Project management as a profession has evolved over the years. Many practitioners who have chosen to become professionals did the Project Management Professional certification exam or PMP, offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
PMI Exam
For project management practitioners who are considering doing the PMP exams this year, there was an important announcement by PMIthat the PMP exam will change and that June 30th 2020, is the last date you can take the exam in it’s current format. It is to accommodate the evolving nature of the profession. The exam is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge or find out more about the current PMBOK here: PMBOK.
Every 3 – 5 years, the PMI conducts research to understand how the profession has progressed, the impact of emerging trends, and how the responsibilities of project managers have changed. The last research was conducted in 2015 and resulted in the current PMP® Exam Content Outline .
The changes on the future exam will focus on three new domains:
PEOPLE – emphasizing the skills and activities associated with effectively leading a project team
PROCESS – reinforcing the technical aspects of managing a project
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT – highlighting the connection between projects and organization strategy
Content that spans the value spectrum, including predictive, agile and hybrid approaches, will be included across the three exam domains. The best way to understand what is included in the exam is to review the updatedExam Content Outline.
Something important that is highlight in the Exam outline:
Where the current PMBOK versions used to be very process based, but aligned to the PMI Talent Triangle – find previous announcement here – the latest outline is more people focused with tasks supporting that. Here you will find the 2020 PMP Exam Content Crossover Map to show where new content is added.
New PMBOK Guide
The current, 6th Edition of the PMBOK Guide has been released 2 year ago: September 2017. We expect that the 7th Edition will reflect some of the changes to the PMP exam that we’ll see from 16 December 2019.
PMI has named Mike Griffiths as co-lead for the 7th Edition of the PMBOK Guide. Mike was involved in the creation of the Agile method, DSDM, and has over 20 years of experience in Agile methods. He’s an Agilist through and through. It seems that the 7th Edition will be a BIG change from recent editions. That is confirmed by this short article on his website. In his own words:
“This will not be just an update, instead a radical departure from all previous editions aligned with PMI’s new digital transformation strategy.
Mike Griffiths
One of the 12 Core Development Team members, Nader Rad, has written about his perspective of the new PMBOK as a shift to a principles based approach.
Reason for PMP exam change
PMI has a commitment to a world class standard of certification. The implication of that is they must base their examinations on a formal Role Delineation Study (RDS) or Job Task Analysis (JTA).
PMI carried out a survey of the trends in our profession that the current PMP exam fails to address. These then fed into their Job Task Analysis to produce a more relevant PMP exam for the coming period. Here, ‘relevant’ means the things project managers do in their real work settings. We all know that the work of project management professionals has been changing; therefore, the PMP exam must change to reflect this.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the changes are reflecting the current PM trends and seem to be addressing some gaps in existing certifications around Team Leadership, Governance and soft skills.
Here is another PMI announcement summary of the changes: Certification changes overview.
One of the Training Partners, OSP International, headed by Cornelius Fichtner, who I recommend as an affiliate, had the following comments on the coming changes:
““As a PMP® trainer, I have always focused not only on teaching my students how to pass their exam but also on how to become better project managers. That is why I think the change in the ECO is a step in the right direction.
With this change, PMI is moving away from the five current and somewhat ‘technical’ domains and shifts the focus of the exam to test a candidate’s knowledge of, and experience, in the skills necessary to actually lead and manage a project.
This is not to say that the knowledge of project management methods, concepts, and techniques, is any less important, but a candidate will now also need to show that they truly know how to lead a project and how to bring it to successful completion.”
Cornelius Fichtner
It is positive to see that PMI seems to have their members and associated professional PM practitioners’ best interests at heart in making these changes to ensure that people are equipped for the challenging and changing business world we are finding ourselves in.
We’ve all seen it. You are on a team, or placed on a specific project in order to accomplish a goal for the company, and things just don’t go very smoothly. It’s easy to point fingers but it can actually be quite difficult to figure out what happened when the project fell apart or fell short of its objectives. In this article we are going to look at project management specifically, and how to spot early warning signs that things may not be on the rails for much longer.
Lack of Communication
By some estimates, more than 50% of a Project Manager’s time is spent performing some aspect of communication. This can include meetings, status reporting, emails, phone calls, coordinating, talking to people, and completing documentation. Studies have even suggested that verbal and written communication takes up 80% of the job.
Poor communication manifests in many ways throughout a project. You’ll find yourself in a position where stakeholders aren’t aware of changes or task assignments. Assignments are started late, or not at all, because there was confusion over who owned a task. Deadlines tend to “sneak up” on people because they were notified to late in the process.
