11 July 2019: The uncertainty of Brexit is a concern for over 60% of project managers in Northern Ireland compared to 39% in the Republic, according to a new cross border survey. The majority said that Brexit will have a negative impact on their organisation — 87% in the Republic and 79% in Northern Ireland.

The survey was conducted by an all-island working group to address Brexit, which includes the Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI), the largest professional organisation for project managers in Ireland, and the PMI Northern Ireland Committee. 

The PMI Brexit Cross Border Working Group’s first cross border survey revealed that while over 50% of project managers in Northern Ireland stated their economy is not prepared for the impact of Brexit, just 25% said the same in the Republic.

Of the sectors that will be most impacted by Brexit, project managers in Northern Ireland noted Transport (39%), Government (26%), and Agri-foods (21%). In the Republic, it was Agri-foods (63%), Transport (26%), Government (11%).

Co-chair of the PMI Brexit Cross Border Working Group, Peter Glynne stated: "Brexit is all about large-scale change and our research highlights the impact of current uncertainty on organisations across the island of Ireland. 

“In the Republic of Ireland, our research indicates that 39% of project managers are concerned about the uncertainty whilst in Northern Ireland the figure is higher at 61%. This highlights the importance of agile leadership, not only to successfully plan and manage Brexit related change, but also readiness to respond to a rapidly changing political and economic landscape." 

The survey revealed that Corporate Risk Management and Detailed Impact Analysis are the top two activities being undertaken by organisations both north and south of the border to manage Brexit.

The establishment of the PMI Brexit Cross Border Working Group last year was put in place to make recommendations on how to navigate Brexit. The deadline for the UK’s formal exit from the European Union has been extended to October 31. 

Ireland’s most influential project sought for National Project Awards 

Special anniversary award to mark 50 years of PMI

29 May 2019: Ireland’s most influential project from the past 50 years is to be recognised as part of the 2019 Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) annual National Project Awards in association with PwC. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of PMI globally this year, the Irish Chapter is now seeking nominations at www.projectawards.ie for projects that have made the greatest impact in Ireland over the past five decades. The winner of the Ireland’s Jubilee Project Award will be revealed at a black-tie ceremony on 14 November 2019 in the Dublin offices of PwC.

Along with the special anniversary award, there are seven categories also open in the prestigious National Project Awards, recognising the country’s forward-thinking project managers and teams, and their innovative projects. The nominations deadline for Ireland’s Jubilee Project Award and all other categories is 6 September 2019.

Speaking on the 2019 Awards, Pat Lucey, Ireland Chapter of PMI President said: “We celebrate the PMI’s 50th golden anniversary with recognition of the country’s ‘golden’ projects, from infrastructure to social change; technology to the arts. To be considered for Ireland’s Jubilee Project Award, these projects need to have delivered real benefits, enhanced the lives of people living in Ireland, or delivered a major positive impact. There are just two requirements — that the project was implemented in Ireland and delivered over the past 50 years.

“It is simple to enter — just visit www.projectawards.ie and name the project you want to nominate, along with one sentence on why it is deserving of the award. A top 10 list will be selected by the Ireland Chapter of PMI leadership, to be voted on by all associates of the Chapter. The project with the most votes will win.”

The other seven categories for the National Project Awards are Project Professional of the Year, PMO of the Year, Private Sector Project of the Year (both Irish and Multinational), Public Sector Project of the Year, and Project Management for Social Good (both Corporate and Community).

Mr Lucey added: “The National Project Awards celebrate the country’s very best project professionals with last year’s winners including AIB, ESB IT Services, Revenue Commissioners, Cork Airport and Tour de Munster Charity Cycle. The awards are a showcase of what can be achieved when effective and efficient project management is implemented across the business sectors.”

Féilim Harvey, Partner in PwC heading up their Portfolio and Programme Management Practice in Ireland, said: “PwC is delighted to continue its partnership as headline sponsor of the National Project Awards. Excellence in project management in Ireland needs to be celebrated, and the awards recognise those excelling in the discipline, and are setting the standard for future projects in Ireland.”

For full details on the National Project Awards, see projectawards.ie.

“In my role as President of the Ireland Chapter PMI, I spend a lot of time trying to promote the power of Project Management – a topic I feel really passionate about.

