Projectified

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call to action to help people and the planet—and projects aligned to those goals require strong collaboration with stakeholders, whether they’re government agencies, teachers or farmers. We discuss this with: 

Jenny Buccos, CEO of EXPLR and co-director of the National STEM Festival, New York City: Buccos discusses how she and her team worked with the U.S. Department of Education along with corporate and philanthropic partners to bring the National STEM Festival to life. She also talks about the skills she leaned on to build stronger relationships with partners, the festival’s future and how STEM can help make a big impact on UN SDGs. 

Simon Dyer, CEO, Virtual Irrigation Academy, Sunshine Coast, Australia: Dyer shares VIA’s history and how small-scale farmers, their communities and governments are using VIA’s tech and the data it generates to make informed irrigation decisions. He also talks about the importance of face-to-face conversations with stakeholders, cultivating partners within the communities projects are happening in, and his biggest lessons learned from collaborating with stakeholders. 

Key themes
[02:17] Bringing stakeholders together for the National STEM Festival
[07:18] Collaborating with partners without losing sight of a project’s goal
[08:42] Leaning on time management and stakeholder engagement to build partnerships
[13:25] How STEM can help teams achieve UN SDGs
[16:26] How farmers, communities and governments use VIA’s tech to make informed irrigation decisions
[22:09] The power of face-to-face interactions with stakeholders—and embracing community partners
[26:38] Lessons learned: Don’t assume your stakeholders’ pain points and don’t discount your stakeholders’ knowledge

Public and private organizations across the globe are taking action to reach net-zero emissions targets—investing heavily in new technology to build resilient and efficient energy systems. Guests discuss the push for cleaner energy, the tech their teams use to develop cleaner energy solutions and the skills project professionals need to lead these projects.

Key themes
[01:43] What’s behind the global push for a clean energy transition? 
[04:33] Using new tech and operational practices to reduce carbon emissions in oil and gas production
[10:57] The must-have skills to deliver tech-forward clean energy efficiency projects
[15:05] Tech that’s helping connect renewable energy sources to the grid 
[19:02] Executing a tech upgrade to a decades-old binational hydropower plant
[24:33] What’s next for a clean energy transition? Greater digitalization in the energy sector

Today’s creative agencies need to move rapidly, whether they’re executing campaigns, capitalizing on pop culture moments or averting a crisis. Project management helps channel that urgency into strong execution and buzz-worthy results. In a joint discussion, two project leaders at creative agencies discuss which project management skills help teams turn their ideas into reality and reveal how they overcame challenges in high-stakes projects, including a major localization and transcreation initiative and the marketing campaign for Hollywood blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

Key themes
[02:39] The role of project management at creative agencies
[07:05] The project management skills and domain expertise that help creative teams thrive
[11:05] Agile, predictive or hybrid: Picking the approach that’s right for a project
[17:10] How a project manager’s focus on risk identification and tailoring workflows helped a team stay on track
[19:42] How communication and collaboration helped Maximum Effort deliver Deadpool & Wolverine—and the film’s marketing plan
[21:41] Embracing flexibility and adaptability in creative project life cycles

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making one giant leap in the space industry. In celebration of World Space Week, we’re highlighting how project teams are tapping AI for space exploration and innovation. A project leader from the European Space Agency shares how his team created a “flying laboratory” so that other organizations from across the globe could experiment with new tech—including AI—in space. And NASA’s chief artificial intelligence officer shares how teams are using AI on projects and how the U.S. space agency is ensuring ethical, responsible AI use across teams.

Key themes
[02:29] Why ESA created a “flying laboratory,” the OPS-SAT Space Lab service [05:41] How to experiment with AI—and use it in the right projects
[11:27] Why the space industry views AI with heavy interest—and healthy skepticism
[14:32] What NASA’s chief artificial intelligence officer is focused on
[16:42] How the U.S. space agency is using AI on projects 
[22:04] How NASA ensures ethical, responsible AI use across teams
[26:58] How AI could transform space projects 

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally shifting how we work, but it’s imperative to use the emerging tech responsibly. Guests explore the major AI ethics concerns for project professionals and recommend good practices teams can employ to use and create ethical AI. They also share examples of how project teams handle AI ethics concerns—and how those concerns can impact companies’ regulatory compliance, reputation, risk management and even innovation.