Lack of Detail
First, it’s important to point out that most PMs are not responsible for many of the minute details within a project. There are others who handle details within specific tasks. PMs tend to delegate these details.
Even though Project Managers themselves don’t handle the details, that doesn’t make them irrelevant. It’s incredibly important for Project Managers to be aware of what details are to be developed further. If a project is moving forward at too high a level, without any executable details, there is a breakdown in the project.
Unclear Process
A clear and precise process is the backbone to any great project. The process itself is there to guide and act as mediator between stakeholders. Should there be questions or discrepancies, you can always lean on the process to help settle issues and guide people. As your company continues to grow, stronger processes are needed in order to allow the business scale
If people are unclear about what to do within a project or when to perform specific actions, there is more than likely a breakdown in the process. No one wants to be a slave to process, but they are so important for managing successful projects.
Missing or unclear documentation
So many aspects of good project management require methodical documentation. This includes things like status reporting, complete communication plans, changes in scope, and project charters. It’s one thing for all of these things to be developed during a project, but without documentation they can be altered, forgotten or ignored.
If you are unsure where to find specific documents, or if you find yourself in a position where you need guidance, and can’t find anything to guide you, there is a documentation problem within your project. Be sure to write things down, regardless of how specific or “un-important” it may seem at a time. You will thank yourselves later when you need to look something up and need to be reminded of previous decisions.
No clear leader
PMs need to be the driving force behind decisions and the scope of the project. They provide huge value on a project, which has to include pushing back when a client is asking for things that aren’t within the scope of the initial contract. If the client raises a request that’s out of scope, which unfortunately happens all too often, the PM needs follow the processes your organization has developed to handle such contract expansions. Organizations can be too quick to please clients, and scared to anger them, so that the contracts they signed with their clients become less and less profitable due to increasing workloads without payment.
Sometimes there is no clear accountability. Who is to blame should things go wrong here, and do they know that? If there isn’t a clear answer to these
If you’re working within a contract on specific projects and find that you are constantly adding tasks or “one offs” that are not within the original scope of the project, there is a real problem with leadership on that project.
Where projects are challenged, look out for these warning signs, but better yet, make sure that your projects are managed in such a way that these things don’t happen.
About the Author:
Brian Thomas is from Enlightened Digital, a digital magazine dedicated to the top tech and business news, updates and analyses from around the web – your guide to everything at the cutting edge of technology.
According to a study by Buffer.com, remote work can no longer be considered a trend. It is a fact of life. In fact, the study suggests that 99% of employees would choose the possibility to work from a remote location, at least some of the time if given the option.
People appreciate the many benefits of remote work such as a more flexible schedule, a less stressful work environment, and the possibility to focus on goals and not on time spent in the office. However, remote workers also face challenges such as the difficulty to unplug from work or tracing a clear line between personal and work life.
All these, and more must be taken into consideration by project managers when they face the challenge of leading a mixed team (remote and office workers). Furthermore, there is the problem of adjusting communication to this new work setting, where you have non-stop access to an employee’s inbox but need to know when it’s appropriate to send them a message.
As such, project managers must be able to understand and use the virtual distance types that show when managing a team of/with remote workers. This means implementing and developing new collaboration skills and adjusting to a new way of life and work.
Types of Virtual Distances in a Team of Remote Workers
Remote communication doesn’t allow you to assess the situation based on the usual cues, so it brings new challenges to the table. For instance, when you’re emailing with a co-worker, you don’t have the possibility to appreciate their emotional response to your proposals (and vice-versa).
As such, specialists found there are three kinds of distances in this type of communication:
Physical– which is obviously referring to the location of the participants and their time (if they are on a different continent or in a different country).
Operational– the way the team is managed, the skills that are obvious in each member, and even the tools used for remote communication.
Affinity – refers to the trust between the speakers and the values they hold dear.
These three distances, if managed correctly, can be used as a competitive advantage. Because you no longer depend on everyone being present at a certain time and place, it’s easier to promote collaboration and discuss ideas whenever needed.
How to Use Virtual Distances to Improve your Team
Before achieving a high level of confidence and trust, the project manager with remote team members must find the best strategy to use to reduce the distances mentioned above. Here are a few tips that may be helpful along the way:
#1 Establish Clear Rules of Communication
Difficulties in communication are quite often in the workplace, but they become even more problematic when they happen in a remote team. For the project to move in the right direction, each member must be able to make themselves understood and understand others.
