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PMI Melbourne Chapter 
 1. Flinders Station2. Beach Houses3. Melbourne4. Lunapark5. Great Ocean Road

PMI Melbourne Chapter Newsletter

Newsletter 044July 2010
Greetings!
 
Welcome to the second July issue of the newsletter. 

Some of the new articles of this edition are:

  • The Chapter Meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday - 27 July;  
  • New details released on PMOz 2010;
  • Reserve the date for the "End of Year Event'';
  • A new MOU in place with PMI India;  
  • Latest White Paper on Active Listening;
  • And learn more about Lindsay Whitehead in his role as PMI Vice President.
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:
PMP Intensive: 9 - 13 August
PMP Exam. Preparation Sat Series: 21 August - 21 November
CAPM Intensive: 20 - 23 September
PMP Intensive: 25 - 29 October
 
Short Courses:
 
 

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7th Annual Project Management Australia Conference
 
PM Oz 2009 
 
The PMI Australia chapters encourage you to attend PMOZ as we believe that this conference provides extreme value for our members. Now is the ideal time to improve business strategies, training and knowledge in order to rebuild and develop your business into the future.
 
The Conference Program is brimming with learning and networking opportunities and includes access to two conference programs including 20 workshops, over 50 session presentation, 7 keynote speakers, panel sessions and post-conference workshops.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
  • Dr Edward Hoffman, NASA
    Requirements for Building Technical Teams
  • Dr Charlie Pellerin, 4-D Systems
    Five Tricks of "Human-Physics"
  • Dr Aaron J. Shenhar, Rutgers Business School  
    The Myth and Reality of Project Management
  • Prof Ali Jaafari, Asia Pacific International College
    How Billions can be saved on Projects and Programs through New Thinking and Approaches
  • Mr Vince Gill, Capability Management 
    Presentation: IT is not about me   
Five Reasons to attend
  1. Network with other industry professionals through innovative networking opportunities
  2. Gain value for money throughthe co-location of two conferences - PMOZ and the 2nd Improving Systems & Software Engine ering Conference (ISSEC). 
  3. Learn from the best in the business addressing the current local and global project management environment.
  4. Earn PDU's to continue your professional development.
  5. Update your knowledge on the latest trends and techniques from leading industry suppliers exhibiting in the trade area. 
 
Discounts for Earlybird Group and Earlybird Bulk registrations are still available while members will also be able to access discounted rates by inserting their membership number when registering.  We look forward to seeing you there.
 
Where: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
When:    23 - 26 August 2010
 
For more information please visit the PMOZ website: www.pmoz.com.au.

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Reserve the Day - End of Year Event 
 
Make sure to mark your calendars for the Melbourne Chapter's end of year event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 30th of November.
 
The Chapter is currently in the process of finalizing arrangements. The venue has been selected as the Chapter House located at 197 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Build in 1891, with its distinct neo-gothic style, the building is one the CBD's most imposing function settings.
 
Rob Gell
We have also confirmed Rob Gell as the speaker of the event. Rob is a coastal geomorphologist by training; he taught Environmental Science and Physical Geography at Melbourne State College and Melbourne University, then for thirty years has presented television weather. 

Rob is a well renowned speaker who can turn any event to a success. Testimonials are available to further confirm. He is a uniquely qualified individual who has the respect of government, business, environmental groups and the community for his approach to sustainable development. Importantly he is also an excellent communicator who can get the message across.
 
Bookings will be open at our website very soon and we hope to see you all at the event.

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New MOU in place with PMI India 
 
PMI logoA new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been agree with PMI India. Some of the key benefits of the MOU are outlined below:
  • Speaker Exchange: Both chapters promote sending speakers to make any kinds of presentation at the other Chapter's events upon request.  
  • Member-To-Member Exchange: Both Chapters will seek to facilitate their members to meet one or more of members of the other Chapter when he/she visits the area of the other Chapter.  
  • Chapter-To-Chapter Communications: Both Chapters will maintain ongoing communications with a view to providing the other Chapter information considered of mutual interest.
  • Exchange of Articles: Both Chapters will seek to share and exchange updated for their newsletter articles. 
  • Chapter Special Event Announcements: Both Chapters shall communicate upcoming Special Events to their member groups.

