LearningBreakfastsCourseCatalog

Title

Description

Skill Level

Plain Talk about Metrics

Does your organization suffer from “metric proliferation”, where everything is measured, but little action follows? How about “punishment by metrics”, where process metrics are used to lay guilt? These are known as metric maladies, well-intentioned efforts that do not achieve the desired intent.
The presenters will introduce the concept of a “System of Metrics”, define critical terminology, and provide a framework to enable the proper use of metrics to improve productivity.
In addition, several process maps will be shared to enable the attendees to deploy a System of Metrics that delivers tangible results. Moreover, the presenters will outline ways to communicate the value of metrics to the entire organization.
Finally, there will be a presentation of key metrics for product development.
Jon Marshall, and Jose Campos will be your facilitators.

Plain Talk about Portfolio Management for Product Development

Portfolio Management? We often hear about it, but what is it really? What benefits can be derived, and how does one go about using Portfolio Management? And no, we’re not talking about managing your financial portfolio. Portfolio Management is a dynamic decision-making technique that aligns project work with the strategic direction of the organization, maximizes the value of resource utilization, and balances the mix of project types.
We will provide insights about benefits and applications of portfolio management and product roadmap methodologies. In the process we will strip away the hype and lead a collaborative discussion that will generate new perspectives and knowledge about how portfolio management techniques are utilized to evaluate project value and to ensure an organization is investing in projects that provide the highest impact.
As with all our Learning Breakfasts, ample time for exercises, collaboration, and questions will be provided.

Implementing a PMO for Faster Product Development

The PMO has become a hot industry buzzword. However, what exactly is it and how does it differ from conventional program and project management practices? Is a PMO needed in every product development operation? What are the benefits, and how is a PMO best implemented?
We will define the Program/Project Management Office and differentiate it from traditional program and project management implementations. We will also lead a highly interactive discussion that explores the PMO business value proposition, how to start and advance a PMO, and the all-important relationship between a PMO and product life cycle management. Participants will leave with practical insights about PMO’s and what’s involved to achieve a successful implementation.
This workshop is also available for Company Executives who wish to define the PMO strategy for their organizations.
As with all our Learning Breakfasts, ample time for exercises, collaboration, and questions will be provided.

Bending MS Project to Your Will, not theirs!

Five Simple Steps to ensure easy use and flexibility with MS Project.
Does it feel that you must “feed” MS Project more than you have to?
Do you spend more time trying to tame MS Project than getting benefits from it?
Are you “all wrapped around the axle” when it comes to MS Project?
This session incorporates the Tips, Tricks and over a decade of end user experience using MS Project to successfully deliver visibility and accountability.
If you are spending more than 30 minutes once a week updating a schedule, then you are probably spending too much time and are missing key shortcuts to effective and easy use of this tool.
As with all our Learning Breakfast, ample time for exercises, collaboration, and questions will be provided.

Plain Talk about Risk, and Risk Management

Risk is the chance of something going wrong with your project.
The art and science of managing risk has seen a resurgence in the last decade, perhaps due to the increasing chaotic nature of business.
The presenters will review critical principles about risk identification, risk monitoring, and risk management.
Secondly, the presenters will share a number of easy-to-use tools to identify and manage risk.
Finally, there will be a presentation of the latest trends in risk management for product development.
As with all our Learning Breakfasts, ample time for exercises, collaboration, and questions will be provided.

Debriefs and Postmortems

Studies have shown that debriefs and postmortems are the best way to improve the performance of an organization ― Regrettably, few organizations obtain their benefits.
Learn the four critical decisions that you must make to ensure the success of your debriefs.
The breakfast will also cover the ways to overcome resistance and other forms of “pushback” against doing debriefs.
Finally, the breakfast will cover the effective way to obtain the “payback” from your efforts, i.e. How to obtain the benefits from your debriefs so you improve productivity, and gain support from the rest of the organizations.
As with all our Learning Breakfasts, ample time for exercises, collaboration, and questions will be provided.

The Ways and Means of Securing the Voice of the Customer

The presenters will share an overview of the major methods for obtaining and using the Voice of the Customer, such as interviews, observation, QFD, KJ, Kano, and more. They will also help you relate them to your situation.
They will describe the “typology of customer contacts”, and help identify the best venues to obtain input from your customers. Ample time for Q&A will be provided. Networking and exchange of ideas will be strongly encouraged.
At the end of the session you will have the information to better design the strategy for obtaining customer input for your organization.
This workshop is ideal for organizations who wish to select a methodology for obtaining customer requirements, or for those who wish to understand
the trade-offs amongst various methodologies.

Improving Collaboration in Multi-ethnic Teams

CULTURAL MAPPING AS A TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE COOPERATION IN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE TEAMS
More and more development teams are made up of people from different cultures, be it, “corporate”, geographic, or ethnic. The world of product development is truly a global endeavor, where the notion of 24-hour development is beginning to be fulfilled.
While the technology barriers for communication and collaboration are certainly being broken, the human aspect remains daunting. How do people from other cultures make decisions? How do people from other cultures perceive time and commitment to a date? How does one know that the mission of your development team has been accepted and embraced by all your team members? These are but a few of the questions that baffle program, and project managers.
The presenters will provide practical definitions of culture and their implications to team work. They will also take a look at the roots of culture and their implications to development teams. A definition of Cultural Mapping as a technique will also be shown, and related to development teams. Several examples from real, multi ethnic teams will be shared. Finally, the presenters will facilitate several exercises where the method of Cultural Mapping can be applied to development teams.
Please note that this is not the traditional “diversity” training, rather it is a leadership class based on the Cultural mapping methodology.
Presenters:
Dr. Antonie Jetter from the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science Department of Engineering and Technology Management at Portland State University
Dr. Jetter, a native of Germany, has written a book on The Fuzzy Front End of Technology, and has worked for international technology companies in Europe and the U. S. She specializes in the human aspects of technology development.
Jose Campos, Founder Rapidinnovation, LLC.
Jose, a native of Nicaragua, has traveled around the world in his role as Product Manager, and later, in his duties as a Management Consultant. He has worked with development teams in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Jose focuses on the role of teams, and team work in product development.

Catalog

Learning Breakfasts Course Catalog