UKSG Practical Project Management: Manchester

Workshop summary

We all have to manage projects. Whether you are implementing a new system, migrating services, managing a vendor selection process, managing an office move or creating a new product or service, we are often managing projects without the support of a professionally trained project manager. We are expected to deliver more with less, and it mustn’t go wrong on our watch! If this sounds familiar, then help is at hand.

UKSG Practical Project Management is a highly practical workshop aimed at librarians, publishers and intermediaries responsible for managing a variety of projects of any size, including vendor selection, tenders, implementing systems, system migration and web site creation and change projects. It is assumed that delegates have little or no formal project management training.

In this workshop we introduce a simple and free project management tool that enables you to run projects of any size and any level of complexity from a single sheet of paper, providing you with all the key information you need, enabling you to stay on track and deliver on time and on budget.

One of the key benefits of the workshop is that delegates can bring a real project they will be working on and use the workshop to create a real project plan for that project, so they create something valuable on the day as well as getting trained.

The workshop is very practical with a mix of tools and techniques as well as specially designed exercises to enable you to leave the workshop ready to implement the tools in your projects immediately. Exercises, worksheets and handouts are provided for you to take away.

Learning objectives

By the end of the workshop, delegates will be:
• confident in their ability to take on projects of any size
• more productive and efficient, resulting in less overwhelm and fire-fighting
• familiar with a new project management tool that enables them to run projects of any size and level of complexity from a single sheet of paper
• skilful at managing multiple projects, providing updates for everybody involved and seeing at a glance where attention needs to be focused
• ready to put their new skills and techniques into practice immediately to impact their job the day they return to the office.

In addition, each delegate will have the opportunity to develop a project plan for a real project they are about to begin. This provides the opportunity for learning new skills in a highly practical way as well as doing some ‘real work’ during the session!

Workshop agenda

09:30 Registration and refreshments
10:00 Introductions and objectives of the day
10:15 Session 1: Introducing a new project manager tool, project definitions and components of the tool
10:30 Session 2: 12-steps to constructing the project plan before the project starts
11:30 Refreshment break
11:45 Session 2: (continued)
12:15 Session 3: Practical Exercise – creating your own project plan – Part 1
13:00 Lunch
13:45 Session 3: (continued) Practical Exercise – creating your own project plan – Part 2
14:30 Session 4: Using the project plan during a project (refreshments available)
15:30 Session 5: Extending the project management tool, review, summary and questions
16:00 Close

Feedback from the June 2014 UKSG Practical Project Management workshop

Overall percentage rating for the workshop: 98%
Percentage that would recommend the workshop: 100%

“Fantastic – I wish I had known about this when I started my library manager role four years ago.  It would have saved me a lot of stress and headaches.  The future looks a lot brighter for upcoming projects I am leading on.”
Acquisitions and Discovery Manager, King’s College London

“The workshop content and pace was perfect and the group exercises really brought home the effectiveness of the tool.  I can’t wait to put it into action on my many projects.”
E-Resources Assistant, University of London, Birkbeck

“Simple, logical approach won me over. Could definitely help me run projects in a complex staff set-up as everybody can see the state of play.”
Project Officer, University of the Arts, London

“Practical and concise workshop that delivered clear and valuable ideas and techniques for project work.”
Production Manager – Journals, Higher Education Authority

“Really clear.  Good to use the tool and grounded in practicalities rather then being very abstract.”
Deputy Librarian, Arts University Bournemouth

Workshop facilitator

Practical Project Management is facilitated by David Sommer. David has over sixteen years' experience in the global publishing industry. He has worked for Blackwell Publishing and Macmillan Publishing Solutions and has developed a range of successful publisher and library products including Blackwell Synergy, ContentStore, ScholarlyStats, MPS Insight and RiskCheck. David now runs David Sommer Consulting. He also chairs the Executive Committee for COUNTER. David has extensive project management experience, successfully developing and launching major industry products.

Fee

UKSG members: £200.00 + £40.00 VAT [20%] (total £240.00)
Non-members: £250.00 + £50.00 VAT [20%] (total £300.00)

The fee includes refreshments and lunch.

Venue

Manchester Conference Centre (Leader Suite)
Weston Building
Sackville Street
Manchester
M1 3BB

Tel.:  0161 955 8181

How to book

The closing date for booking this event has now passed.  For further information please contact Alison Whitehorn by email or by phone +44(0)1635 254292.

Venue location details will be sent with confirmation of booking.

Cancellations

By Tuesday 16 September 2014 - full refund
From Wednesday 17 September 2014 - no refund

NB: UKSG reserves the right to alter or vary the programme due to events or circumstances beyond its reasonable control without being obliged to refund monies.