The Project Chatter Podcast

In this week’s pod, we welcomed Dr Alan Barnard to discuss the theory of constraints & decision-making. Dr. Alan Barnard is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, strategy advisor, research scientist, app developer, author, coach, lecturer, podcaster, and lifelong learner. Alan is considered one of the world’s leading Decision Scientists and Theory of Constraints experts. Alan is the CEO of Goldratt Research Labs, which he co-founded in 2009 with Dr. Eli Goldratt, author of THE GOAL, creator of Theory of Constraints and Critical Chain Project Management. Dr. Alan's research focuses on understanding why good people make, and often repeat bad decisions, and how best to avoid these. From this research, Alan and his team at Goldratt Research Labs have developed a range of award-winning Decision Support Apps that help organizations and individuals make better faster decisions when it really matters. Their clients include Fortune 500 companies, Government Agencies, and people from over 70 countries that are using their apps to make difficult life and business decisions. The main topics we discussed on the podcast were as follows: There is a massive amount of invisible simplicity on major projects How do you decide on a goal if you do not know what resources will limit you reaching that goal? Many people become successful due to factors outside their control such as luck and good genes, however almost all successful people make good decision and are hard working, which is in their control To create a stable system, have a single constraint that doesn’t move Projects are always looking for the inherent but invisible simplicity. Critical path methodology enabled projects to simplify how they represent project delivery, however this usually ignores resource and capacity constraints Many people are better at estimating work durations in big chunks rather than at a lower level / individual task based detail Hard to quantify capacity, availability and capability of resources in a project plan. The easiest thing to track is whether a project is waiting for resource The main planning mistake is to ignore capacity when making commitments and launch too many projects at the same time AI is better suited to production environments where there is repetitive information A key skill of a manager is the ability to keep the team “in flow” Here are links to some of the topics we discussed: Flow Theory: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/flow-theory Impossible Unless: https://www.impossibleunless.com/special-copy-registration Project Portfolio Digital Twin: https://www.projectdigitaltwin.com/sale1648625245366 Goldratt Research Labs: www.goldrattresearchlabs.com Harmony Apps: https://harmonyapps.com/ Dr Alan Barnard Website: www.dralanbarnard.com Critical Chain - Eliyahu Goldratt: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Critical-Chain-Business-Eliyahu-Goldratt/dp/0566080389 How to Improve Work Flow in any Environment - keynote by Dr. Alan Barnard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AkrjO55VBQ&feature=youtu.be Join us next week when we speak to Paul Waskett to discuss Project Controls in design and engineering stages For more information, blogs or to support our charities visit www.projectchatterpodcast.com 

If you'd like to sponsor the podcast get in touch via our website. You can also leave us a voice message via our anchor page and let us know if there's something or someone specific that you would like on the podcast. 

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In this week’s pod, we welcomed Rita Arrigo to discuss AI in Infrastructure and how it is going to change our cities.As a natural storyteller excited by the opportunities the tech world brings, Rita can translate complex technical ideas across the ‘IT divide’ to those less tech-minded, an enthusiastic advocate and sought-after speaker for many years on all thing's innovation and digital.The main topics we discussed on the podcast were as follows:

Here are links to some of the topics we discussed:

Join us in two weeks when we speak to Dr Alan Barnard to discuss the theory of constraints & decision-makingFor more information, blogs or to support our charities visit www.projectchatterpodcast.comIf you'd like to sponsor the podcast get in touch via our website.You can also leave us a voice message via our anchor page and let us know if there's something or someone specific that you would like on the podcast.Proudly sponsored by:

In this episode Val and special co-host Joseph Ballouz talk about connecting and shaping cities with bike and placemaking enthusiast Chris Bruntlett.

Chris Bruntlett is Marketing and Communication Manager at the Dutch Cycling Embassy, a public-private partnership that represents the best knowledge, experience, and experts from the Netherlands. As a long-time campaigner in Vancouver, he fell in love with Dutch bike culture in 2016, inspiring him to co-author the book, “Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality”. Chris uses his knowledge and passion to share practical lessons for global cities wishing to follow their footsteps, and become better places to live, work, and—of course—cycle. His latest book is “Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in our Lives”.

You can reach out to Chris and the Dutch Cycling Embassy below;

website: http://www.modacitylife.com/

Available books: http://www.modacitylife.com/books

Dutch Cycling Embassy: https://dutchcycling.nl/

Chris Bruntlett's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbruntlett/

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In this week’s pod, we welcomed Will Woodhead to discuss unlocking productivity from the hardhat movement. Will is an engineer by trade who has spent nearly his entire career to date working overseas. At age 21 he was sent to Dalian in northern China for a year by his employer to work on a floating production platform. We Will then move to a further 7 different countries in Asia and West Africa working on the design, construction and offshore installation of oil & gas facilities. During this time Will went back to University in Shanghai, and learnt to speak, read and write Mandarin.

