Author: Alpha Ziman, PMP, PBA

The PMI Switzerland Chapter, in collaboration with STS, invites you to an exceptional International Project Management Day Event on October 30th, 2024. This nationwide SimulTrain^® competition will take place across Zurich, Basel, and Lausanne, offering project management professionals and enthusiasts a chance to engage and compete in a high-stakes project simulation.

About SimulTrain^®

SimulTrain^®, created by STS, is an advanced project managment simulator, which allows teams comprising 3 to 5 individuals, can manage projects based on real-world scenarios. Participants would be making critical decisions affecting project cost, schedule, quality, and team morale, all within this application's interactive interface.

Competition details

Teams from across Switzerland will face a series of scenarios, involving risk management, as well as unanticipated changes, with a particular focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and interrelationships. This competition is designed to sharpen your skills, improve your ability to handle pressure, and strengthen teamwork. The event will culminate in an awards ceremony, wherein the most outstanding team will be recognised. In celebration of their exceptional skills, teamwork, and ability to navigate complex challenges, whilst under pressure, the top-performing team will receive a prestigious award.

Networking Opportunity

This event also offers a unique setting to connect with existing and new network contacts, including peers from STS and PMI Switzerland. Following the competition, participants will have the opportunity to engage further at a well-deserved apéro, and potentially blow off some steam after a stimulating 'game day'.

Register Now!

Challenge yourself, enjoy healthy competition, and join us in celebrating International Project Management Day!

For further details on the event and registration, please visit the respective event pages for Zurich, Basel , and Lausanne.

We look forward to your participation!

Author: Florian Ivan, PMP, ACP, DAC, DASSM

In any new technology or innovation, it is challenging to pinpoint exactly where you are in its development cycle, or to predict its ultimate impact on the world. This is particularly true for AI today. While it is clear that AI is transformative, it cannot be definitively stated how big its impact will be, or how it will reshape industries and society in the long run. The uncertainty surrounding the future of AI mirrors the unpredictability inherent in all major technological advancements.

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation used to illustrate the maturity, adoption, and social application of emerging technologies. It follows a curve that starts with a "Technology Trigger", leading to a "Peak of Inflated Expectations", followed by a "Trough of Disillusionment". As understanding improves, it moves to the "Slope of Enlightenment", and eventually reaches the "Plateau of Productivity", where the technology  becomes mainstream.

This model helps organisations manage their expectations and plan for technology adoption. The Gartner Hype Cycle is a straightforward tool in understanding technological innovation, though it is often considered controversial due to its generalised and sometimes subjective nature.

AI today is moving past the "Peak of Inflated Expectations" and entering a the "Trough of Disillusionment", wherein promises are giving way to a more realistic understanding of its capabilities and limitations. As the hype settles, it is now the critical period during which businesses should focus on practical applications that would deliver real value. By leveraging AI in real-world situations, organisations can drive meaningful business impact, and harness the technology's true potential.

Should you wish to deepen your understanding of how AI can be effectively applied in project management, we would like to invite you to attend the 1-day masterclass on November 9th. This class has been designed to equip you with the knowledge, tools and insights that would allow you to put AI to work in real-life scenarios.

For further information and registration, please visit the event page.

Author: Ala Lutz, VP of Membership 

Being a project professional, it is important to remain at the forefront of technological advancements. Artificial Intelligence, particularly tools like PMI Infinity, ChatGPT, Gemini, and others, can make the optimise the practice of project management through the automation of activities, as well as insight and decision-making process improvements.

