Author: Mariia Borsuk

Dear PMI Switzerland Community,

We are thrilled to introduce one of our speakers for the upcoming Sustainability Summit on November 8th, 2023.

Mariia Borsuk, a biotechnology industry professional with a focus on sustainable projects, will be talking about “Tackling Multiple SDGs With The Power Of Cellular Agriculture.” The presentation promises to be a thought-provoking journey into the future of sustainable food production, and the critical role project managers can play in this transformation.

In an era where meat consumption has skyrocketed, Mariia will shed light on the astonishing shift in the perception of meat from a luxury product to a daily staple and the alarming environmental cost of our meat-heavy diets. She highlights excessive land use, deforestation, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water and soil pollution, and antibiotic resistance. The meat industry is not only an inefficient way to feed humanity, but also detrimental to our planet’s health. 

The question arises: can we address this issue without giving up our beloved meats? Science and technology offer a solution—cultivated meat. This technology is not a distant dream; there are already 156 cultivated meat companies in 26 countries, and products are hitting the market. 

Cultivated meat has the potential to revolutionize the meat industry by significantly reducing its environmental impact. Mariia advocates for project managers to become champions of sustainable practices and technologies to achieve multiple UN SDGs. She offers practical strategies for using our unique skills and perspectives to accelerate the transition to a healthy planet.

Don’t miss the opportunity to gain insights on one of the most pressing global challenges, ask questions, and be part of the dialogue on how we can make a difference in our world through innovative solutions like cultivated meat.

Join us at the PMI UK Sustainability Summit on November 8th, 2023, and be part of the change!

Register for the Summit here: https://www.pmi.org.uk/events/events-listing/events/sustainability-summit-8th-november-2023.

Together, we can work towards a more sustainable future.

Author: Adi Muslic, PMP

So many changes in so little time. Last month was very intense. It required a lot of effort just to keep up with news, not to mention adjusting to all changes and measures affecting our lives. Some of the measures are to stay for a long time with us, some others will gradually disappear. Although the efforts to find new ways to fight more effectively the virus are tremendous, we will certainly continue living with the virus for many months to come.

My biggest concern, going forward, is the part of the population that is at high risk. Even if they stay at home but a spouse or a relative has to go out, there is still a chance to bring the virus back home. It is quite clear that we will keep the security social distance enforced for some time. But this may still not be enough to feel secure, as the meeting rooms can be quite small. The best way to be better protected is to carry on a protective face mask, gloves and use the quarantine precautions once back home. Will it be the new normal to wear on a mask and gloves in business meetings? Would not, in that case, a video conferencing be more appropriate?

There are so many lessons to learn from this experience in each segment of our lives. The importance of controlled and measured communications. The endless capacity to adjust and change to survive. The need for flexibility and agility to turn around your business or life.
The remote working and home office may become more common practice, and be used as an alternative when appropriate. Having family dinners or celebrations organized with a video conferencing could be used to meet more often.

Every change is an opportunity. Let's make use of this one.

Be safe,

Adi

Partnership Spotlight: PMI Switzerland Conducts Special Training Sessions for Displaced Professionals from Ukraine

Author: Mafalda Amaro, Social Impact & Youth Coordinator

On 25th-26th November 2023 PMI Switzerland Chapter conducted an exclusive two-day online training for Ukrainian displaced professionals. This initiative was delivered in partnership with Bevel ON, a Swiss association that helps displaced professionals from Ukraine integrate into their host countries and restart their careers, with the Capacity Building Programme for Ukraine (Cohort 4). 

Recognizing the critical role of project management in today's dynamic business landscape, this specialized training offered participants invaluable insights for those who were just embarking on a project management career or seeking to enhance existing skills and enrich their experience. 

The training was led by Adi Muslic, Vice President of Sponsors and partners of PMI Switzerland, and Mafalda Amaro, Social Impact & Youth Coordinator of PMI Switzerland, and it gathered 50 participants from Switzerland, EU countries, as well as from Ukraine. 

In addition to Project Management Basics and PMI Agile Processes, AI Capabilities, Megatrends, and Power Skills were among the topics presented in the sessions. 

PMI Switzerland Chapter and Bevel ON Association started to collaborate earlier this year, following the successful project management training session in June, for the previous Capacity Building Programme for Ukraine (Cohort 3), this initiative has turned into a strong synergetic partnership to enhance the impactful social tribe, and to be continued in 2024. 

About Bevel ON: 

Bevel ON is a Swiss Non-Profit Association (Geneva-based) established in May 2022, and is focused on social impact programs for displaced professionals, including refugees, in Switzerland and EU countries. 

