Unleash Your Inner Project Manager: Discover the Skills You Didn't Know You Had! 

Presenter: Mike Chambers, Boise State University

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by tasks and deadlines? Do you wish you could effortlessly navigate projects, big or small? This presentation isn't just for project managers – it's for anyone who wants to boost their productivity and achieve their goals! Learn how to leverage your existing strengths and acquire new tools to tackle any project with confidence.

 You'll learn how to:

-- Break down complex tasks into manageable steps

-- Collaborate effectively and build trust with your team

-- Measure progress and ensure success  

Don't miss this opportunity to unlock your hidden potential and become a project management superstar!

Program Granite at BYU - Laying an ERP Cloud Foundation by Implementing HR and Finance at the Same Time 

Presenter: Russ Scadden, Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University has transitioned to a new Cloud HR and Finance system at the same time. 2024 was the final year of a three-year endeavor. BYU went live on Workday for both HR and Finance on January 1, 2025. Activities from the third year included completing end-to-end testing, parallel payroll, data conversion, and go-live readiness phases of the project. Hundreds of associated strategic processes that touch ERP data were retrofitted and integrated to adapt to the transition to Workday. Thousands of reports were delivered. Hundreds of workbooks were involved with the data migration. Training was conducted starting with "Centers of Excellence" (COE) members, to finance and HR business partners, and then all users across campus. New teams were formed to support and operate Workday. With the go-live fresh on our minds, we will share our launch activities. Learn what caught us by surprise and what went according to plan.

Mind the Gap! Bridging the Divide Between Tech Dreams and Practical Solutions

Presenter: Tracey Davis, Towson University

At higher education institutions, the IT department is often not consulted about new software or solutions until someone submits a project request to implement it. While not uncommon, this approach presents numerous challenges for everyone involved. The chosen solution may not be compliant with security and accessibility standards, it may duplicate functionality already available in an existing system or it may simply not be the best solution for their needs. I have a feeling many of us involved in project management in higher ed can relate to these challenges!  

At Towson University, we’re working to close this gap through a service called a Technology Consult. This service provides an opportunity to proactively engage with campus customers before they submit an IT project request. Our team of solution analysts works directly with the department to assess their needs, conduct market research, identify existing solutions, and ultimately recommend a solution right-sized to the customer’s needs. In this session, we will share how we implemented this service within our PMO structure, details on how we conduct these consults, and the improvement that we’ve seen since launching the service (spoiler alert…it’s significant!!)

Birds of a Feather: Project and Change Management

Presenter: Shaheda Taji, DePaul University