The need for skills development and proper project management tools were among the topics raised by international delegates at the Project Management SA (PMSA) conference.
Over 300 professionals from the programme and project management industry attended this year`s event, held at Gallagher Estate, Midrand, last week, to hear keynote addresses by international industry players.
Most of the international delegates presenting papers at the conference stressed the importance of skills development for SA, as well as the world.
"Far too often we have people who are qualified in the field, but do not have the hands-on experience and training that would assist them in proper decision-making and implementation," said project management consultant Dr Ginger Levin, a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Levin highlighted the need for SA to build on knowledge management maturity models by applying, storing and disembarking knowledge within a company.
"Achieving maturity through the implementation of standard methodologies, processes and procedures is an approach to ensure overall organisational excellence," said Levin, who held a workshop on the importance of project portfolio management.
CEO of the X-Pert Group, Clinton in`t Veld, commented on the rapid change in both technology and the marketplace. He spoke about the strains on existing organisational resources such as money, staff and materials.
"Successful project management goes beyond maintaining realistic expectation levels and completing projects within budget, scope, time and resource constraints. The need to facilitate and participate in high-performing project teams requires a new application of team collaboration, clear and elevating goal setting, and a culture of cross-functional and self-directing teams," said In`t Veld.
Hirosha Tanaka, president of the Project Management Association of Japan, highlighted the growing trend of innovation, which he said is the driver to push ahead SA`s economy and society.
"My associates and I have performed research on innovation in relation to project management and identified cases of innovation that are well supported by project management that we are willing to share with SA," said Tanaka.
Related story:
Conference to promote PM knowledge sharing