Since you don’t have the other person in front of you, it helps to establish clear rules such as:
All emails from stakeholders must be answered within 2 hours from receipt;
The entire team should work on a specific Google Drive folder;
Messaging will happen via Slack
The list could go on, and it should be personalized based on the needs of your team.
#2 Corporate Culture is Important
Even though you work in your pajamas, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respect the standard protocols for specific events.
For instance, if a team member wants to quit, he will have to go through all the necessary steps, starting with announcing it to their manager and writing a resignation letter. The same goes for someone who wants to propose a new deal on an on-going project.
Procedures are put in place for a reason, and they must be followed by everyone. This is the only way you can maintain a cohesive team.
#3 Appreciate the Power of Written Communication
New studies suggest that introverts communicate better in writing when there aren’t several other people staring back at them.
As such, the people who are usually shy and soft-spoken in face-to-face meetings may become bolder and more confident in their opinions. However, this may not happen if you dismiss written communication and don’t allow people the time to grow in this new setting.
#4 Video Communication is Important
To reduce affinity distance, you need to maintain visual contact with the members of the team. This form of communication enhances the emotional response and creates empathy, which leads to a more united team.
However, it’s best to make video calls with a small number of participants (three or four) when possible because it is easy to lose track of subtle cues when there are lots of tiny windows in front of your eyes.
Time to adjust
On many projects, remote workers are a common phenomenon, they could even be in different locations across the world. Allow the team some time to adjust. As the project manager, it is your job to come up with a strategy and listen to your team’s needs and complaints.
Once you do, you’ll be able to identify weak points in communication, and you’ll know which distances to adjust, to create the best possible team.
About the Author:
Erika is an independent copywriter and content manager. She is an avid reader and runner.
Look at any successful project and you’ll likely find a great team behind it. In addition, another important factor would be that the right project management methodology was selected to deliver the project.
Much like building a house on unstable ground, a project is doomed to fall apart if the wrong management method is chosen. Fortunately, there are several common methods to explore, each one suited for various types of projects or environments.
Common Project Management Methods
There are numerous project management methodologies, with new ones being developed all the time. Keep in mind this list isn’t exhaustive, and that there could be a project management method out there that’s an even better fit. That being said, here are the seven most common project management methodologies.
Waterfall Project Management
When it comes to project management, waterfall is considered to be pretty oldschool by many. This method involves completing projects in stages that are reliant upon the previous step.
This allows a team to dedicate all their attention on one thing at a time, but it also results in other teams waiting on the previous step to be completed. This can create a backlog or cause huge holdups, especially when it comes to software development.
Agile Management
Agile is about as far from waterfall management as it gets, as it emphasizes speed above all. While agile management isn’t an exact methodology, it is a guiding ethos for several other popular methods. Each of these agile offshoots focuses on speed and the ability to quickly pivot when necessary.
Kanban
Kanban is a type of agile management that focuses on efficiency. This efficiency is accomplished by looking at tasks and figuring out ways to streamline them. That, or if the task is necessary at all. This method is often used in factories or other consistent output-based environments, as you can easily streamline a process in these settings.
Scrum
Scrum is another agile project management method. Unlike Kanban, Scrum’s all about speed and adaptability. To make this happen, Scrum often involves breaking projects into chunks, each tackled by small teams. These teams tackle their microprojects in short cycles known as sprints. After a sprint the teams all come together to see what worked, what didn’t, and decide if anything needs to be changed.
The speed and adaptability of Scrum makes it great for software development.
Lean management
Lean is a lot like Kanban in that it emphasizes efficiency. Where it differs is that it’s concerned more with the customer, not what happens behind the scenes. Kanban is used to figure out how a process can be made more efficient for the customer without hurting the overall experience. This makes it a great choice for retail outlets or other customer-facing businesses.
Six Sigma Management
The Six Sigma method, while usable on its own, is often used after other methods. Six Sigma examines how the quality of the output can be improved, not how things can be faster and more efficient. This emphasis on quality makes Six Sigma a natural followup to a Lean or Kanban session, as those two styles can sometimes result in a less than satisfactory output.
PRINCE2 Management
PRINCE2 management is a detail-oriented style that looks at risk and efficiency over everything else. This incredibly scrutinous style is commonly used by private sector groups and governments, as it places safety and risk mitigation at the top of the priority list.
