Ninth Forum of Master Project Managers

Masters Forum #9 took place August 9-11, 2004. The program began with a Keynote Address by Ret. General John W. Douglas, President, Aerospace Industries Association.

The agenda included several Panels, focused on the following topics:

• Earned Value Management was explored in depth by project managers from different NASA Centers:
  • EVM: Implementing from a Marshall Space Flight Center Project Manager’s Perspective Stacy Counts and Jerald G. Kerby, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • EVM: Implementing from a Kennedy Space Center Project Manager’s Perspective Glenn Rhodeside and Hector Delgado, NASA Kennedy Space Center
  • EVM: Implementing from a Johnson Space Center Project Manager’s Perspective Michael Jansen, NASA Johnson Space Center
• Balancing Risk and Safety in Projects, moderated by Martin Davis, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
• • To Launch or Not to Launch Rex Geveden, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Bold Ventures in a Conservative Way Gus Guastaferro, NASA Ames Research Center (Retired)
  • The Risk of Doing Nothing Ray Morgan, Morgan Aircraft
• Managing Small Projects, moderated by Susan Turner, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
• • Helios: Small Steps to a Record Altitude John DelFrate, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
  • ASTRO E2 XRS Lessons Learned John Leon, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Unavailable)
  • Collaboration on Upgrades to the Space Shuttle Cockpit Displays Jeffrey McCandless, NASA Ames Research Center
• Perspectives of Project Managers from the Private Sector, moderated by Scott Cameron, Proctor and Gamble
• • Managing Commitments in a Project Environment John Strickland, Ch3M Hill
  • Root Learning: A Case Study Christy Contardi-Stone
  • Project Start-Up Workshop Owen Gadeken, Defense Acquisition University (DAU)

Additional presentations included:

• Making Choices as a Project Manager: The Key To Success John Baniszewski, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
• On Time and Under Budget, So What? Hugh Woodward, Mcquarie Business Concepts
• The Knowledge Worker Attention Deficit Tom Davenport, Author

The agenda also included two facilitated Panel Discussions of Case Studies: The Promising Rookie and The Technical Expert. In addition, Mary Kicza from NASA Headquarters spoke on the topic Challenges Facing NASA Today, and a Group Activity entitled Win as Much as You Can was facilitated by Ray Morgan.

As with all Masters Forums, interspersed throughout the program were small- and large-group discussions and periods of Q&A when participants had the opportunity to interact with the speakers and their peers.