Presented by Larry Mead, PMP
Written by Juliette Johnson

Microsoft is looking to integrate project management across all its office applications according to Director of US Operations for Campana-Schott, Larry Mead, PMP and Six Sigma Certified since 2001. In an effort of providing workplace-driven solutions, the new MS Project 2013 has evolved to one roadmap linking all the Project Management knowledge areas with SharePoint, tasks, and tracking applications like excel into one user interface and personal workspace called MySite. Best of all, MS Project 2013 is set up to think and act like an enterprise project manager. Imagine going to MS Project to schedule and conduct meetings via MS Lync. Access and update project documents real time from anywhere via the cloud. All your tasks and events show in one shared overview. Collaboration and even resource time recording across projects has never been easier.

As a premier consultant for Enterprise Microsoft Project Management, Mead set a course to demonstrate the value and timesaving tricks of the new workplace project platform. He highlighted the strength of the collaboration feature which allows users to integrate multiple project teams into peer groups and social networking. “The trend is moving to a single user interface,” explained Mead, “where resources have insight and expertise in areas can be engaged for other projects as peers and contributors creating project workspaces migrating data pertinent to other projects.” While the preparation of reports was limited to templates and required Excel and Visio, project managers can now find these applications embedded. The Lync integration also offers project teams the ability to connect via SMS or VOIP calls. The collaborative benefits mean less time identifying resources and increased accuracy with reporting timelines. The bottomline results offer a holistic view of project management using all the knowledge areas as checkpoints and ticklers for other related and impacted tasks and deliverables.

PMI Atlanta has formed an Athens Committee to serve project managers and students interested in project management in the Athens area.   The goal of PMI Atlanta, Athens Committee is to serve the Athens business and academic communities by leveraging what PMI Atlanta has to offer, such as quality programs and opportunities for professional networking. In addition, Athens Committee wants to promote and support the growth of the Project Management profession in the Athens area and to provide a positive and significant impact on the Athens communities.

The PMI Athens Committee plans to host the first PMI Dinner meeting on Thursday, November 21.  Business leaders, professionals and motivated students are encouraged to participate in the dinner meeting.  Registration will be opening soon for this event.

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By: Shannon Kraiger

For over thirty-nine years Doug Jones of Doug Jones & Associates has been assisting client change initiatives aiding organizations to diagnose business problems and assisting in prescribing and implementing real solutions. A tall, distinguished looking man with a spattering of gray hair, silver framed glasses and a smile that tells audiences he’s happy to help and that’s he’s passionate about what he does. 

Jones exhilarated that passion to the PMI Atlanta Members at the October 7th Alpharetta Luncheon held at The Metropolitan Club.  As members sauntered their way into the event Jones made a point to ask, “I could be more effective in my job if (fill in the blank)…”  He then used the responses from participants in his presentation to relay what is often missing in organizations. Answers included change management, communication, decent management, one project manager to report to and more effective communication with one’s superior.