Finding a Project Management Style that Fits
The pressure to pick the right project management methodology can be large, especially in the early stages of planning. Because so much of a project’s success rides on the method chosen, it’s important that you take your time and carefully research and evaluate your options.
To help you make the right choice, Fundera has created this helpful animation on project management methodologies. With the information of this guide and some additional careful research, your next project can be started on the right foot and find success!
Animated Infographic with compliments from Fundera
About Fundera:
Fundera is the go-to financial resource for small business—helping you to achieve your financial goals, and grow your business.
When it comes to project planning, I have three beliefs that I adhere to on all my projects. They are:
Always be planning – that means you should be continuously planning
Always be communicating – use consistent communication practices
Always build relationships – team alignment is very important
However, there are more elements to great project planning. That’s why Wrike, a project management software company, is bringing us the right ingredients to cook the perfect project plan. Enjoy!
The concept of Emotional intelligence (EI) has captured audiences across the globe since the publication of Daniel Goleman’s research on the topic in 1995. Irrespective of the large body of scientific research published on the topic during the past two decades, there are many misconceptions about this field. EI is extremely important in modern day leadership, but it’s unfortunately easily misunderstood.
Here are 7 common misconceptions about Emotional Intelligence:
#1 EI and IQ is the same thing
EI and IQ is not the same. EI is often referred to as EQ or emotional maturity. Just as IQ is the measure of our cognitive intelligence, EQ is a measure of how emotionally intelligent or emotionally mature we are. Our EI indicates our ability to recognise and handle one’s own and the emotions of others. It determines how we interact with and treat people. On the other hand, IQ indicates a person’s ability to learn, recalling learned information and using it to reason and solve problems. The better we are at applying these abilities, the higher our IQ is expected to be and the better our chances of achieving high marks in school. It is possible for a person to have a high IQ but low EQ.
#2 Women are more emotionally intelligent than men
Probably the most well-known urban legend is that women are more emotionally intelligent than men. Women are not more emotionally intelligent than men and men are not better at understanding and managing emotions. In general, men and women are more similar than different when it comes to EI. Too few research studies regarding EI and gender have been done during the past two decades to conclusively state that one of the sexes is superior to the other. EI is definitely not a touchy-feely female attribute. Both men and women can be highly emotionally intelligent or seriously lack these skills.
#3 EI is about being empathetic
EI is often only associated with being empathetic or nice. Empathy is a core part of EI but not the only ingredient. Being emotionally intelligent does not mean being nice; it requires empathy for us to recognize the feelings of others.
EI starts with strong self-awareness and self-control skills to understand and manage our own feelings. In addition, it includes assertiveness to help us build and maintain constructive and healthy mutually beneficial relationships.High empathy together with other underdeveloped EI skills can do more harm than good.
#4 EI is born and not learned
IQ is an ability we are born with and typically develop until we reach our teenage years when our brain is fully developed and remains the same thereafter. EI can however be learned and can be improved over time as we continue to learn from our live experiences i.e. as we mature. The sooner we start developing our ability to recognise and handle our own emotions and the emotions of others, the sooner our EI will grow and help to building and maintain healthy and collaborative relationships in our lives. Developing emotional intelligence skills requires hard work. You also have to believe there is a need for change and you have to be in it for the long haul. Developing your EI will probably be one of the most difficult challenges you will ever face.
There is no easy fix and you will not become more emotionally intelligent if you do not practice these skills. Conscious effort and practice will lead to increased EI. It is also easy to fall back on old habits. Working on your EI is therefore a continuous effort. EI is not dependent on our genes and it is not just common sense.
#5 Emotionally intelligent people do not handle conflict
Having EI skills does not equate to an unwillingness to solve conflict or deal with difficult issues due to being too nice. Emotionally intelligent individuals are capable of dealing with conflict. Their ability to listen, understand, recognize and manage their own and the feelings of others, makes them highly successful in dealing with the issue at hand. They embrace and effectively solve conflict.
#6 Emotions do not belong in the workplace
The world of work is emotional. You cannot leave your emotions at the door when you walk into the office. Due to the physical structure of the human brain, emotions are a core part of our being. Emotions unavoidably inform our thoughts, actions and decision making and influence how we respond to others. The behaviour of others for example can influence how we feel and our emotions can influence our performance. Not being able to understand and manage our emotions in the workplace is often the cause misery and could potentially lead to losing our jobs or not getting promoted. Increasing research evidence the past three decades have shown that managing our own and the emotions of others can significantly influence our work performance.
