Business & Money | Monday 23 November, 2015 7:06 pm |

DIPMF session calls for flexible model in managing innovation projects

 

Participants in the session held by the Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF) entitled: {Project Management Supports Innovation … Do you agree or not?} concluded that the conventional Projects Management model would not be good enough for managing innovation projects. They stated that the optimum solution is to develop a flexible model allowing for repeated try and error attempts under a systematic and orderly manner. They also stressed the importance of revamping the corporate management style with the aim of diffusing the culture of innovation such that it would become a responsibility of each employee in the organization.

The session was attended by HE Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shaibani, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council; HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); HE Engineer Hussain Nasir Lutah, Director General of Dubai Municipality; HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority; Her Excellency Muna Al Marri, Director General of Dubai Government Media Office; HE Ahmed Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Properties; HE Ali Sebaa Al Marri, Executive President of Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government; HE Dr. Mansour Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University; and HE Faris Saif Al Mazroui, CEO of Etihad Rail. Also took part in the session the international expert Tom Kelly, Founder Partner of IDU Graphic Design & Development; Dr. Edward Hoffman, Chief Knowledge Officer – NASA; HE Mark A. Langley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Project Management Institute (PMI); and Michael Barrett, Professor of Information Systems and Innovation Studies– Cambridge University.

Participants in the session unanimously agree that projects management supports innovation, provided there is a change in the model of projects management in use as project management is a systematic process comprising clear steps. However, innovation is associated with repeated trials & errors. Therefore the traditional model will not be sufficient for managing innovation projects, and a flexible method allowing for repeated trials has to be developed. They also called for revamping the corporate management style through embedding the innovation culture by mapping out a clear strategy, and a comprehensive framework. Moreover, the human and physical resources have to be provided to foster a proper innovation management. They also emphasized the importance of recognizing innovative ideas and innovators such that innovation would become a responsibility of each staff in any organization.