VistA Expo 2012 - Training Opportunities for Project Managers

In collaboration with the VISTA Expo & Symposium, project-management training company GR8PM will be offering courses in Seattle, September 8-10. These courses provide Project Management Institute (PMI)-certified project managers an opportunity to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs). The courses are suitable for project managers interested in pursuing the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner certification, or seeking an in-depth introduction to agile project management techniques. This is an excellent opportunity for project managers to keep their skills current–the key to success in this dynamic field.

The training offered by GR8PM consists of a 2-day class and a 1-day class, which can also be combined as a 3-day class. The first two days of training are an Exam Preparation class that prepares participants to pass the PMI-ACP examination. The class will cover four key Agile frameworks–Scrum, eXtreme Programming (XP), Lean Software Development (LSD), and Feature-Driven Development (FDD)–as well as two important tools–Test-Driven Development and Agile Modeling. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of Agile Project Management. The third day, which can be selected as a 1-day stand-alone class, will be a complete immersion experience where participants will actively apply Agile practices such as writing user stories, creating iteration plans, managing story boards and burn-down charts, holding daily stand-up meetings, and reporting results to stakeholders. Both classes will be fast-paced, high-intensity, information-packed experiences. The training is ideal for anyone interested in Agile–participants are not required to be certified PMPs.

In addition to the training courses, GR8PM is offering a pre-conference Agile Development webinar to support the VistA Extension Challenge (http://www.vxHub.org), co-sponsored by VistA Expo and DSS, Inc. The free webinar will be held on Wednesday, August 1st, 4 PM EST.  Webinar registration is open at: https://www.vxvista.org:443/x/GIBYB.

During the VISTA Expo, Mr. Stenbeck of GR8PM will also present a session entitled "Rolling Out Full-Scale Agile Practices - Moving Beyond Scrum Into Organization-wide Agile Practices."

In order to become certified with the Project Management Institute (PMI), project managers must pass the requisite exams. And in order to retain that certification, they must acquire adequate Professional Development Units (PDUs) during each 3 year certification cycle. For participants who hold a PMP credential from the Project Management Institute, the training programs offered by GR8PM at the VISTA Expo will provide up to 28 PDUs towards renewal of their credential, depending on which program is selected. Instructions for claiming the PDUs will be provided as part of the course.

Registration is now open for the VISTA Expo & Symposium, the GR8PM project management courses, and other associated events: http://www.vistaexpo.net/registration.html

Course instructor, John G. Stenbeck, PMP, CSM, CSP, PMI-ACP, is a principal at GR8PM, Inc. where he co-authored the bestselling “ACP Exam Prep Plus Desk Reference.” He is an industry recognized expert in Agile Project Management in non-software environments. His particular value comes from a combined background in Accounting, Operations and I.T. He has the ability to manage large, complex projects to success where others have failed. John has extensive experience implementing enterprise resource planning (E.R.P.) systems at firms in the aerospace, shipbuilding, and construction industries.

GR8PM (pronounced "Great PM") is an industry leading company that provides project management consulting and training in Traditional, Agile, and Hybrid project management frameworks. Making the right framework choice–Traditional, Agile, or Hybrid–is a significant first step to delivering a successful project. Applying the right choice effectively is the key to organizational success.

DSS, Inc., co-sponsor of the VISTA Extensions Challenge, and a sponsor of the VISTA Expo & Symposium, is a Health Information Technology (HIT) software development and systems integration company that provides an open source Electronic Health Record (EHR), vxVistA, with extensions for behavioral health, radiology, oncology and dentistry, among other specialties. vxVistA is based on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ award-winning VISTA system, which is proven to reduce costs and enhance the quality of patient care. For more than 20 years DSS, Inc. have specialized in healthcare IT solutions that improve quality and productivity. In order to support use of open source software in healthcare organizations, DSS is founder and supporter of a community-driven, collaboration environment, www.vxVistA.org, that acts as a forum for discussion and best practices among all VISTA users, including clinical and administrative staff, new adopters, C-suite executives and developers. For more information on DSS, Inc., visit http://dssinc.com.

The VISTA Expo & Symposium will be held September 11-14th, 2012 in Seattle, Washington, hosted by the non-profit VISTA Expertise Network. This event provides a unique opportunity for VISTA thought leaders, decision-makers, vendors, adopters and end-users to meet in a professional conference environment. More details can be found at http://www.vistaexpo.net