PMFORUM Breaking News
Breaking News in the Project Management World
Monday, August 06, 2007
Renowned Risk Management Expert Opens 1st UTD Project Management Symposium in Texas
Reported by David Pells and Nelson Soucek in Plano, TX, USA
Alain Bensoussan, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and former Chair of the European Space Agency, was the keynote speaker opening the 1st UTD Project Management Symposium on 6 August 2007 in Plano, Texas. Dr. Bensousan’s speech focused on “The Challenges of Uncertainty” and included anecdotes, lessons learned and strategic advice based on his many years of experience in the European aerospace industry.
According to Dr. Bensoussan, “One of the issues I want to emphasize is the fact that complexity and technology are playing a main role in creating uncertainty. Also, you need to find competencies.”
Dr. Bensoussan’s presentation included an overview of (1) new risks; (2) goals of risk management; (3) the role of simulation in risk management; (4) project management and product development processes; (5) the need for flexibility; (6) real options; and (7) organizational aspects of risk management. He also discussed “the upside of risk”, mentioning risks as sources of opportunities for business.
“Risk management is a scientific approach that contemplates bad things before they actually happen, and redress the negative effects when they occur,” he stated. “Management is shifting from resource allocation and market performance to the assessment and mitigation of risks.”
A copy of Dr. Bensoussan’s presentation will be available soon on www.pmforum.org or at http://som.utdallas.edu/project/.
Dr. Bensoussan is the Director of the International Center for Decision and Risk Analysis (ICDRiA) at UTD and has an extensive research background in stochastic control, probability and stochastic processes. Alain Bensoussan is also Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris Dauphine. He graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique in 1962, and obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Paris in 1969.
Dr. Bensoussan is a member of the French Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Technology, of the Academia Europae, and the International Academy of Astronautics. He is an IEEE Fellow, and has received the Von Humboldt award as well as the NASA public service medal.
Professor Alain Bensoussan has held important positions and responsibilities in the French research system. He was President of the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) from 1984 to 1996, and President of the French space Agency CNES from 1996 to 2003. He was Chairman of the ESA (European Space Agency) Council from 1999 to 2002. He is Officer of Legion d’Honneur from France and Officer Bundes Verdienst Kreuz from Germany.
The 1st UTD Project Management Symposium was held on Monday 6 August 2007, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., at the Plano Convention Center, 2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, Texas, USA. The 1 day symposium featured speeches, professional presentations and discussions in the following tracks:
Track 1 – Program & Portfolio Management
Track 2 – Project Management: Critical Organization Success Factor
Track 3 – Software Development & Agile Project Management
Track 4 – PM for Product Development, including small projects
Track 5 – The Role of Project Management in Corporate Governance
Track 6 – Project Management in the Global Economy
The conference is being sponsored by the Graduate Program in Project Management in the School of Management’s Executive Education Center at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), (http://som.utdallas.edu/project/). Co-sponsors include the PMI Dallas Chapter (http://www.pmidallas.org/index.phtml) and PMForum, Inc. (www.pmforum.org). A 2nd UTD Project Management Symposium is now being planned for August 2008, which is expected to be approximately twice as large as this year’s event.
According to Dr. Bensoussan, “One of the issues I want to emphasize is the fact that complexity and technology are playing a main role in creating uncertainty. Also, you need to find competencies.”
Dr. Bensoussan’s presentation included an overview of (1) new risks; (2) goals of risk management; (3) the role of simulation in risk management; (4) project management and product development processes; (5) the need for flexibility; (6) real options; and (7) organizational aspects of risk management. He also discussed “the upside of risk”, mentioning risks as sources of opportunities for business.
“Risk management is a scientific approach that contemplates bad things before they actually happen, and redress the negative effects when they occur,” he stated. “Management is shifting from resource allocation and market performance to the assessment and mitigation of risks.”
A copy of Dr. Bensoussan’s presentation will be available soon on www.pmforum.org or at http://som.utdallas.edu/project/.
Dr. Bensoussan is a member of the French Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Technology, of the Academia Europae, and the International Academy of Astronautics. He is an IEEE Fellow, and has received the Von Humboldt award as well as the NASA public service medal.
Professor Alain Bensoussan has held important positions and responsibilities in the French research system. He was President of the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) from 1984 to 1996, and President of the French space Agency CNES from 1996 to 2003. He was Chairman of the ESA (European Space Agency) Council from 1999 to 2002. He is Officer of Legion d’Honneur from France and Officer Bundes Verdienst Kreuz from Germany.
The 1st UTD Project Management Symposium was held on Monday 6 August 2007, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., at the Plano Convention Center, 2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, Texas, USA. The 1 day symposium featured speeches, professional presentations and discussions in the following tracks:
Track 1 – Program & Portfolio Management
Track 2 – Project Management: Critical Organization Success Factor
Track 3 – Software Development & Agile Project Management
Track 4 – PM for Product Development, including small projects
Track 5 – The Role of Project Management in Corporate Governance
Track 6 – Project Management in the Global Economy
The conference is being sponsored by the Graduate Program in Project Management in the School of Management’s Executive Education Center at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), (http://som.utdallas.edu/project/). Co-sponsors include the PMI Dallas Chapter (http://www.pmidallas.org/index.phtml) and PMForum, Inc. (www.pmforum.org). A 2nd UTD Project Management Symposium is now being planned for August 2008, which is expected to be approximately twice as large as this year’s event.
