Headlines
 asapm Seeking USA Ambassador for 2009 IPMA World Congress
The IPMA International World Congress development group, led by Vice-President Henrik Jönsson, has developed a new program for promoting the IPMA World Congresses. Marketing for the 23rd IPMA World Congress, to be held in Finland 15-17 June 2009, will be supplemented by World Congress Ambassadors from each participating nation.
This just-formalized concept supports the legacy of the IPMA World Congress as the leading global get-together of Project Managers who Demonstrate the Competence Difference.
On May 17, 2008, asapm will nominate an IPMA 2009 World Congress Ambassador to provide Congress marketing support for the USA. This Ambassador will receive commissions (an estimated 24%) for booking Exhibitors and Sponsors from the USA. Those who are interested in proposing themselves or their companies as Ambassadors should provide, by Friday, May 16, your response, that includes a commitment to the following; where needed, you should also provide evidence that you have satisfied these minimum criteria.
- Be an asapm member (either you, or at least one person from your company).
- Identify an action plan for your USA promotion of the 2009 IPMA World Congress in Finland.
- Provide evidence of similar event promotion, with a description of how you measured your success.
- Commit to attend the first Ambassador Meeting, 7-8 June in Helsinki, Finland (local expenses paid).
- Commit to attend the next three meetings, Copenhagen September 28 and Rome November 8 (your expense).
- Commit to participate in the 23rd IPMA World Congress in Finland 15-17 June 2009 (your expense).
- This IPMA Ambassador Program guarantees a portion of the commission revenue for the Member Association. asapm suggests a split of asapm 20%, Ambassador 80%. Please agree to that distribution, or recommend a different one.
As you can see, your window of opportunity is tight. If you are interested, you must deliver your response to us at the link below by end of day Friday, May 16. For more details about this program, see this link. If you have questions, you may contact Stacy Goff at +1.719.488.3850 or email us at: World Congress Ambassador. You may also send your response to our surface address: asapm • 6547 N Academy #404 • Col Spgs, CO 80918 USA. Based on the strengths of your proposal, the asapm Board will make our selection of the USA World Congress Ambassador on May 17. If you are selected, portions of the asapm website and other resources will be made available to you.
The USA is one of the strongest markets in the World for Project Managers; this opportunity could be huge for you! 
IPMA Initiates New Branding Campaign! 04/2008
As part of his Charter for his VP of IPMA Marketing role, Henrik Jonsson (Sweden) has just rolled out a new IPMA logo, with useage guidelines, and sample graphics. Over the next year, all IPMA collatoral materials, including the stellar IPMA magazines, will use the logo and printing guidelines. The logo already appears on the asapm website, at the bottom-right of each page.
The branding includes tailored slogans, such as Moving People Forward, Moving Certification Forward, Moving Winners Forward, and so on. Click here to see the updated IPMA website, with the cool color-changing banner.
Certification, with The Platinum Standard tagline, will be one of the first areas to benefit from the new logos, with the colors black and platinum dedicated exclusively to Certification materials. When the materials are ready, asapm Certificants will receive the artwork for these bold new designs. The net result of all these changes? IPMA and asapm Continue to Move Project Management Forward!
asapm and Business Development Institute International Sign Alliance Agreement! 02/2008
On February 5, 2008 Lew Ireland, President of the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (asapm), and Howard Nutt, Executive Director of the Business Development Institute International (BD-Institute), announced the two organizations’ signing of an Alliance Partnership Agreement.
In announcing the agreement, Mr. Ireland noted that, “As the USA’s premier competence-based credentialing organization for project and program managers, we are a strong advocate of effective project management practice and believe that part of that effectiveness must include the competences needed to fulfill the project manager's role in winning new business. This makes the partnership with the BD-Institute a strategic step toward the future of program and project management in the USA and the World.” Click here to see the rest of the Press Release.
USA's First Level C Project Managers Certified in Performance Competency! 08/2007
June 23 was a momentous day in the history of both asapm and project management in the USA. On that day, asapm certified its first Project Managers! We’re still dotting some i’s and crossing some t’s, so we can’t announce the names yet, but we will do so in the next newsletter. The deep discounts authorized by the PMCert Board to kick-start the program will only be available through the end of 2007, so if you’ve been thinking of getting a performance-based competency certification, this is the time to do it!