Key themes
[03:34] Strategies to create—and implement—AI ethics practices on teams
[07:02] How a team handled ethics concerns of biased data
[11:44] Keeping your AI ethics policies flexible for the tech’s continued advancement
[14:01] AI ethics concerns project professionals are facing today
[15:47] How ethical AI impacts organizations’ regulatory compliance, innovation, risk management and even social responsibility
[18:20] Meta’s good practices for using or creating ethical AI
[22:57] What AI ethics training should include—and how often it should be updated

Conflict can occur on any project. And project professionals should know how to defuse it. Guests share tips for resolving conflicts on projects, how these strategies shift depending on the source, the must-have skills for effective conflict resolution and how project professionals can strengthen their conflict resolution capabilities.

Key themes
[01:06] Why conflict management is a must for successful project delivery
[04:43] Strategies to manage—and resolve—conflicts resolution on projects
[12:39] Why you should change up your strategies depending on who is in conflict
[15:55] Ways project professionals can boost their conflict resolution skills 
[21:51] Resolving a conflict with active listening, increased transparency and consistent communication 
[27:55] Conflict management strategies for in-person vs. remote team members
[29:54] Lessons learned: Understand different perspectives and listen with empathy

Mistakes happen. It’s how you respond that really matters. In a group discussion, three project professionals share how they turned failure into lessons learned and career maturity. How do you help team members overcome mistakes? And how can project leaders create a culture that accepts mistakes—and spins them into opportunities for greater efficiency and innovation?

Key themes
[01:58] What is failure—and how has your view of it changed throughout your career? 
[07:31] Project professionals share their mistakes—and the biggest lessons learned from them
[17:29] How failure can fuel innovation and efficiency
[22:06] Ways to create a team culture that accepts mistakes with accountability
[31:08] Tips on how to bounce back—and grow—from failure

The agriculture industry will need to feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050. To meet this demand, project teams are transforming production—finding climate-friendly ways to maximize yields. Guests share how they’re helping agriculture giants like Cargill reduce carbon emissions through supply chain operations and farming practices. Plus, how indoor farms are delivering fresh produce year-round in Dubai’s desert climate.

Key themes

[01:06] What’s spurring innovations in agriculture 
[04:51] Helping food and ag giant Cargill decarbonize, implement regenerative agriculture practices
[09:50] Building buy-in for change when stakeholders have long-held processes
[11:37] Tips for managing a project with diverse stakeholder groups
[14:24] Growing fresh produce consistently in an arid, desert climate
[17:33] Sensors, internet of thing, the cloud: The tech behind sustainable indoor farming
[19:51] Collaborating with partners to scale up—and share success

Project teams behind the biggest events must manage stakeholders and resources to deliver thrilling experiences. But there’s a growing focus on sustainability, too—making sure events mitigate negative impacts on the planet. We speak with project leaders making two major spectacles—the Paris Olympics and Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—more sustainable.

Key themes
[02:45] The Olympic and Paralympic Games’ growing focus on sustainability
[05:57] Using temporary infrastructure at the Paris Olympics
[15:03] How others can maximize sustainability in their projects
[17:41] Building buy-in for sustainability initiatives in the events sector
[21:59] Making the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix better for the planet—and fans
[26:11] Managing stakeholders while keeping sustainability at the forefront
[28:00] Ways to measure the success of sustainability-focused projects

A strong innovation culture can transform organizations—seeding a first-mover mindset that empowers teams to discover whole new ways of thinking. Guests discuss strategies to develop mindsets and create spaces where team members feel comfortable to explore, the project management office’s growing role to nurture new ideas, and how to ensure innovation initiatives drive real value.

Key themes
[02:07] The PMO’s role in fostering a culture of innovation
[03:46] Strategies to drive innovation within project teams
[08:29] Practices to avoid: What can hinder an innovation culture 
[10:30] Advice for PMO leaders on how to encourage innovation
[12:00] How an innovation culture brings big benefits to organizations
[21:09] Ways to create psychologically safe spaces for faster innovation
[28:09] Must-have skills for a culture of innovation