Dr. Neil Littell, PMP
Director of Graduate Project Management Programs, Ohio University
Session Details
Project Management Life Hacks: Skills, Techniques, and References to Extend Your Impact
The PMBoK is a comprehensive technical reference that provides project managers with the most valuable tools, techniques, and process resources. It is an excellent starting point, a baseline, for new project managers to become effective and certified project managers. As project managers progress in their careers, they will innately pick up new tools and techniques to enable them to be more effective. Many of these tools are related to the soft side of the project management profession. Over time, project managers will grow beyond the PMBoK, especially if they are motivated to become more effective as project managers.
In this session, we will apply the concept of a life hack to project managers. Valuable tools, concepts, references, and realizations that enable project managers to push beyond being a technically adept project manager. Topics in this presentation will include project management ties to psychology, design thinking, ancient philosophy, measuring performance, and more. Attendees will be able to share their project management-related life hacks, and we will close with a brief question-and-answer session.
Learning Objectives
Attendees will explore a few project management life hacks. Attendees:
1. Will learn how to extend the Design Thinking framework through remixing to yield new opportunities and features for products and services.
2. Will discover how to use a simple and fun psychological trick (which is not meditation or mindfulness), backed by peer-reviewed research, to reduce rumination, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts.
3. Will learn how to apply the fundamental components of ancient stoic philosophy to themselves to reframe judgment and motivation.
4. Will explore how to reconsider KPIs toward developing measures that are aligned to adding value to the company.
About the Speaker
Dr. Neil Littell is the Director of Graduate Project Management Programs, Associate Professor and Kraft Family Scholar at Ohio University. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Workforce Development and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Dr. Littell’s research focuses on strategic project and program management, digital transformation, and process improvement. He frequently consults for companies, helping them execute digital transformations and implement digital engineering solutions. Dr. Littell has published extensively and teaches courses on project management, engineering design, and new product development.