standards via our Website?
 
Here is our stock list:
  1. PMBOK� Guide 4th Edition
  2. Standard for Portfolio Management - 2nd Edition
  3. Standard for Program Management - 2nd Edition
  4. OPM3 Knowledge Foundation - 2nd Edition
  5. Project Manager Competency Development Framework - 2nd Edition
  6. Practice Standard for Scheduling
  7. Practice Standard for Project Configuration Management
  8. New Practice Standard for Project Risk Management
PMI Standards 
Tax Benefit Reminder
Tax Deductions 
Your PMI and Melbourne Chapter fees may for many of our members be considered to be Professional Association Fees from a tax perspective and could for those who work in projects be tax deductible according to Australian Taxation Office ruling TR 95/9. If you are in doubt, consult your accountant before claiming this tax deduction.

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