When I first got involved with the PMI I was not familiar with their quote “Good Things Happen When You Get Involved with PMI” but now I think that quote should be upgraded from ‘Good’ to ‘Great’.

Over the past few days, the PMI brought their Leadership Institute Meeting to Dublin, where the Ireland Chapter was proud to host almost 400 people from over 70 countries.  These are people with serious passion for Project Management and a common interest to lead the sharing of that passion in their countries.

What is it that drives so many people?  It is because of a love for a particular PM methodology, tool, or book?  No - it is because we feel part of a family. 

I think the relationship we have with our PMI colleagues from around the world is like the relationship that we have with our favourite aunts and uncles. They are family, we have an instant connection, we have fun. And since we don’t have to live or work together 24/7, it’s not a parent/child relationship where we might get into arguments about the minutiae of daily life.  When we get together it’s like a celebratory family gathering.

And fun happens. As the Irish Chapter, we were keen to deliver an experience that would be remembered, and with the collection of Irish drummers, dancers and musicians, and the impromptu singing sessions, I am happy that people got to experience exactly what the Irish word for ‘fun’ feels like – it was great ‘craic’.

Special thanks to all the volunteers and leadership of the Ireland Chapter for their efforts through the planning and execution of this event.  You know who you are.

Finally, even though Irish people are not great at accepting compliments, I want to acknowledge the kindness of so many participants who took time to thank the Ireland Chapter members for hosting such a great event.  We are secretly delighted to get such compliments. Sláinte to everyone!”

Pat Lucey -

President of the Ireland Chapter PMI

The Ireland Chapter of PMI 2019 National Conference  hashtag#FromIdeaToReality hashtag#PMI2019IRL was a resounding success.  Over 300 Project Management Professionals descended on Fota Island Resort in Cork which was the venue for this year’s conference.  We had a pre-conference networking dinner the evening before the conference with Barry Murphy as the after-dinner speaker and this set us up very nicely for the following day as apart from the comedy and ‘interactive’ exercises the setting gave us ideal time to network with delegates in advance of the conference.  Barry was also the MC for the day of the conference and his wit, professionalism, attention to the PM audience and interactive exercises keep us all engaged throughout the day – while he might be known as part of the ‘Apres Match’ gang his talents spread much further than this and I couldn’t recommend him enough to front any event.

Anyway, back to the conference – on the day the guest speakers were truly excellent – we even had James R Snyder speaking to us (original co-founder of PMI - Project Management Institute;). An engaging slot was the workshop with Walter Bradley of Dale Carnegie Ireland with tips on how to agreeable disagree incorporating live ‘role plays’ to  ‘test out’ the concepts.  Yvonne O’Byrne of  Irish Hockey brought us through a remarkable journey of the Irish Hockey team going into the world initial ranked 16^th and reaching the final to win a silver medal. 

The keynote speaker was Dermot Bannon and his presentation on driving change through creativity and disruptive thinking gave great insight to the use of Agile as part of the creative process in Architecture – not to mention some insights to the projects that Dermot has and is involved with (no trade secrets mind you!).

It would be remiss of me not to mention the other speakers  - the panel discussion led by Eimear Bourke (née Dunne), with our headline sponsor EY. Further speakers included Aoibheann O'Brien of FoodCloud; Daniel Curran of AID:Tech and Christine Barrett of Microsoft .

All in all, it was truly a fabulous conference and I was delighted to be part of it.  For those of you that missed it – here are a few photos – they do say a picture paints a thousand words – but in this case it will only give you a glimpse of what you missed out on.

 https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5ezruw01b4oyhlh/AAD03zzk3E_V6IsV-3JE6W1Fa?dl=0

Finally, a big shout out to all the sponsors EY, Microsoft, University of Limerick, Grant Thornton, Cork Institute of Technology, Alpha Wealth, Auxilion, Cora, Musgrave, Aspira and Progressive you helped make a really great event. 

Congrats to all involved.

Jackie Fagan

Professional Development Director

Ireland Chapter of PMI

Ireland’s largest annual conference for project managers is coming to Cork on 28 February, and places are filling up quickly. This year’s theme is ‘From Idea to Reality’, and attendees are set to hear from leading experts in the industry along with well-known Irish and international figures who are making waves in their respective fields. With tickets available for both members and non-members, we have outlined five reasons why you should consider attending this year’s conference.

