BPUG International Congress - Part 1

The idea of going to a seminar on this scale for the first time is quite scary really but it seemed alright. Thanks to Kate (PR manager for the event) and the APM group, it all seemed very easy.
There's a ton of things I've learnt from this seminar and yes I'm sharing it all right here. Three things you should always be ready with-

• Your updated business card, so you are not trying to get one printed within 2 days of notice.
• The right dress to be worn at the seminar (keeping in mind your changing waist line perhaps).
• Your 30 second elevator speech (I took my tips from here)

Of course your passport.

Make sure to check out the location before and be there on time. The rest is really easy, you just go with the flow of the sessions and the people. However, a new country can be challenging in a lot of way. For me, being in a room full of people almost twice my height was really challenging. My height is not one of best assests.

Conversing with senior project, programme, portfolio managers and authors/experts/trainers could be really hard, specially when you are just starting out. It's such a thrill to just share the space with all of them and frankly most are really nice people only if you can master the guts to say, hello.

The most surprising part was meeting people right there who actually read my blog. Now, that was huge and inspiring.

Here are the websites of organizations present in the information booths:

• http://www.sigma-uk.com/
• http://www.programframework.com/
• http://www.the-pso.com/
• http://www.theusergroup.org.uk/
• http://www.pmtoday.co.uk/
• http://www.aspireeurope.com/
• http://www.outperform.co.uk/
• http://www.mundanesoftware.co.uk/
• http://www.est-management-practise.com/
• http://www.maventraining.co.uk/ (they actually have my site in their blog)
• http://www.dsdm.org/
• http://www.pearcemayfield.com/
• http://www.ninthwave.co.uk/
• http://www.cps.co.uk/
• http://www.apmg-businessooks.com/

More on the seminar coming up soon.

(Picture: At the Lancaster Hotel during the seminar tea and networking break)

Meeting Elizabeth Harrin

Finally I get to meet Elizabeth Harrin today at the BPUG International Congress. It was wonderful and overwhelming (as you may figure out from my clumsy expression in the picture).

Elizabeth's talk on how web 2. 0 tools can be integrated with Project Mangement was fascinating and to find her so down to earth was the best part ever.

More on the 2 day's seminar coming up soon.

(Picture: Elizabeth Harrin and me in Lancaster Hotel for the BPUG International Congress and me in Hyde Park, doing what all first time visitors do- sight seeing)

CAPM- is it time?

If you have been thinking of taking the CAPM(certified associate of project management) exam or trying to get into the profession, here are some links that might help you take the initiative and make it hassle free.

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

You can download the CAPM handbook here and to know how it helps you in the current job market, read this.

To know more about the certification, you can always refer to the PMI site.

Lovely London

I'm in London and it's lovely.

Yesterday was spent in the Thames river cruise, in Oxford street and dinner at an Lebanese restaurant. It's fairly easier to go around the city if you have a map in hand and have an idea about the public transport.

Meanwhile you can listen to these videos about project management and see what you think.

Flight to London

I have my tickets for London and I leave tonight. The flight's really early which means I will need to be in the airport around mid -night. 

I still need to pack and my apartment right now looks like a complete mess. I need to be in office within the next couple of hours, which means I have to rush.

If you missed out the story about why I'm off to London, click here.

So, stay tuned for more updates right here.