The next interviews, for Levels B and C are in late October, with applications due September 15. Our next Level D exam is in Boston, on October 29, 2007. Click here to read this whole news release.
The currently-available USA Project Manager certifications now include:
Level B:
Certified Senior Project Manager
Level C: Certified Project Manager
Level D: Certified Project Associate
To see more about PMCert and details about our three levels (so far) of IPMA-compliant certification we now offer, click here.
asapm Board Election Results 07/2007
Larry Kueppers, PMP, has been elected to the office of asapm Director of Standards. Congratulations, Larry! Part of his first job will be to establish a process for Standards recognition; then he will begin work on a Lessons Learned (or After-Action Review) Standard. If you are interested in participating, contact Larry through the Board web page.
Several members wrote themselves in for the position of asapm Vice President. We are speaking with them about their interests, and how to best engage them in building upon asapm's strengths. We may have a run-off election for the position.
Open Source Becomes Open Sesame' For Projects 06/2007
Just as Ali Baba learned the secret password that opened his world to treasures, Open Source Software is beginning to have significant influence in the World of Project Management. Here are two new treasures for those who really grok PM: Those who understand that tools only help if you are competent in your PM practices.
New Open Source PM Software Announced
This week a new Open Source PM Software tool was announced, "as a Microsoft Project Replacement". It is still a beta, but we downloaded it, round tripped several files (to and from MSP, Microsoft Project), and think it has great promise—especially for those who don't want to install Project Server for the whole enterprise. It's called OpenProj, and is developed by Projity.
OpenProj works on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac and Linux. The beta version's Windows startup is a bit kludgy (a bat file starts a Java application in a Command window), but it ran fine on Vista. In addition to the Open Source version, Projity has a web-based version, Project-On-Demand, that they offer for a fee.
We've supported and promoted MSProject since before Microsoft bought the product from the original developer in the mid-eighties. We introduced hundreds of companies to it in the early Windows era. Even served as advisors and beta testers into the mid nineties. And although there are still some practitioners who have a bit of the attitude that "real project managers don't use MSP", we believe it has well-served the needs of millions.
But way more is needed, whether open source or usable commercial tools, to reach the potential market of usable PM software. Even Microsoft still says that Excel, not MSP, is the World's #1 Project Management software.
Given that there are now over 6 Billion people in the World, half of them need easy-to-use, easy-to-learn, and easy-to-acquire Project Management software. This is a big market!
Open Source Mind-Mapping Software
We've also used Mind Mapping software for many years, and really like it. It is useful for everything creative, from workshop design and content development to developing Project Work Breakdown Structures. We've especially liked Mindjet's MindManager Pro, with its great ability to roundtrip a Work Breakdown Structure with Microsoft Project.
And now an Open Source Mind Mapping project that we have been following has a .9 release that is very functional (even most of the Czech help files have been translated). It is called FreeMind, and you can download your copy (platform independent, but requires Java Runtime on your system) from SourceForge.net. Now there is no excuse for right brain dominant people sticking with simple outline lists! For more background on the topic of Mind Mapping, see Wikipedia on Mind Maps.
Board Nominations Closing: Serve Your Society!
The asapm Board positions up for election in 2007 are Vice President and Director of Standards. The preferred path to the Board is for each member to first serve on one of the Project Teams (our term for committees) in the area you indicated interest in when you joined--or in other areas, as you discover the additional exciting things in which asapm is involved. Each year, approximately one-third of the asapm offices open for nominations.
More Volunteer Topics: Of course, we can always use your help in asapm's most visible efforts, including this newsletter, our website, and our PM Communities of Practice. If you are interested in helping advance the state of the practice of Project Management, let us know! Note that you can use your volunteer efforts to do double-dipping, claiming volunteer time both for asapm recertification credits, and for recertification for other project management credentials.