#7 IQ is more important that EQ for success
Each job requires basic entry level technical skills and a level of IQ. On a daily basis as we operate in the trenches, we pick up more specialized knowledge and skill. We need this technical expertise to get the job done. Technical expertise alone however is not enough for superior performance. High IQ professionals often fail in their careers due to low EQ. They find themselves in trouble because they are not able to apply their expertise through productive collaboration with others. High IQ and technical expertise together with the lack of emotional skills to manage relationships often make clever people stupid. It is the emotional competence that adds the edge and contributes more to superior performance than IQ and technical expertise.
Eben van Blerk has more than 25 years’ corporate experience and he holds a Doctor of Technology degree in ‘the role of emotional intelligence in information systems work‘. Eben has published articles and book chapters on leadership and emotional intelligence in local and international publications. His emotional intelligence talks and programmes are well received by the corporate and private sector.
Contact Eben on LinkedIn if you need a speaker and workshop facilitator on emotional intelligence for your next team engagement.
Your audience will be captivated by his emotional intelligence insight, strong interpersonal skills and practical teamwork experience. It will equip them with knowledge and tools for improved communication, effective conflict handling and managing their emotions towards a more productive and fulfilled business and personal life.
If you are in the market for a software that helps to make project planning and the sharing of those plans really easy, you may like GanttPRO.
GanttPRO is an online Gantt chart software used for project planning, task management, collaboration, team and resource management as well as cost management. The software is highly estimated by professionals thanks to an intuitive UX/UI design, a short learning curve, and robust features. Worldwide 350K+ managers and other project participants already tried the solution and made sure that project planning and management can be fast and enjoyable.
The software is mainly used by teams. However, managers and individuals use it for personal projects and purposes too. The tool has a 14-day free trial with all the features available so that anyone can decide whether GanttPRO is a good fit for them.
The software is able to become a powerful and affordable alternative to Microsoft Project. In case you already planned your project in MS Project, you have a chance to import it to GanttPRO and see for yourself all the advantages.
In GanttPRO, there are ready-made Gantt chart templates designed for a variety of professional spheres: software development, construction, marketing, design, manufacturing, etc. They include typical tasks and offer a typical structure for an easy start. However, templates are fully customizable.
The main benefits of GanttPRO
Transparent task management
You can create tasks literally in seconds from one menu defining:
Their start and end dates
Assignees
Dependencies with other tasks
Deadlines
Progress
Status
Priority
Duration and estimation
Completeness
Milestones
Requirements
Colors
All this information is available directly in the task settings menu. In the project grid, you can add columns or hide those you don’t need.
One of the most useful features in GanttPRO that distinguishes it from competitors is the possibility to add Custom columns. They do not limit project participants to certain settings and allow working with personal information available through Text, Number, Date, List, Checkbox, and Color columns.
Team and resource management
GanttPRO online Gantt chart maker allows working with real team members and virtual resources. Team management is available via email invitations only on the Team plans. At the same time, virtual resources are created just in a few clicks and available even on the Individual plan. If you are not deeply engaged in team management, virtual resources can be a working way-out. The tool offers the following time working units for team and resource management: per hour, per item, and cost.
Per hour means that the cost is calculated per hour for a labor resource
Per item means that the cost is calculated per item for a material resource
Cost is a fixed value with no connections to time and items
GanttPRO makes provision for the following roles: an Owner, an Admin, and a Member.
An Owner of a project is in charge of billing and has all the rights on it: he/she adds or removes people, grants rights to edit a project or see costs.
An Admin has almost the same rights as an Owner but he/she can’t pay for the subscription.
A Member can work only on those tasks that he/she is assigned to. All the rest is not available
Collaboration
Collaborationin GanttPRO allows team members to be fully aware of current updates in tasks. Project participants can:
Comment tasks
Attach files to them
Describe requirements for tasks
Mention people
Get real-time notifications about changes in tasks they are assigned to.
Export and sharing
The Gantt chart software allows having a physical project at hand thanks to the advanced Export feature as well as showcasing plans to third parties thanks to Sharing via URL feature.
Export in GanttPRO is very powerful. On the screen, you can see how your chart will look like after exporting.
You can choose the following options:
Format: PDF, PNG, XML, Excel
Paper size
Orientation
Filter
Zoom
Critical path
Today marker
Workload
Type of columns
Sharing via URL allows presenting to third parties, even not registered in GanttPRO, two states of a plan: a dynamic and static ones.
