Main Content

Project Management
for Globalization Professionals

Instructor: Sandy McKethan

09:00 - 17:00 : Thursday, December 11 - Friday, December 12

Overview

Globalization project management is not a black art. But it might as well be, given the level of misunderstanding often associated with it.

Project managers in this space are often left to make their own way, ill-equipped to meet external challenges from tight, shifting schedules, scope creep, inflexible budgets, and unrealistic customer expectations.

Internal challenges can be equally daunting. These typically include lack of process awareness and support on the part of development, sales, and management.

This workshop provides practical helps to equip the project manager how to not just survive, but to productively assume greater control over projects. Software developers and service provider managers will likewise come away with practical insights on empowering their project managers for better results.

Case study inductive analysis will be used to impart practical project management principles through an interactive approach. Team exercises will provide synthesis with the individual’s own experience to the benefit of other participants.

Areas of focus include the following project management disciplines:

  • Expectation management
  • Communication management
  • Scope management
  • Defining deliverables
  • Realistic milestones
  • Change management
  • Risk management
  • Earned Value Analysis
  • Lessons Learned

The presenters draw on their many years of combined experience in virtually every facet of the business: translation, localization and internationalization, as well as project management. In addition, each has experience in freelance, SME and large corporate environments.

Who will benefit from this workshop and why?

Anyone interested in surviving, supporting, and improving project management in the fast-paced world of software SimShip.

In particular, service providers will benefit both in terms of internal operations and interactions with their software developer customers.

Globalization project managers interested in

  • Empowerment through professional skill improvement.
  • Introducing greater control and consistency over projects.
  • Improving interrelationships amongst project stakeholders.
  • Increasing buy-in from customers and management.
  • Controlling project churn.

Service provider managers interested in

  • Increasing understanding of the high-pressure business of software G11N project management.
  • Improving project planning.
  • Taking project management resource optimization to a new level.
  • Improving management of customer expectations.

Product development managers interested in

  • Collaborating with G11N vendors to plan realistic SimShip release schedules, budgets, scopes.
  • Leveraging relationships with internal or vendor project managers.

Agenda

Day 1

09:00 - 09:30 Welcome and Introduction

  • Who's who?
  • Participant expectations
  • Workshop overview

09:30 - 10:15 Case Study, Part 1: the project as plan

This unit begins analysis of a case study from the standpoint of the project as planned. Analysis centers around the familiar triple constraints of:

  • Scope
  • Schedule
  • Budget

10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:00 Case Study, Part 2: the project as reality

This unit continues analysis of the case study from the standpoint of impacts to plan by external and internal challenges. The triple constraints continue to shape the study.

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch

13:00 - 15:00 Case Study, Part 3: Lessons through induction

This unit recaps the case study using the inductive analysis to extract key lessons learned.

15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break

15:30 - 16:30 Case Study, Part 4: Lessons through induction, Cont’d

This unit continues the inductive analysis of key lessons learned from the case study

16:30 - 17:00 Wrap-up, Day One

Day 2

09:00 - 09:15 Recap Case Study + Lessons Learned

09:15 - 10:15 Basic Project Management Disciplines, Part 1

This unit begins a high-level study of selected project management disciplines:

  • Expectation management
  • Communication management
  • Scope management
  • Defining deliverables
  • Realistic milestones

10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:00 Basic Project Management Disciplines, Part 2

This unit continues the study of selected project management disciplines:

  • Change management
  • Risk management
  • Earned Value Analysis
  • Lessons Learned

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch

13:00 - 15:00 Team exercises, Part 1

This unit divides workshop participants into teams, each with an assigned project management problem in which they apply many of the disciplines and principles learned. The activity will conclude with a report by each team followed by group discussion.

15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break

15:30 - 16:30 Team exercises, Part 2

This unit continues the team approach to practical problem-solving application begun in Part 1.

16:30 - 16:45 Project Management Certification, an overview

16:45 - 17:00 Wrap-up, Workshop

Program

Day 1

Welcome and Introduction

  • Who's who?
    • Presenters
    • Participants
  • Participant expectations
  • Workshop overview
    • Goals
    • Outline
    • Methodology

Case Study, Part 1: the project as a plan

  • Scope
  • Schedule
  • Budget

Case Study, Part 2: the project as reality

  • External vs. Internal Challenges
    • Scope
    • Schedule
    • Budget

Case Study, Part 3: Lessons Learned by induction

  • Recap case study project
    • Lesson 1 (Lessons 1-5)
      • Project Management principle No. 1
      • Application
    • Lesson 2 -> and so through Lesson 10

Wrap-up, Day One

Day 2

Recap Case Study + Lessons Learned

Basic Project Management Disciplines, Part 1:

  • Expectation management
  • Communication management
  • Scope management
  • Defining deliverables
  • Realistic milestones

Basic Project Management Disciplines, Part 2:

  • Change management
  • Risk management
  • Earned Value Analysis
  • Lessons Learned

Team exercises, Part 1:

  • Assignments
  • Team activity
  • Team report
  • Group Discussion

Team exercises, Part 2:

  • Assignments
  • Team activity
  • Team report
  • Group Discussion

Project Management Certification, an overview

Wrap-up, Workshop

About Kenneth McKethan

Kenneth (Sandy) McKethan, Jr. is currently a software development project manager with IBM based at Research Triangle Park, NC, USA, having recently completed 10 years as a globalization project manager in IBM’s Tivoli division. His 30+ year career as a foreign language professional also includes: translation, interpreting, recruiting sales, marketing, international business development, vendor management.

He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP©) and a German-government certified technical interpreter and translator (Staatlich geprüfter Dolmetscher und Übersetzer für die englische Sprache [Technik]). Major languages are German and Russian. Sandy is a licensed glider pilot and holds the rank of Lt Col in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol).

About LISA Workshops

LISA Workshops make use of presenters with real-world experience in the subjects they teach about. Workshops do not pitch any products or services, but instead provide a general overview with candid and practical evaluations of tools and products that impact your business.