Nominations Status: We have one candidate for the office of Director of Standards; watch the asapm website for the details about this candidate's agenda and aspirations. We still need candidates for the position of Vice President. Stacy Goff has held this position since asapm's beginning in 2001, and our bylaws prohibit running again. Who is interested in serving? Please Contact asapm. Nominations close in May, with the elections in June.
Goff discusses PM Competence on Cornelius Fichtner's The PM Podcast 11/2006
Hear Stacy Goff distinguish between Competence-based or Knowledge-based PM Certifications on Cornelius Fichtner's The Project Management Podcast, episode 55. Also, while you are there, pick up The PM Podcast with our great friend Max Wideman in episode 50.
European Commissioner Launches IPMA's New ICB3 (08/2006)
Our good friend Ed Naughton, IPMA Marketing Vice President and the Executive Officer for IPMI, the Ireland Member Affiliate of IPMA, has struck again. This time, he has gotten Charlie McCreevy, the European Commissioner responsible for the European Union's policy on the EU's internal markets, to introduce and embrace IPMA's new Competence Baseline—and thus IPMA's universal and unique Four-Level-Certification system.
asapm was involved in this ICB release in many ways, from early inputs, to adapting key parts of the draft into our own NCB, to a last-minute edit before publishing in May. This new edition, much stronger than the 2.0 version, will be the foundation for harmonization of IPMA's 40 Member Nations' Certification programs over the next 3 or so years. Click here to see the whole ICB3 Press Release on IPMA's website.
asapm has ordered copies of the bound volume of ICB3, and we also have cds coming. Of course, our just-released NCB is a superset of ICB, containing materials that ICB does not include; and, NCB is the basis for our currently-available certifications. NCB is available at the asapm website.
Press Release: Senior Project Manager Certification Available (07/2006)
LEXINGTON, MA (July 4, 2006) — The American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (asapm) has announced the public availability of asapm's Certified Senior Project Manager (acspm) credential.
According to asapm President Lew Ireland, “asapm has been working to bring competence-based certification to the USA for nearly four years. We are both pleased and proud to be able to offer this valuable service to project managers and their employers throughout the USA.” Ireland noted that the asapm program is the US version of the Four-Level-Certification program (4-L-C) designed and used by the International Project Management Association (IPMA).
For the rest of the Press Release, posted on the PMCert site, click here.
Other useful CertLinks:
- Guidance for acspm Candidates
- acspm Stage 1 Application.
PMCert On A Roll With IPMA-B, IPMA Level D® Certifications (05/2006)
With our First Assessors approved and ready to go, asapm plans to complete the first round of IPMA Level B® Senior Project Manager certifications by the end of 2nd Quarter. That's this year, for those who have watched and waited so long. We are getting queries about applications, and have promoted a special onsite rate for organizations with a handful of competent Senior Project Managers to assess.
And, our IPMA Level D® program, for Certified Project Practitioners, is booming. So far, this exam-based certification has been done onsite, for groups who will benefit from this internationally-recognized (through IPMA, the International Project Management Association) certification. One of the great benefits of this certification is the fact that if you know how to manage a project effectively, you are already a step ahead.
To see more about these great opportunities for recognition of your knowledge, skills and competence, see our PMCert website.
CompModel 3.0 PM Competence Development Tool Released (Jan 2006)
"Are You Experienced?" It was a Jimi Hendrix song of the late 60's. We're not quite sure what he was talking about then, but today, we are positive the question is essential for Project Managers.
As many enterprises find it to be a competitive advantage to improve the skills, competence and performance of their Project Managers and stakeholders, we still encounter a few that that invest their PM training funds in programs that have no impact on either project success or Project Manager Competence.The result: "project managers" who have never managed a project to successful closure. They may not even be able to tell you how to do so. What you really need is competent Project Managers who can cite their successes, and explain why they are successful.
Release 2.0 of the asapm PM Competence Model has been one of our most popular downloads. Now we have released an update, that directly supports our now-completed USA National Competence Baseline (NCB) for Project Managers. The new PM CompModel release maps stakeholder competence criteria to the elements of the USA NCB. It covers the range of positions in our 4-Level Competence-based certification program, plus Project Sponsors, Resource Managers, and Project or Program Office consultants. Now you can use PM CompModel to find and correct "Your Weakest Links".