The dynamic option means that a plan is updated even after sharing when changes happen in a project.
The static option means that a plan remains the same as it has been at the moment of creation. It does not reflect changes.
Conclusion
GanttPRO is a tool for everyone who needs powerful planning, team management, and collaboration. It is all combined with an intuitive interface and an affordable pricing policy.
Project management software refer to all applications that were designed to facilitate project delivery and make it more efficient.
Here are some interesting facts about the type of teams using PM software, how companies choose PM software, the most used features and what improvements will lead to satisfaction with PM software.
Enjoy the Infographic brought to you by Wrike project management web based software
Recently, I had to start a new project with an estimated timeline of 12 months. With many of the project team members being contractors who are new to the company, the most important thing to do, after having an approved budget, is to plan for a proper kickoff workshop.
It serves an important purpose for many reasons. Some are:
to help with on-boarding of new team members
to establish the vision and objectives
to show the expected timelines with milestones
to explain the roles and responsibilities of team members and steercom members
to establish the governance framework and recommended way of working
to give guidance on tools and techniques to be used
Below you will find an Infographic with 10 steps for a successful kickoff. If you take the time to plan and prepare well for the project kickoff, you will have a great start with excited and motivated team members.
Infographic brought to you by Wrike virtual project manager
Whether you work in a corporate organisation’s marketing department or in an Agency providing services to clients, you will know that successful content marketing projects are complex and involve the whole business.
It requires a good content marketing strategy and then a plan to create, publish and share your content in an authentic way.
This Infographic, with compliments from Wrike, will give you the 10 areas that need to be addressed as essential elements of your content engine.
Infographic brought to you by Wrike project task management software
Interview with Anika Nell, CEO of Stripform Packaging (Pty) Ltd, manufacturers of flexible, customized ziplock bags since 1975. The interview is exploring a remarkable new product, the development project of a truly biodegradable plastic.
Tell us about your Research and Development around biodegradable plastic?
Stripform Packaging has been manufacturing plastic packaging for more than 30 years. Due to the negative impact on the environment, I wanted to ensure that at least some of the products we produce, would be more environmentally friendly.
South Africa has relied on recycling for many years as the option for a better future. Although all products produced by Stripform Packaging are 100% recyclable, we all know that plastic is extremely durable, very slow to degrade and has a long staying power, in some cases longer than a human’s life-span! Recycling is certainly an important way of ensuring less pollution, but it is only part of the solution and it is time to explore other options.
Through my research it became clear that South Africa is not up to speed with environmental progress made on plastic. Internationally two main types of biodegradable plastics are possible.
The first, oxo-biodegradable plastic, is made of petrochemicals and requires a catalyst to break down the polymer chains through oxo-biodegradation. The second, bioplastics, are plant based and break down through hydo-biodegradation.
Since my experience and knowledge is from petrochemical plastic, I wanted to ensure that the plastic products we produce would biodegrade in a relatively short period of time, would be non-toxic and affordable. Therefore, I opted to perform my R&D on oxo-biodegradable plastic.
You say that your existing products are 100% recyclable; how many times can a ziplock bag be recycled before it becomes too old or unuseable?
Since the standard plastic bags that we produce are made of virgin material, it can be recycled as many times as it ends back into the recycling stream. The problem is that we are not dedicated to recycling and re-using. The bags that we produce are made from Polyethylene which is the most recycled plastic in South Africa. but these only amount to about 42% of all Polyethylene manufactured. I am concerned about the 58% that lands up somewhere else….
How long does biodegradable plastic take to break down completely? Will this continue to happen at refuse dumps?
Oxo-biodegradable plastic breaks down through nature itself. UV light and heat starts the degradation. The polymer is made up of strong carbon bonds that are being broken by the catalyst that was added to the polymer mix during manufacturing. The carbon atoms then bind to oxygen to form biodegradable material.
Biodegradation depends on the material’s thickness, temperature, moisture and oxygen content as well as other environmental factors. This process will take between 15 – 24 months for the oxo-biodegradable products. If these products end up on the refuse dumps, they will continue to biodegrade until oxygen is no longer available.
Top of mind when I developed the biodegradable plastic, was the pollution I saw daily on my way to work. It is fantastic to know that these new plastic products could biodegrade within a very short time and that it is possible that the plastic bags that Stripform manufactures can biodegrade and “disappear” after the end up in the field.
What are some of the challenges you had with the research and prototype development?