Below are the top 10 AI prompts that project managers can use to streamline their activities:

• Project Planning Assistance:
  • "Generate a project plan outline for a construction project, including key phases and milestones."
• Risk Analysis:
  • "Identify potential risks for a software development project and suggest mitigation strategies based on historical data."
• Stakeholder Communication:
  • "Draft a monthly project update report for stakeholders that includes current progress, challenges, and next steps."
• Resource allocation:
  • "Suggest an optimal resource allocation model for a project with mixed criticality levels."
• Meeting Efficiency:
  • "Create a script for conducting efficient project status meetings, that minimises time and maximises engagement."
• Change Management:
  • "Provide a step-by-step guide on managing scope changes in a project following PMI standards."
• Conflict Resolution:
  • "Provide advice on resolving conflicts between project team members using best practice negotiation techniques."
• Quality Assurance Checklists:
  • "Generate a quality assurance checklist tailored to an IT Infrastructure deployment project."
• Budget Review and Adjustment:
  • "Analyse a project budget report and recommend adjustments to address financial overruns."
• Project Closure Report:
  • "Compose a project closure report that includes outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations for future projects."

Don't miss the chance to enhance your project management skills, or the opportunity to network with other project professionals - Secure your place now for the PMI Switzerland Conference.

This event is an excellent opportunity to learn from industry leaders about the latest trends, tools, and strategies in project management. Participants will gain hands-on experience with AI tools and will have an excellent opportunity to take part in the AI Prompt Engineering Contest.

Best regards,

Ala Lutz

VP of Membership

Author: János Gálik (ServiceNow Managing Partner at Capture Group)

 We are a ServiceNow Consulting and Implementation Premier Partner, leveraging 15 years of industry expertise in:

• Project Portfolio Management (PPM),
• Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM),
• Application Portfolio Management (APM), and
• Enterprise Agility.

Why do we believe in the value of ServiceNow SPM?

• It is a leader in Gartner MQ of Enterprise Agile Planning and Forrester Wave of Value Stream Management.
• It manages the entire portfolio lifecycle, from initial ideation to final delivery.
• It stands out in the market with its built-in hybrid capabilities, by enabling enterprise agility and using the advantages of waterfall simultaneously.
• It lets you leverage the extensive AI capabilities of the ServiceNow Platform.

With a dedicated team of 20+ professionals focusing on the DACH region, and an impressive client satisfaction record of more than 15 companies, including Glencore, AMAG, Kanton Zürich, OMV, and INNIO Jenbacher, we are well-equipped to combine strategic vision with operational execution.

Our work at INNIO Jenbacher GmbH and Co OG is a clear indication of our significant added value:

• Standardised processes for business units, as well as IT PMOs.
• One tool supporting both waterfall and agile worlds, including product development.
• Improved project reporting.
• Reduced complexity of the enterprise application landscape.

Through our SPM Growth Model, we provide maturity-driven services for all organisations driving their business toward digitalisation.

• If you are beginning your journey, we can kick off with our packaged Capture SmartStart solution.
• If you have already embarked upon your journey, we can jump directly into the deepest water, enabling enterprise agility, hybrid methodologies, and full-scale strategic planning and execution.

For companies with greater maturity, we offer our repeating cycle of Assessment-Enablement-Implementation services at three distinct levels.

Our Capture SmartStart service package includes a critical focus on project management. We aim to simplify the complexity of project managers' daily work by helping them achieve more, with fewer resources. We believe that Capture SmartStart is an effective solution for project managers to save effort, time, and money, while still meeting project requirements.

We have also developed two add-ons to support ServiceNow SPM users:

• Capture WBS Editor helps to visualise and edit projects in a Work Breakdown Structure and is available directly from the ServiceNow Store.
• Capture Hermes Add-On guides project managers, supports the Project Management Office, and automates and audits the documentation process.

In addition to our offerings, we are committed to supporting project management communities and events, such as the PM Conference 2024. We are excited to participate in this event, which is an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the challenges faced by project management professionals from diverse backgrounds, and to provide support where needed. We really enjoy networking, sharing our knowledge, and discussing the emerging trends that drive project management excellence.

Besides sponsoring and attending such events, we place emphasis on serving our community, by regularly providing relevant and quality content, as well as resources that help them stay ahead in the ever-evolving project management landscape.