In the interests of more effective PM Competence development, we offer free licenses for the lite version of CompModel 3.0, available to asapm members and website guests. Because PM CompModel is a tool for personal, team and organizational competence assessement and development, an increasing number of asapm members and savvy vendors are integrating CompModel and the USA National Competence Baseline into their instructional and consulting offerings. To find out more about PM CompModel and get your download, click here. Members can download the SixPack version from the Members Only page.
asapm and PMCert Release USA National Competence Baseline (Nov 2005)
USA-NCB is Here! A team of dedicated Project Managers has been working for over a year on the USA's National Competence Baseline, the foundation for our 4-Level-Certification program. Based on the International Competence Baseline of International Project Management Association, this is a foundation of a proven international certification program that certifies the competence and knowledge of multiple different levels of Project Managers and Project Practitioners.
Get NCB
Click here to request the link to download the official release of USA-NCB, in Adobe Acrobat format (pdf, 550K).
To see more details about our 4-Level Project Management Certification program, go to our PMCert site.
Russ Archibald Awarded Honorary Degree (Sept 2005)
On August 27, asapm member Russ Archibald was recognized at the Lille Graduate School of Management with an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Strategy, Programme & Project Management. Russ' award is in recognition of a lifetime of service. He has been active worldwide in improving local practice of Project Management, especially in developing countries. We all offer you a well-deserved congratulations, Russ! Click for more ...
asapm Congratulates Hugh Woodward, Latest PMI Fellow! (Sept 2005)
asapm has received word that Hugh Woodward, former PMI Chair and now Editor of PMForum has
been awarded the honor PMI Fellow. We congratulate you, Hugh, on your service to our discipline, and
thank you for your continued support! (PMI is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute).
Also named at the Toronto Congress in early September are Ms. Helen S. Cooke, PMP, Ms. Saralee Newell, PMP, and Ms. Rebecca (Becky) A. Winston, JD. Saralee Newell was Project Manager of the 1995 Congress in New Orleans, the best one we've attended (so far)!
asapm Pays Tribute to David Curling, 1935-2005
(This message, from asapm President Lew Ireland, acknowledges David H. Curling's contributions. David's Obituary is posted here.
David Curling, of Ottawa, Ontario, a long-time leader in project management, passed away to leave a void in the Global Project Management Community. He will be sorely missed for his continual contribution to the growth of project management knowledge. David is perhaps best known by many for starting and maintaining PM Forum, a website that promotes project management activities around the world.
David's work was recognized for his work in 1998 by the Project Management Institute when he was elected to be a Fellow. On the International scene, David was known throughout global project management community as one who spoke his mind on the issues and challenges of project management. His guidance came from years of experience and use of project management.
Our sympathy goes out to Lois, his wife of 54 years, for her loss.
asapm Competence Model Release 2 Breaks Download Records (May 2005)
The asapm Competence Model, introduced nearly two years ago, has now become the most downloaded item on the asapm website. Between the free single-user version and the members-only SixPack version, the Competence Model is now the most frequently-downloaded content from the asapm website, narrowly edging Ed Fern's storied article, Six Steps To The Future: How Mass Customization Is Changing Our World. CompModel is a good starting point for moving from simple knowledge assessment to skill and Competence assessment.
Watch for a CompModel Release 3 update in the Fall when we finalize the USA National Competence Baseline (NCB) for Project Managers; the new release will support the expanded Competences of the new NCB.
 asapm Joins
International Project Management Association Family!
(Mar 2004)
asapm has been accepted as the U.S.A. member
association of IPMA, the International Project Management Association.
IPMA is an International federation of nationally-focused professional
Project Management associations. For the Press Release for this
historic event, Click here.
Take
the Shirt Off Our Back, Version 2! An asapm Membership
Drive (Feb 04)
Once again this year, asapm launches its popular membership drive.
The reward for the first dozen people who bring in four or more members:
a great asapm-embroidered- logo shirt. Last year's winners,
Ed Fern, Bill Duncan and Bob Youker are now sporting denim asapm shirts.