1. Project management is on the rise

The PMI’s Job Growth and Talent Gap in Project Management 2017 - 2027 report highlights the demand for individuals with project management skills in the next decade. With an expected 87.7 million project management professionals needed by 2027 in industries such as oil, business services, manufacturing and information services, it is within your organisation’s best interests to get a head start on keeping up with the latest trends.

2. Learn from the best

We have sourced industry leaders who have successfully utilised project management skills to turn their ideas into reality. Featuring architect, Dermot Bannon, FoodCloud co-founder, Aoibheann O’ Brien and international hockey star and World Cup silver medal winner, Yvonne O’ Byrne, among others.

3. It’s more than just motivational speeches

You will have plenty of opportunity to exercise your project management knowledge at Managing Director of Dale Carnegie Ireland, Walter Bradley’s workshop on How to Agreeably Disagree and have the chance to pick the brain of PMI founder, Jim Snyder, at his Q&A session.

4. Five star approval

We are proud to be sponsored by industry leading organisations. Headline sponsors are EY and Microsoft, with current sponsors Grant Thornton, Cora Systems, Aspira, Cork Institute of Technology, Alpha Wealth, Progressive Financial Services, and University of Limerick ensuring that you are in great company at all times.

5. Participate in a historic moment

For the first time our history, the conference will be held outside of Dublin. We are excited to expand the conference Leeside this year, sharing the ideas of some of the leading names in business.

To purchase your tickets, see HERE

Ireland Chapter of PMI’s conference to generate over half a million euro for the local economy

9 January 2019: Ireland’s largest annual conference for project managers is to be held in Cork for the first time in February. Over 300 delegates from across the country will attend the Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) national conference at Fota Island Resort, Cork on 28 February, where TV architect Dermot Bannon will deliver a keynote address. It is the first time that this prestigious event, with headline sponsors EY and Microsoft, will be held outside Dublin, generating over half a million euro for the local Cork economy.

Early bird tickets for the conference, to be attended by some of the country’s eminent project leaders, are priced at €145 (Ireland Chapter PMI members) and €195 (non-members) at projectireland.ie.

Speaking on the launch of the conference, President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI, Pat Lucey said: “The 2019 conference, themed From Idea to Reality, will provide a unique opportunity to explore how project management is utilised to deliver projects from conception to completion.”

Announced today, keynote speaker Dermot Bannon will discuss how to successfully communicate disruptive ideas to project stakeholders. Further guest speakers include co-founder of FoodCloud, Aoibheann O'Brien, who set up the Dublin-based social enterprise, connecting food businesses with surplus food to nearby charities through technology. 

Yvonne O'Byrne, Ireland international hockey star, will speak on securing a World Cup silver medal, and Danny Curran, director of growth at Aid:Tech, will discuss how the Dublin-headquartered start-up developed blockchain technology for the distribution of international aid in refugee camps.

Managing Director of Dale Carnegie Ireland, Walter Bradley, will give a workshop on ‘How to Agreeably Disagree’. There will also be a talk and Q&A with Jim Snyder, who in 1969 was one of the original five founders of the global PMI. Further speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Mr Lucey added: “The Ireland Chapter of PMI is the largest professional organisation for project managers in Ireland with over 1,400 members. We strive to provide access to valuable knowledge, networks and resources that will be integral to project success.

“The national conference is an opportunity for project management professionals across IT, public sector, construction, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing to gain insight from leading experts in the industry along with well-known Irish and international figures who are making waves in their respective fields. All our speakers have used key project management skills to deliver their ideas into reality, whether it is designing state-of-the-art homes, winning a World Cup medal or utilising disruptive technologies to achieve results.”

Headline sponsors for the Ireland Chapter of PMI’s national conference are EY and Microsoft, with current sponsors Grant Thornton, Cora Systems, Aspira, Cork Institute of Technology, and Alpha Wealth.

There are currently over 50,000 employed in project management across Ireland, in sectors such as IT, public sector, construction, pharmaceuticals, professional services, financial services and manufacturing. 