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Introduction to Board Members
Lindsay Whitehead
 
What is involved with various Board Positions, and who occupies them? This article looks at the Vice President role.
 
Lindsay Whitehead, Vice President
 
I have been a Melbourne Chapter Member for 5 years, a Board member for three years, and am currently the Vice President; previously I was the Communications Director. I have been a project manager or similar for about 35 years, and fit my day job with CSC around PMI activities!

The Vice President of the chapter performs the role of Chief Operating Officer and backfills for the President.  As COO, the Vice President oversights the operational portfolios managed by other directors, and has delegation to expend chapter funds.

The chapter performs its duties using largely volunteers, adding to the complexity of the Vice President's role.  There are only two areas where the Chapter directly employs part time workers:

  • the webmaster (for maintenance of the Chapter's web site code under supervision of the Communications Director) and
  • the Chapter's (part time) Administrative Officer (whose primary task is to organise the monthly Chapter events registration process and catering, and assist the volunteers associated with this activity).  The Vice President is the supervisor of the Administrative Officer.
There is a significant role for the Vice President in participating in the work of Board committees.  Much of the work of the Board is done via committees of volunteers, and hence the Vice President as COO, must be involved with many of these activities.  Examples include the Events Committee, the Marketing Committee, the Training Committee, the Communications Committee, the Governance Committee and the Disputes Committee.   The Vice President contributes to all of these committees.    Part of this contribution involves reading and approving the chapter agreements, contracts and commitments prior to Board approval and President's signature.   The Vice President is one of the three people who can authorise payments to be made by our bank (along with the Finance Director and President).

The Vice President also maintains responsibility for expenditure of several of the Chapter's cost centres, including Board expenses and Travel costs, Administrative costs, and Legal costs.  

There are special initiatives also undertaken by the Vice President.  This year, the initiatives that I am progressing include

  • strategic development of the chapter's web site into other Chapters in Asia Pacific (we now have several Australian Chapters using our web site)
  • scrutiny of chapter expenses, in order to ensure that the chapter lives within its means (we are on track this year)
  • introduction of electronic voting for Board positions (a process has been developed based on the PMI Headquarters process and tools used for PMI elections, and there is agreement that PMI GOC will run the actual election for us, to ensure independence; I am planning to introduce this process for next year's Chapter elections)
  • development of a new members welcome package (I am looking for another volunteer to help on this - is that person you?).
And in conjunction with other Directors, to take actual steps
  • to grow the Chapter's membership in numbers and in a wider geographic area
  • to improve the events experience for our members
  • to resolve disputes, should any arise
  • to continue to improve our rules and procedures.
So, even with the help of many volunteers, the Vice President has a busy life within the chapter! I wish I had more time to spend! The key skills required for this job include a positive outlook, a sense of fairness and direction, PMP knowledge and experience, a network of PMI connections, a willingness to help others, some understanding of financial process and business management at a director level.  

I hope this gives you a brief understanding about what the Vice President role is within the Chapter. When the time comes, perhaps I will be handing over the role to you! Remember one of the best ways to understand how the Board operates is to volunteer for a place on one of the Board's committees. Why not do that now?

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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
PMOZ 2010
End of Year Event
MOU with PMI India
Board Members
Chapter Meeting
White Papers
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
  
Active Listening
 
 Project managers need to gather information from a wide range of people by asking the right questions and hearing the complete answers.
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:
  • PMBOK� Guide 4th Edition
  • Standard for Portfolio Management - 2nd Edition
  • Standard for Program Management - 2nd Edition
  • OPM3 Knowledge Foundation - 2nd Edition
  • Project Manager Competency Development Framework - 2nd Edition
  • Practice Standard for Scheduling
  • Practice Standard for Project Configuration Management
  • 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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