UMT represents SA at Microsoft Project Conference 2012

Johannesburg, 07 Feb 2012

Local project, programme and portfolio management solutions provider, UMT Consulting SA, will be attending Microsoft Project Conference 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona, in March.

One of its customers, mining giant Exxaro, will also be presenting its enterprise-wide deployment of a project management system based on the Microsoft Enterprise Project Management (EPM) system.

UMT Consulting SA is the first company in Africa and Middle East to achieve the new Gold competency for project and portfolio management, and one of only a handful of companies worldwide that has achieved this competency.

The Microsoft Project Conference 2012 is the definitive event for the global Microsoft project community. Visitors from across the globe will allow delegates to connect with over a thousand passionate members of the Microsoft Project Community, from project professionals, business decision-makers, certified partners and the Microsoft Project team.

UMT Consulting SA managing director Dries van der Colff says the conference will feature high-impact keynotes, rich breakout sessions, trainings and plenty of networking opportunities. “Immerse yourself and take your success to the next level. The Microsoft Project Conference 2012 focuses on you and what you can accomplish with Microsoft Project 2010.

“Through the high-impact keynotes, breakout sessions, training, and networking opportunities, you will learn how Microsoft Project 2010 and Microsoft Project Server 2010 can transform and accelerate your success.”

With more than 90 sessions, the Microsoft Project Conference 2012 will enable delegates to learn how they can transform and accelerate their success with Microsoft Project 2010. To be attended by a worldwide audience of project professionals, business and technical decision-makers and the Microsoft Project team, this unique point-in-time event is an opportunity to learn, network and get more out of one's Project 2010 investment.

In conjunction with UMT Consulting SA, Exxaro will present its enterprise-wide deployment of a project management system, based on the Microsoft Enterprise Project Management (EPM) system and comprising Microsoft Project Server 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010. The implementation forms part of a larger initiative aimed at improving and standardising project delivery across all business units and locations of Exxaro - called Exxaro Wide project Management (EWPM).

“With such richness of expertise and depth of knowledge in the community, you'll be able to discover ways to take your project management success to the next level. By attending the conference, you'll have access to training and certification on Microsoft Project Professional 2010 and Microsoft Project Server 2010; customer evidence presented firsthand by satisfied users; and in market and applied best practices,” says Van der Colff.

Highlights over the three tracks include:

* Fifteen customer-led sessions, representing six verticals, where customers share personal success stories using Microsoft Project and Portfolio Management (PPM)
* Project desktop best practices for scheduling, programme management, earned value, and more.
* Project server best practices for demand management, portfolio analysis, resource management, time management, business intelligence, and more.
* Key solutions overviews and case studies for application life cycle management, innovation process management, product life cycle management, Dynamics AX integration, ERP integration, and more.
* Technical best practices for IT professionals and developers.

He says delegates can get hands-on Project 2010 training at the conference. “Whether you are currently using or looking to invest in Project 2010, the conference provides awesome computer-based and instructor-led training opportunities. On-site at the conference, delegates can begin their mastery of Project 2010 and make the most of their investment through Project Professional 2010 desktop training; Project Server 2010 computer-based training; and instructor-led training sessions.”

All organisations that have implemented Microsoft Project Server and want to take it to the next level, and organisations considering implementing Microsoft Project Server for the first time, are encouraged to attend the conference. Register for Microsoft Project Conference 2012 (www.msprojectconference.com) to be held in Phoenix, Arizona from 19 to 22 March.

For more information, contact UMT Consulting SA on (012) 345 3518 or info@umtsa.co.za or visit www.umtsa.co.za.

UMT Consulting SA

UMT Consulting SA is the largest project, programme and portfolio management solutions implementation partner in South Arica and has serviced more than a 100 of the country's leading organisations with its offerings. UMT Consulting SA recently concluded a BEE transaction, whereby the Notsi Group owns a 25% shareholding in the ordinary share capital of the company. The company is equipped with sound staff values, capacity to deliver on its promise, practical knowledge and it has a BEE partner that actively participates and contributes to the company's success.

UMT Project and Portfolio Management Services South Africa (UMT Consulting SA) was formed through the merger of Fulcrum Business Solutions, South Africa's leading provider of enterprise project management solutions, and UMT Portfolio Management SA, the leading portfolio management organisation.

Since 1989, both UMT and Fulcrum Business Solutions have pioneered the field of project and portfolio management and devised unique methodologies that, when combined with effective project management, enable an integrated link between strategy formulation and execution. UMT Consulting SA contributes to its clients' success by linking business and IT strategies to execution through day-to-day activities, leading to improved performance and tangible projects delivery results.

UMT Consulting SA's methodology, training, mentorship and coaching approach assists organisations successfully to deploy practical and essential project, programme and portfolio management processes, templates, systems and governance solutions across their multidisciplinary divisions or departments.

UMT Consulting SA solutions that consistently help its clients build capabilities that support effective business decision-making and enhance business delivery performance. Its objective is to assist its clients in ensuring the operational delivery of their strategy through effective project, programme and portfolio management.

UMT Consulting SA has achieved a Microsoft Gold Competency for Project and Portfolio management in the Microsoft Partner Network, the highest competency level obtainable through Microsoft, and was awarded Microsoft's Partner of the Year award in Project and Portfolio Management in October 2011.

According to UMT Consulting SA CEO Pieter Meyer, the time has passed to just improve on your delivery processes, but to introduce a new way of collaborating between team members, programme and project managers, senior managers and executives. “Organisations need to enable and revive their processes by introducing a responsibility, accountability, consult and inputs (RACI) formal governance framework to their projects environments and to use workflow that will manage the governance outputs. Role-based delivery management methods will become very important in any organisation to ensure return on investments in their project delivery space.”

Editorial contacts