Projectified Folgen

As PMI celebrates its 50th anniversary, we look back at some of the most influential projects of the past 50 years. Guests discuss how these projects led to new ways of thinking, new technologies and how they changed the world.   Ahmed Bouzid, the former head of product on Amazon’s Alexa team, shares what inspired the project. Plus, he talks about how focusing on a minimum viable product helped the team gain feedback from customers—and ultimately deliver a mega-successful product.     Antti Heinonen, former director of banknotes at the European Central Bank, discusses how the team made the largest currency changeover of all time happen—without a glitch.   Aristides Patrinos, former director of biological and environmental research at the U.S. Department of Energy, talks about the inspiration for the Human Genome Project and what it could mean for medicine in the future.    Ilya Marotta, the Panama Canal’s chief operating officer, shares why the project to expand the canal was so important to the country, and how clear structure and strong leadership helped keep team members on track.   Key themes [00:23] Most influential projects of the past 50 years [03:12] Q&A with Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa [05:41] Focusing on minimum viable product and customer feedback [07:46] Hopes for Alexa—and her role in human interaction [09:39] How the euro was launched [11:23] Taking exceptional measures to prepare billions of coins and banknotes [14:29] The euro’s role in cultural change [16:03] Inspiration for the Human Genome Project [17:47] A new approach and specific roles for scientific researchers [19:59] A completed genome sequence: what followed and what’s to come [21:26] The importance of the Panama Canal expansion to the country’s economy [22:42] Building a project team that could deliver on time

We live in an era of instant gratification—and it’s redefined the customer experience. Guests discuss how technology has changed customer expectations and the innovations that are helping organizations provide faster, more personalized service.    Sindhu Joseph, CEO and founder of CogniCor Technologies in San Francisco, California, USA, outlines how artificial intelligence can help organizations deliver on-demand customer service.   Members of the PMO team at Triglav Group in Ljubljana, Slovenia explain how digitizing and centralizing customer data helped transform Triglav’s customer experience.   Borislav Tadić, PMP, vice president responsible for transformation and board member support for data protection, legal and compliance at Deutsche Telekom in Bonn, Germany, discusses how taking a more holistic approach—and getting every department involved—can help an organization offer a better customer experience.   Key Themes: [00:23] Evolving customer expectations  [02:46] How AI can enhance customer service [06:13] Creating more customized customer interactions [08:14] Case study: Triglav’s digital transformation [12:57] Delivering transparency, personalization, simplicity [15:03] Taking a holistic approach to customer experience [17:48] Simplifying processes creates better customer experiences

The world is changing fast. And big changes come with new risks—and new security vulnerabilities. Guests discuss emerging threats, what projects introduce the most security risk and how organizations can protect themselves. Albert Torres, PMP, cybersecurity program manager at Lockheed Martin in San Antonio, Texas, USA, outlines how to keep cloud-based projects secure. Kimberly Valentine, program manager for the office of the chief information security officer (CISO) and senior manager overseeing cybersecurity operations at Brunswick Corp., based in Denver, Colorado, USA, shares how she’s integrating cybersecurity reviews into the organization’s project planning process. Retired Air Force Brigadier Gen. Greg Touhill, president of Cyxtera Federal Group in Washington, D.C., was the United States’ first CISO during the Obama administration. He discusses what he learned during his time in public service and the greatest threats organizations need to defend against.   Key Themes: [00:22] Cybersecurity risks—and potential costs [03:14] Securing cloud-based projects [05:39] Creating a unified front [07:13] Building a cybersecurity culture [10:27] Lessons from the United States’ first CISO [14:15] Organizations face threats from outside and within [19:11] Strategies to succeed in security-focused projects