Winners of the National Project Awards 2018 announced

• Project Professional of the Year 2018 (sponsored by PwC)  — Declan Rundle, AIB
• PMO of the Year 2018 (sponsored by Datalex)— ESB IT Services
• Public Sector Project of the Year 2018 (sponsored by IPA) — Revenue Commissioners, Customer Engagement Strategy 
• Private Sector Project of the Year 2018 (sponsored by Aspira) — AIB, GDPR Programme
• Social Good – Community 2018 (sponsored by the Ireland Chapter of PMI) — Tour de Munster, Charity Cycle
• Social Good – Corporate 2018 (sponsored by AIB) — Cork Airport, Charity of the Year programme
• Distinguished Contribution to Project Management 2018 (sponsored by CORA Systems) — Ed Naughton, Institute of Project Management 

30 November 2018: The Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI) has announced the winners of the 2018 National Project Awards, sponsored by PwC. 

Declan Rundle, Head of Enterprise Change in AIB, won Project Professional of the Year at a gala dinner last night hosted by principal sponsor PwC. He was acknowledged for his role in reinvigorating the bank’s Change Governance and Project Management, which contributed to AIB’s Initial Public Offering (IPO), Europe’s largest in 2017.

Project Management Office of the Year was awarded to ESB IT Services while Revenue Commissioners won Public Sector Project of the Year for its Customer Engagement Strategy. Private Sector Project of the Year went to AIB for its GDPR Programme.

Cork Airport was recognised for its Charity of the Year programme, winning the Social Good – Corporate category. The winner of the Social Good – Community category was the Tour de Munster Charity Cycle. 

Ed Naughton, Director General of the Institute of Project Management and former Vice President of the IPMA (International Project Management Association), won Distinguished Contribution to Project Management for his successful career, working to promote excellence in project management and education.

Speaking about the winners, President, Ireland Chapter of PMI, Pat Lucey said: “The National Project Awards celebrate the very best of project management, at a time when demand for project managers has never been higher, due to a turbulent global economy exacerbated in Ireland by Brexit.

“By 2027, the Project Management Institute expects that employers around the world will need nearly 88 million project managers. The quality and range of this year’s entries showcase why project management is so vital to delivering successful projects across all sectors in Irish commercial life.”

Mr Lucey added: “We would like to thank our judging panel who diligently reviewed each entry and selected those who, in their view, exemplify project management excellence in Ireland. A special thank you also to our valued sponsors for their continued support.”

The National Project Awards recognise and honour individuals, project teams and organisations that have excelled within the project management discipline. The black-tie event took place at Spencer Dock, Dublin 1 and was compered by Newstalk Business Editor Vincent Wall.

Féilim Harvey, Partner in PwC heading up their Portfolio and Programme Management Practice in Ireland, said: “Project management has become one of the fastest growing and in demand careers in Ireland. We are delighted to host the National Project Awards once again, honouring those individuals, projects, and teams who have used strong project management skills to positively impact their organisations.”

The National Project Awards 2018 is proudly supported by principal sponsor PwC, along with AIB, Aspira, CORA Systems, Datalex, Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Ireland Chapter of PMI. 

1 November 2018: The Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute (PMI) has found Irish companies are increasingly harnessing new technologies to deliver large-scale projects, as it announces the National Project Awards 2018 shortlist. Winners of the six categories will be revealed at a gala dinner in the Dublin offices of principal sponsor PwC on 29 November.  

The National Project Awards recognise and honour individuals, project teams and organisations that have excelled within the project management discipline. Submissions this year were up 38% compared to 2017.

Commenting on the calibre of projects submitted, Pat Lucey, President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI, stated: “We were hugely impressed with how project teams nationwide have embraced new tools available to them. These ranged from digitising previously paper-based processes to creating new client portals, as well as adapting to how the Internet of Things will change customer behaviour.

“The successful outcomes of the shortlisted projects are testament to the disruptive impact of combining world-class project management skills with innovative technologies.”

Féilim Harvey, Partner in PwC heading up their Portfolio and Programme Management Practice in Ireland, added: “While the projects themselves were varied, a clear theme of excellence in project delivery was evident in all submissions. The project team and leads all clearly shared the same commitment to project management best practice and demonstrated the significant value of using these approaches in achieving their respective project outcomes.

“I have been truly impressed by the calibre of the submissions this year which are at the pinnacle of project excellence and a testament to what can be achieved by project management leaders. We look forward to welcoming the finalists in November to celebrate their project delivery successes at PwC.”

