I have once again been selected to speak at the ProjectWorld conference, put on by the fantastic conference organizers at the Institute for International Research(IIR)!!!

This time, it will be at the 2008 ProjectWorld/World Congress for Business Analysts Regional Conference in San Diego from June 24th through the 27th at the prestigious Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.

Here is an abstract of my presentation:

Integrating Innovation Strategy and Project Portfolio Management

Innovation is the successful implementation of an idea.  Project management is the consistent process set for delivering projects that solve a problem. The two logically and strategically align themselves, but most organizations do not make the connection. This presentation "connects the dots" between innovation strategy and project portfolio management by:

• Designing and managing your innovation/idea pipeline
• Integrating innovation and project management techniques
• Establishing project portfolio management processes
• Ensuring project portfolios align to business strategy
• Measuring and managing the "mix" of incremental projects and breakthrough projects

As a Project Management Professional (PMP), it has been my career goal to change problems into solutions through an orderly set of management processes.  My experience has mostly been with complex information technology hardware and infrastructure projects, although I have honestly lost track of the number of process improvement, strategic, people-change management and other types of projects I have managed over the past 15 years.

As my passion for creative problem solving and innovation was set ablaze, it was logical for me to apply my formal education in project, program and portfolio management to this new set of problems.  What is amazing to me, is that it seems most organizations don't make the same logical connection.  They attempt to manage their ideas and innovation systems as "one-offs" or special events, when they should be managed as an orderly set of processes.

Each step along the overall process requires management of a set of tasks, resource availability/time, issues and risks, decision points, etc.  In essence, project/program/portfolio management skills.  If you have ever worked with a good project manager, you know that they are worth their weight in gold.

Now, when we marry the skills of a project manager with the skills of an idea generator, we have the ingredients for successful innovation.  A dreamer...matched with a doer.  Additionally, when we match the discipline of project management with the free-wheeling excitement of idea generation, we have increased the odds of innovative success.  Unbridled enthusiasm...matched with a set of tasks leading to an end.

Those organizations who already have successful project management programs in place are miles ahead when it comes to matching their innovation efforts to an Innovation Portfolio Management Program.  There are a number of things to consider, however, when establishing an Innovation Portfolio Management Program and this presentation will explore each of the key attributes in detail.

You can download a copy of the conference brochure HERE.

For those interested in attending, there is usually a speaker discount provided that I can pass along to a select number of people.  Please let me know if you'd like to take advantage of this discount and I'll find out how many discounts I can offer!