More information about the programme can be found here.

PMI is AGILE!

Author: Agnieszka Skalska, PMP®
	11+ years of experience in global business transformations, project and program management. Executed over 20 projects for financial services, management consulting and manufacturing industries. Solid business acumen in Operational Excellence, Project Management, Change Management and Information Technology. Always following the fundamental values of integrity, innovation and collaboration. Growth Mindset.

 All around the world there is a lot of buzz about the need for agility. Most of the organizational structures and processes that have been developed more than a century ago, now seems to be outdated. They were built for control and stability, not for innovation and speed. Of course, there is no one standard solution that works for every company and for sure agile is also not a cure for every disease. Every team should explore what works the best for them and decide on their way of working. As a global economy has started to evolve rapidly, one thing is certain, the project management techniques must be adjusted, combined, and/or tailored. PMI is responding to these needs by incorporating all Agile Practices into one approach, called Disciplined Agile. 

Picture 1. Disciplined Agile Concept. (Source 1) 

Disciplined Agile a tool kit that harnesses hundreds of Agile practices to guide you to the best way of working for your team or organization. (Source 2) Disciplined Agile is not a framework, but rather a toolkit that focuses on the decisions you need to consider, the options available to you, and the trade-offs associated with these options. It shows you how to effectively combine strategies from Scrum, Kanban, SAFe®, and many other approaches in a tailorable and scalable manner. Organizations that adopt Disciplined Agile go to market sooner, deliver value faster and make their customers happier. (Source 3) 

PMI offers five types of Agile certifications:

Picture 2. PMI Agile Certifications. (Source 1) 

Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) certification will help you to understand the DA mindset and its underlying principles, such as pragmatism, the power of choice, and adapting to context. It gives an opportunity to learn about the fundamentals of agile and lean, and how to use both approaches to produce business value. It presents multiple agile and lean techniques from methods such as Scrum, Kanban, SAFe®, and more. You will learn how to put these techniques into action and ensure effective implementation. (Source 4)

Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) certification takes a deep dive into the DA tool kit to develop a comprehensive understanding of the hundreds of practices and strategies it contains and the trade-offs of applying them. It shows how to apply the DA tool kit to guide teams in choosing and evolving your best way of working (WoW) in any situation. After the course you will feel comfortable with using the DA tool kit to solve complex challenges commonly encountered in both software and operational business teams. You will learn how to lead agile teams through key enterprise activities, such as planning, coordinating, and reporting, and be ready to show your improvements in areas where your organization is struggling. You will get a deep understanding of how to improve value delivery for your customers by empowering others in your organization, nurturing emotional intelligence, and resolving conflicts. (Source 5)

Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant (DAVSC) certification gives an opportunity to determine the best place for an organization to start – portfolio management, product management or development area. As a DAVSC, you will be equipped with a tool kit to tailor an organization’s improvement plan based on the unique needs. It gives an ability to train an organization to continue to improve on their own and get know how to accelerate value delivery at scale. (Source 6)

Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC) certification helps to understand how to align teams with organizational strategies and goals to enable agile transformation. It provides guidance how to facilitate culture change/ transformation and how to accelerate process improvement. It teaches how to master the Disciplined Agile tool kit and show teams the best Way of Working (Choose Your Wow) in the situation they currently face. (Source 7)

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® certification is created by agilists for agilists. The PMI-ACP spans many approaches to agile such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP) and test-driven development (TDD.) It will increase your versatility, wherever your projects may take you. (Source 8)

               ⇒ Building True Agility Across Your Business Starts at PMI! ⇐               

To sum up, here are 3 Top Reasons for Attaining a Disciplined Agile Certification:

• Increase your knowledge. DA certification requires a comprehensive understanding of Disciplined Agile Delivery, which in turn describes how all aspects of agile principles and practices fit together in an enterprise-class environment.

• Demonstrate your professionalism. DA certification indicates to employers your dedication to improving your knowledge and skills.

• Advance your career. As you demonstrate your increased knowledge base and leadership, DA certification can help you attain that new position or role.

 Video 1 : The Business Agility Starts Here (Source 2) 

List of Sources:

1. https://youtu.be/0aXstBAs_U4 
2. Foundation for Business Agility | Disciplined Agile (pmi.org)
3. Agile Certifications (pmi.org)
4. Disciplined Agile Scrum Master DASM (pmi.org)
5. Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master Certification | PMI
6. Disciplined Agile Value Stream Consultant Certification | PMI
7. Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC) Certification | PMI
8. Agile Certified Practitioner | PMI-ACP