Here's your chance to get yours, too! Click
this link to find out more!
asapm President
Lew Ireland addresses the State of the Society, (Jan
04)
asapm President Lew Ireland recaps our accomplishments,
and challenges us to "Do more in 2004!" Kinda catchy! Click
here to read Lew's Report.
asapm Affiliates
With Institute of Project Management of Ireland (Jan 04)
Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, we have just signed an Affiliate
Agreement with Institute of Project Management of Ireland. Initiated by
Institute Director General Edward Naughton and asapm President
Dr. Lewis Ireland, this is the first Affiliate Agreement we've
signed. Affiliate Agreements provide a framework for sharing research,
joint conferences, and other member benefits.
We are especially
interested in this new relationship because the Certification
support materials Mr. Naughton shared with our PMCert Certification Committee are some of the best we've seen, and as most viewers know, we
are working very hard to complete our Certification offierings.
To see the Institute's Affiliates link, click
here. To jump to the Institute of Project Management of Ireland's
website, click their logo at right.
asapm Releases
CompModel 2 (Nov 03)
We have just released the new asapm PM CompModel. The new release
contains more Competences, and covers a range of key project stakeholders: Sponsors,
Resource Managers, Project Office participants, three levels of Project
Managers, and Project Team Members. CompModel also includes a cool
tool, to help you assess and report your Competences. Free licenses are available
to asapm members and website guests. To find out more about CompModel 2, click here.
asapm Supports PM/Sponsor Research Project (Nov 03)
How are the interactions between the Project Managers and Sponsors
at your organization? asapm wants your participation in a survey project
headed up by Patricia Sahm. She is researching the relationship between Project Managers
and Sponsors in Information Technology or MIS projects. Patricia will share the results with asapm,
and we hope our members and website guests will participate. To do so, you need to have both the Project
Manager and the Sponsor of a recent project complete the survey. Help advance the practice of Project
Management with your participation! See more information here!
 asapm Launches
aCPM Certification Program (Aug 03)
Now THIS is
really news! After months and months of behind-the-scenes efforts,
asapm has now launched the asapm Certified Project Manager Certification program.
Certifying performance of project managers in the USA positions this certification in a completely
different market than those that test knowledge about project management.
While both certs are useful, asapm expects aCPM to help lead the
way in advancing the skills and performance of Project Managers in the USA.
Projects@Work magazine broke the story on their website, an exclusive scoop for them. For more information,
see the PMCert website for more information. PMCert is the certification organization of asapm.
asapm is Working With Global PM Performance Standards Group (Jul
03)
asapm is working with other PM Professional
Associations, government standards and qualifications agencies, and
industry from across the globe to develop a framework of global performance
based standards for project management personnel. The aim is to develop a globally
agreed standards framework that will facilitate global recognition
and transferability of qualifications. This will provide significant
benefit to individuals, to global corporations and to all those operating in
today's global business environment. To learn more, click here.
asapm and NewGrange: Cooperating to advance Project Management (Nov 02)
Interested in developing your knowledge of project management? asapm suggests
several ways to do so, using NewGrange, the "hottest place on the web to discuss
project management", at www.newgrange.org:
- Join the New Grange listserve, by clicking on "Join
the 5 minute email list" and following the instructions
there. This listserve is an excellent resource for beginners.
For those who are not familiar with listserves, they are email
discussion groups: any email to the listserve goes to all who
are on the list. A great way to stay in touch with other Project
Management practitioners.
- Scan the NewGrange archives at Yahoo Groups (a link is on
the 5 minute email page).
- Review the FAQs. For example, the exchange on Skunk Works
was great!
- Go to the Papers and Conference Presentations section for
some interesting whitepapers on topics such as Chaos theory
and Business Case Analysis, and presentations, too.
Experienced project managers are also encouraged to visit NewGrange,
join and to share their wisdom.
Introducing the Competence Enabler (CE) Program
CE (Competence Enabler) helps
you find PM Vendors who can help advance your project management
practices. Whether you are improving your own skills, or improving
the methods and Competences of your entire enterprise, CE
can
be your partner in Competence development. Learn
more about the Competence Enabler program |