Research and Development is exciting, but costly and time consuming. I am a business owner and the chemist developing the biodegradable plastic at work. It was tough taking on the additional responsibility while still keeping my focus on the core business. It was a real balancing act to manage the company while developing a new product of this kind.
The costs of the tests to ensure that the plastic will indeed biodegrade and not only break up in million pieces of plastic were high, but in the end worth every cent.
Another hindrance was finding other scientists to bounce off new ideas. Although the internet is a great source of information, it cannot replace brain storming with other scientists.
Are you already manufacturing biodegradable plastic?
Yes, Stripform Packaging started to manufacture for a growing list of clients already. The biodegradable ziplock bags are safe to use for any item from sandwiches, cheese, hardware items and agricultural products to dispensing of medicine.
Did your company treat it as a project, in order for it to become part of the standard products that you offer?
Yes, Stripform Packaging considered the project as a solution to plastic pollution and as part of the standard range of products that we offer. With time we will expand to include other biodegradable products.
Is there market interest to manufacture a biodegradable plastic?
The world is in desperate need to find solutions to climate change and global warming. Although South Africa is behind in terms of oxo biodegradable plastic, bioplastics and recycling, it is widely used in America, UK and at least 10 countries have legislated to make oxo biodegradable plastic mandatory. It is impossible to export to these countries a wide range of plastics or goods wrapped in plastic unless the plastic is oxo biodegradable. In April 2019 the SA government published the requirements for markings and identification of degradable plastics. It is the first step in acknowledging the entry of this technology into the South African market.
You are operating in the Pharmaceutical industry, how do you see this spreading to other industries which are heavily reliant on packaging?
I believe that South Africa should consider various options to tackle climate change and plastic pollution. We have wonderful organizations to assist with recycling, but it is time to open the door to new ideas and technology. All industries using plastic packaging should explore options that are sustainable and will contribute to the solution. I am not a believer of one size fits all. Every solution offers positive and negative aspects. With a holistic approach South Africa can reduce plastic pollution drastically.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic may not be the perfect solution to all plastic pollution, but the benefits of this technology is widely accepted internationally. Together with recycling, plant based plastics, biodegradable and several other innovations a cleaner planet is possible.
Do you think your break-through formulae will be adopted by other big packaging manufacturers?
Yes, I think that South Africa will embrace new ideas to slow down the pace at which we pollute this earth. Whether it is Stripform’s development or another creative solution, the time is right to implement alternatives.
The topic of biodegradable plastics is highly controversial and intensely debated. The more we debate these solutions, the more options will become available and the closer we are to a sustainable environment.
Internationally a wide variety of biodegradable products are already available. These include cups, plates, coatings of paper items, etc. Unfortunately plastic is not plastic is not plastic. Every application such as the container in which your take away sandwich is packed differs from the wrapping around your bread rolls or from the plastic of your shopper bag. Creative solutions for each of these items must be found.
Will recyclable plastic eventually be replaced by biodegradable plastic?
I am not sure if it is necessary to choose between the two. There is a place for both. Some biodegradable plastic can also be included in the recycling stream. It all depends on the level of sophistication of recycling and composting facilities available.
Are there alternative biodegradable products?
In fact there are several biodegradable plastic options available. These plastics derive from plants, petrochemicals and combinations thereof. For example: biodegradable thermo plastic also known as PLA; synthetic polymers such as PCL and combination of starch and PCL known as Mater-Bi and many, many more are known. New products and combinations of raw materials for specific applications are launched continuously to replace long lasting plastic products.
What can we look forward to for our and our children’s future in terms of green technology and sustainability?
Once you start reading about the exciting development of green technology and replacement of packing material as we know it, you realize that the entire world woke up to the fact that we are destroying our planet by continuous consumption and waste. Researches are actively pursuing different solutions and I am encouraged with the progress made.
For many years scientists worked on perfecting the best plastic packing to keep food fresh and to increase the shelf life. Marketing ensures that all products on shelf were packed in primary, secondary and tertiary packaging to enhance shelf appearance.
It is time to go back to basics and take cognizance of the cost of our actions. The impact of global warming and climate change has changed perceptions and research toward a greener future is happening NOW.
Initially it will be more costly to change to green technology such as biodegradable plastic. As technology improves and more solutions are found internationally, it will become affordable and more accessible.
I see a world where very little will end up in landfills. Products will either biodegrade, be reused or recycled. The alternative is too hard to bear.
