Community Updates - October 2014

Hello, Microsoft PPM Community.

This is our monthly blog post about what is happening in the PPM Community around the world.

This means webcasts/webminars, PMI and MPUG chapter events, and all about what you need to know to stay up to date about Microsoft Project, Project Server, and Project Online.

I'm so sorry for the delay on the post of this month.


Microsoft Project Webcast Series

Cloud-based Innovation Management captured with SharePoint Online, Project Online and ERP systems

October 21 @ 12:30pm – 2:00pm EST

Innovation Management is key for companies specializing in product development as well as those pursuing organizational development. Collecting relevant ideas from employees, aligning these ideas with the corporate strategy, and executing quickly on ideas chosen are critical factors to creating momentum and success. Next to the conventional on premises systems for Project Management solutions, the demand for software services in the cloud increases constantly.
Innovation management starts with capturing project ideas. This process is supported through Ideation – the new approach with Microsoft SharePoint Online and Project Online. This webcast describes the interplay between the cloud services to support the complete project life-cycle from idea creation to evaluation of project proposals and realizing approved projects. This leads to a close integration of innovation management and the management of product portfolios and ensures predictive decision-making as well as process compliance. The solution primarily focuses on increasing transparency and improving the interaction between different departments to be able to reduce the “time to market” and the corresponding costs by supporting the workflows along the value chain. 
In addition we will show how to integrate an ERP system (in this example SAP) to enable controlling projects. A similar configuration therefore allows all involved users groups to use their respective software of choice, offers high flexibility and user acceptance, as well as supports cloud, hybrid or on premises environments. This approach is also applicable for managing all sorts of intake, for example IT demand management.  Does your company collect your employee’s innovations?


MPUG Events

Lean for Project Agility

October 22 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST

Organizations undertake projects to achieve a business objective. Projects should help increase revenue or reduce costs. In either case, reducing the time it takes to complete projects, without impacting quality, contributes directly to the bottom-line. Lean comprises a set of tools to enable you to do just that. This webinar will show how to use Lean concepts to delivery projects faster.

Project Collaboration in the Cloud with Project Online 2013

October 29 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST

With the new Project Online, Microsoft provides project managers and team members an improved tool for planning, collaboration and team communication. And that not only on-premises but also beyond the organization borders. Through the tightened integration of Microsoft SharePoint and Project, the Project Team Site is the central point of communication – even external team members can be integrated easily.
Your project culture will change due to the new collaboration possibilities. In this webinar you will learn how to:

  • Provide Project Online as a communication platform for internal and external team members
  • Collaborate within the team (in a practical example) and
  • Use the extended possibilities of Project Online

MPUG Recordings

Webinar: “Taming the Monster Schedule” – Working with Consolidated Schedules…

Date: October 8, 2014

When Dr. Frankenstein created a human being from various dead body parts, his elation was beyond imagination.  Little did he know that his complex undertaking would soon become a Monster that was out of control.  In a similar way, many organizations may be faced with having to deliver a complex undertaking with many people, functional silos, distributed accountability, etc.

You go thru cycles of:

  • Complex Creation…
  • Pulse on the Project… check for Life…
  • Elation that you have a Live Project, and
  • Sometimes faced with realization that This is a Monster Project

Developing a Monster schedule to address this complexity can be daunting. So, we want to arm you with some knowledge that may help you before you begin creating a schedule.  This workshop will share the tips & techniques for “Taming the Monster Schedule”.


If you are aware of some event that will occur this month and it is not listed here, please, leave a comment with the link.