The 2018 shortlist is as follows:

Project Professional of the Year (sponsored by PwC)

·       Mike Byrne, Laya Healthcare

·       Declan Rundle, AIB

·       Gary Stack, Stryker Ireland

PMO of the Year (sponsored by Datalex)

·       Fáilte Ireland

·       IT Services, ESB

·       Stryker Ireland

Public Sector Project of the Year (sponsored by IPA)

·       Customer Engagement Strategy, Revenue Commissioners

·       National Childcare Information System (NCCIS),  Tusla

·       The National Disinfection Project, Irish Water

Private Sector Project of the Year (sponsored by Aspira)

·       Mortgage Customer Experience, AIB

·       Project Oath Demand Side Platform (TITAN), Oath

·       The GDPR Programme, AIB

Social Good - Community (sponsored by Ireland Chapter of PMI)

·       ‘Time to Move On’ Project, St Joseph’s House

·       Tour de Munster Charity Cycle

·       Motor Neurone Disease awareness, Walk While You Can

Social Good - Corporate (sponsored by AIB)

·       Brighter Communities Worldwide, Aspira

·       Charity of the Year, Cork Airport

·       ‘It’s About People’ CSR,  Technically Write IT

The National Project Awards also recognise the Distinguished Contribution to Project Management, sponsored by CORA Systems, which will be announced on the night.

Mr Lucey added: “The value of project management is evident across projects in the public sector, the private sector and voluntary/communities bodies. There is no organisation, no matter how big or small, that cannot benefit from adoption of good project management.”

The independent judging panel for the awards comprises of nine leading experts drawn from public and private sectors. The independent verifier for the judging process is Matheson, one of Ireland’s leading law firms. 

For full details on the National Project Awards, visit projectawards.ie

I’m really excited about the announcement of the finalists for the National Project Awards. Organised by the Ireland Chapter PMI with headline sponsor PwC, the finalists will be announced on 30 October 2018. Last year we saw some of our award winners go on to achieve international acclaim at the global awards (read more here) and this year there has been a 50% increase in applications, driving the standard even higher. Sometimes companies are asked to enter industry awards, where they are pretty much guaranteed to win something if they buy a table at the awards event! Those awards are pretty meaningless in my opinion, but to be nominated for a National Project Award, and then to be shortlisted by a panel of independent industry experts as one of the top 3 in the country – that means something. The winners are chosen by a second, independent, impartial panel with huge credibility across the public and private sector. The entire judging process oversight provided by Matheson. For any finalists – and winners – of these awards, they should take immense pride in their achievement. Special thanks go to our sponsors too. The National Project Awards are free to enter and are not a commercial exercise. The Ireland Chapter PMI is able to run the awards thanks to the fantastic backing from PwC and from the individual award category sponsors – AIB, Aspira, Cora Systems, Datalex, IPA. These are the organizations that demonstrate their real commitment to developing the profession of Project Management, and allow us to host the most glamourous PM event of the year, a black-tie dinner which takes place on 29 November 2018, at PwC offices in Dublin.

Pat Lucey, Ireland Chapter PMI President

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has been awarded a prestigious Global PMI Award for Project Excellence for their National Emergency Programme.

The RCSI team was put forward for the global award after winning at the Ireland Chapter of PMI National Project Awards last year in the Private Sector Project of the Year category.

Congratulating the RCSI team on their win at the 2018 PMI Global Conference in Los Angeles last week, Pat Lucey, Ireland Chapter of PMI President said: “The global awards recognise exceptional projects making positive impacts. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was a worthy winner at our awards last November, and for them to go on and win globally is a fantastic achievement.”

The RCSI project team developed an innovative multi-faceted system to manage the National Training Programme for emergency medicine trainings, from the point of application entry through to clinical rotation and assessment.

In Ireland, it launched an online portal in 2017, allowing trainers to visually track physicians’ progress across 36 key medical competencies, and offer targeted guidance if necessary. User-testing and real-time simulations helped the project team achieve trainer buy-in. The team closed the project on time and on budget and within months, 100% of the trainers were using the new system.

Watch the team discuss the award-wining project here.

This year’s National Project Awards finalists will be announced on 30 October 2018. The awards, sponsored by PwC, recognise and honour individuals, project teams and organisations that have excelled within the project management discipline. They take place at the offices of PwC, Spencer Dock, Dublin 1 on 29 November.