Visual Project Management
Paul R. Williams
As the speed of business continues to increase, and as focus on an ever growing number of project data points is needed to keep business and project execution in control, new and innovative tools and techniques are required to help busy executives make efficient and effective decisions on where to place investments in money and resources. Because many of these decisions are made in the moment, using whatever facts are available, executives need timely, data-rich and easy to comprehend information. Lengthy, text-heavy project document artifacts consume too much time and effort to both generate and review. New research only confirms that information presented in this manner is both ineffective and inefficient. The fact is, in order for information to be conveyed most efficiently, it needs to be visual.
Today’s project manager has more to manage than just project scope, deliverables, communications and teams. They are also expected to manage large volumes of project-related data. And the expectation goes beyond just managing the data. It extends into creating great visualizations that allow stakeholders to fully digest that large volume of data in a manner that is quick, effective and clear. They are also expected to serve as facilitators in the use of visual thinking tools as a method for working through project issues, risks and problems. These new expectations require new skills. The era of multi-page, text-based project status reporting is over. The era of visual project management is here. Time to “skill up!” Time to become a Visual Project Manager!
Paul R. Williams, PMP has over twenty years of project, program & portfolio management leadership experience with information technology, innovation management and strategic business initiatives in the investment, banking, insurance, legal, manufacturing and professional services industries. During those two decades, Mr. Williams has provided direct project leadership on over 150 individual projects and has cumulatively managed over $650 million dollars career-to-date. More recently, Mr. Williams has focused his career working with businesses of all sizes, including a number of Fortune 500 organizations, in the development and re-structuring of strategic and operational PMO organizations. He also specializes in the development of alternative project portfolio governance approaches, the design of project portfolio financial management systems and forming partnerships with executive leadership teams to deliver organizational strategic planning and execution directives.
Paul R. Williams is known worldwide as one of the pioneers of ‘Visual Project Management,’ a revolutionary new approach for leveraging visual thinking and communication strategies in project management practice. He has been featured in a number of worldwide publications including three appearances in PM Network, the official monthly periodical of the Project Management Institute, is the author of three books on innovation and project management, and is a frequent speaker on project and innovation management topics at conferences and media events across the United States.
Mr. Williams is the Executive Managing Partner at Think For A Change, LLC., a project and innovation management professional services firm based out of the Green Bay, Wisconsin area. In addition to leading the strategic and operational functions of the firm, his practice area focus includes educational, thought-leadership, coaching and consultation capabilities in the following areas:
PMO Management Services:
-• Transitional PMO Leadership
-• PMO Formation, Restructuring and Alternative Project Portfolio Governance Structures
-• PMO Effectiveness Assessments
-• Project Portfolio Financial Management
Executive Coaching Services:
-• Project Management Governance
-• Project Portfolio Management
-• Innovation Management
Specialty Services:
-• Visual Project Management Concepts
-• War Room/Idea Center Design Services
-• Keynote and Other Presentation Services
Williams earned his B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and holds a number of professional certifications including Project Management Professional (PMP), Six Sigma Certified Green Belt and Certified Scrum Master. He is also a graduate of the Disney Institute’s Program on Leading Creativity and Innovation.