As a wife, mother of twins and a doctor in Chemistry who is running as the CEO of Stripform Packaging, manufactures plastic ziplock bags for the pharmaceutical industry, Anika is resourceful, creative and passionate about what she believes in. With a background in the Wine and Cosmetic industries, she is now making in-roads in the Plastic manufacturing with her break-through Biodegradable plastic products and knowing that she’s making a positive contribution to society.
If you manage your construction & engineering projects with Oracle® Primavera P6, you may want to know about a software that goes hand in hand with P6, and how you can benefit by utilizing the features this simple to use viewer provides.
I’m writing about ScheduleReader™, which is a .xer viewer in its nature, able to perform a wide variety of project scheduling functions, beneficial for your team and organization.
ScheduleReader™ enables users to view Oracle® Primavera P6 Schedules in .xer or xls. format.
Project stakeholders like project managers, contractors, and subcontractors can take advantage of the software and gain greater visibility over the project progress by utilizing the following views:
Activities
WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
Projects which represents the Enterprise Project Structure (EPS)
Resource assignments
Detail view of selected item in current view
OBS – Organizational Breakdown Structure
Roles view
Benefits of ScheduleReader™
The benefits of using ScheduleReader™ are huge for project teams of any size. I’ll highlight some of the most important:
Save time and share plans in XER format without exporting to PDF.
Greater control over team members and reduce the risk of having unclear tasks.
Reduce manual workload and avoid mistakes when receiving progress updates.
Worry-free sharing of the project details without the risk of unwanted changes.
Why reader for .xer files instead of sharing .pdf files?
ScheduleReader™ as .xer file reader provides an interactive overview of the project with personalized view. Moreover, users can use custom and auto filters with flexibility when viewing a file as well as navigate through predecessors and successors with complete overview.
With .xer reader, you can also work with custom layouts imported from .plf files, and take advantage of visual baselines comparison on the activity updates from previous .xer file versions.
Cutting costs on software licensing
Nowadays, as a consequence of the global economic crisis and slow recovery from it, companies are trying to tighten up their spending and budgets on costly software technologies and services.
Moreover, if we consider a project where most of the people work on their assignments, while only project managers, executives, and coordinators make changes on the schedule, then a lightweight application to display project views could dramatically reduce costs for software licensing.
ОOne of the most eminent attributes of ScheduleReader™ is its speed. Anyone having issues with importing large .xer files knows how important is the speed. It takes minutes, and some managers even reported hours to open a large .xer files in P6.
But that’s not the case with ScheduleReader™, as it will open .xer files in a matter of seconds.
Progress Update
The Progress Update functionality at ScheduleReader™ allows team members to propose assignment progress and activity status in their respective views. The Project Scheduler then decides whether to accept or reject the updates proposed by the team members.
Project Baselines
Baselines functionality allows comparison of up to four updated versions of a project schedule. Users can view precise graphical presentation of what has been changed from the original schedule in the Gantt preview.
It’s an easy visual comparison utility, helping you to keep track on the project progress.
Search, Filters & Groups
Searching within the project data is also a feature to be highlighted and useful when you need to find a specific item from the current view.
With ScheduleReader™, users can also filter project data that meets certain criteria, such as milestones, completed activities, in progress or critical activities. User can pick between User Defined and Default Filters to be applied to the current view.
Groups can help users to arrange the activities’ order according the current needs. Users can create Custom Groups which is saved in a layout, meaning that groups, together with the layouts, are saved on application level.
User can open any project file and through the layout, ScheduleReader™ will apply the group.
Reports and Dashboard
In ScheduleReader™, users can choose between the option to use a predefined report or create a custom report. The set of predefined graphical reports will allow even less experienced users to create a graphical report and dashboards, to present the current status of the project in front of management.
Moreover, advanced users can create complex graphical reports with ScheduleReader™. This kind of graphical report can compare different project categories into a one page dashboard, which will contain key performance indicators (KPI) and key data points, which will give users a tool to monitor the health and status of a specific process.
ScheduleReader™PRO version comes with built-in Reports and Dashboard, a feature which allows users to create custom graphical reports, import/export the generated custom report and later share it with all project stakeholders.
Thanks to this powerful reader for Oracle® Primavera P6 files, you have an affordable, user friendly, and comprehensive addition to Primavera P6. If you want a tool that you can use to view .xer files, you’re very well advised to get ScheduleReader™.
About Seavus: Seavus is an international software development and consultancy company that enables organizations to achieve superior business performance by implementing high-quality, enterprise-ready software products, services and solutions.
Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
