PM Forum 2010 – Looking Back !

It has been now 7 seven days since I returned from this Years PM Forum 2010 hosted and organized by the GPM (Gesellschaft fuer Projekt Management).

There have been some views shared on the internet already:

• Andreas Heilwagen shared his view and gives advice how to prepare for a conference (I liked his red hat)
• Susanne Bartel shared her view on the conference and reflecting on my presentation (Thanks Susanne)

Looking back its has been a great experience where not much can be enhanced. So here is my view

1) Great Keynotes

Just to give you a view examples

• Matthias Horx – Trend und Zukunftsforscher
  Key message: There is a better future after a crisis
• Volker Doekel – Project Manager for the A380 Project at Lufthansa
  Key message: More communication, less tools
• Friedrich Fuehr – Founder of the DESERTEC Foundation
  Key Message: Have a vision and be the change you want to see
• Tom De Marco (definitely another highlight) – author of „Der Termin“ – „The Deadline“
  Key Message: Systems became to complex to handle
• Christian Gansch – Vom Solo zur Sinfonie
  Key message: Everybody plays an important part in a project

Just these keynotes have been worth coming to this event

2) Good exibition

Many companies have participated and have been exposed to around 900 visitors.

Definitely a great side activity and creating a creative environment for all the participants.

The food was served close to the exibition and therefore may people hang around there.

3) The speaches and presentations

It’s like with every conference. There are very good speakers, there are good speakers and there are average speakers. At this years PM Forum 2010 there was a good balance. If you were lucky picking the right presentation you could have seen quite some good presentations.

The ones I was impressed by, were the following:

• Wolfram Mueller – Great speech about his well known approach about Critical Chain Projekt Management. Based on a buffer he is adding to the project he is able to manage the portfolio and resources effectively.
• Thomas Roellecke – Talking about opportunities, threats and risks in international projects with international teams. The slides also worked like an abstract. So if you want to read through the 18 items addressed, check out the slides on the PM Forum page (as a participant your able to download them)
• Dr. Lorenz Schneider – Great presentation about the challenges by being responsible building the Shanghai Formula 1 Circuit. Freat pictures, and damm, this guy got experience. Make sure you read his abstract in the conference book.
• Tabita Armbrecht and Monika Ulmer – they gave a great insight in Project Management career development at a large health insurance company in Germany. Great stuff to develop the talent from the inside.

4) Overall

Great event, definitely worthwhile attending

The only thing from my side that was missing.

Please record the presentations and publish them as video podcasts on itunes and on your website. Would have been a great value add. (Spend less money on food and more on recording and documenting.

Next year I will be there.