Here are links to some of the topics we discussed:

In this episode, we welcome Colin D Ellis in a special episode titled Culture, Whisky and Whine!  

Colin D Ellis is an award-winning international speaker, four-time best-selling author and much sought after workplace culture and project management expert who works with organisations around the world to help them transform the way they get things done. He is originally from Liverpool in the UK, but now lives with his family in Melbourne, Australia. You can find out more about Colin at www.colindellis.com  

Colin shares his thoughts on where organisations get it wrong (& right) when it comes to setting culture and also what individuals can do. He talks about how to be courageous and how we need more "windfarms" instead of "oil tankers".  

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#ProjectManagement #PMO #ProjectControls #Leadership #Culture #ProjectCertifications

In this episode Dale and Val discuss with Ian Heptinstall the Alliance contract model and or why it can be used more successfully with a provision of openness, collaboration and behaviours across all sides. In addition we discussed the value of the Critical Chain Method and how Theory of Constraints among other methods enable a more successful project plan. 

Ian Heptinstall is Associate Professor of Project Management at the University of Birmingham in the UK, and lead tutor on the MSc in Industrial Project Management, whose students are working project managers studying part-time by distance learning.

Before moving to academia in 2019, he spent 35-years in project management, procurement, and supply chain management roles.

He has managed projects in the process industry as both project owner and a supplier. He was Supply Chain Director for a construction company in the UK, and after that he spent seven years working all over the world as a supply chain & procurement coach and trainer.

Ian's interest is in capital and construction projects, with a particular passion for systems thinking and collaborative procurement.

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In this episode, Val caught up with a passionate and dedicated storyteller. The value of stories on projects is immense. As data and technology service the digital position, we still require the breadth, depth and understanding of storytellers, managers and people on the ground to explain and narrate the changes and forces that deliver projects that matter. 

Susan is a documentary filmmaker and a creative qualitative data specialist. Her inquisitive and intuitive nature is central to her ability to capture meaningful stories for a greater purpose.

Susan is the founder of The Story Catchers - Stories for Purpose.

Together with Nerissa Walton Story Cathers Evaluation Specialist, we co-created a methodology that uses film and community participatory approaches in monitoring, evaluation, and social impact measurement.

Film presents evidence in a way that a written story cannot do. Our methodology supports communities to tell and share their stories. This helps to eliminate situations where project staff tell their versions on behalf of communities. Numbers aren’t enough to fully understand community conditions of well-being, or quantitatively assess certain aspects of well-being. For example, in measuring human emotion and perception; we need stories to do this!

Our methodology enhances the individual and collective voice, including the silent and unheard voices that are often sidelined. The methodology empowers communities to actively co-create and evaluate their own projects and programs. We have been using our methodology for close to a decade and we have refined our processes. We know it is an effective tool in the evaluation and reporting process.

Using our methodology for evaluation and impact measurement can help create positive systemic, sustainable change in the organisation and communities that we work with.

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In this episode, Dale is joined by Marco Frisenda and Jo Lucas as guest hosts to speak with Steve Wake and some of the presenters from EVA27 about Project Performance in Turbulent Times!

You'll hear from..

...who provide a wide-ranging collection of thought-leadership in everything from leadership, lessons learned, gamification of risk, training project controls professionals, the future of projects and much much more!

EVA is an intimate conference which takes place at the Armourers Hall in London. Nestled in the heart of London the Armourers' Hall is the home of The Armourers & Brasiers' Company. The Company was founded in 1322 as the guild overseeing the production of armour. It now exists primarily for charitable purposes.

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In this week’s pod, we welcomed Chirag Shah to discuss the post-pandemic Project Controls job market.Chirag is a passionate Project Controls Recruitment Expert. His mission is to deliver clients the best quality Project Controls and PMO professionals, who are trusted to bring projects in on time and within budget.Chirag does this by digging that little bit deeper, to understand the client's story and what they are trying to achieve. He has more than 17 year's recruitment experience, having built an extensive network and is a trusted advisor.Most recently, Chirag has been moving the project community forward through LinkedIn and by bringing people together through networking events. He is the London Ambassador for the Project Connect Group and is promoting other leading industry events such as Project Controls Expo

For more information, blogs or to support our charities visit www.projectchatterpodcast.comIf you'd like to sponsor the podcast get in touch via our website.You can also leave us a voice message via our anchor page and let us know if there's something or someone specific that you would like on the podcast.Proudly sponsored by: