1. BP309: Next Generation
Project Management:
Collaborating Inside and
Outside the Box
Mat Newman, IBM, @MatNewman
Mikkel Flindt Heisterberg, OnTime by IntraVision, @lekkim
© 2014 IBM Corporation

2. Please Note
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Performance is based on measurements and projections using standard IBM benchmarks in a controlled environment.
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configuration, and the workload processed. Therefore, no assurance can be given that an individual user will achieve
results similar to those stated here.
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3. Session Description
Working within teams challenges individuals to connect, coordinate and collaborate
to achieve a successful outcome. Often this involves managing vast amounts of
information and tracking progress which traditional forms of communication struggle
with. The Solution? IBM Connections! Mikkel and Mat will demonstrate how
Connections revolutionises the way teams work by: Connecting with appropriate
expertise, Communicating more effectively, Coordinating effort effortlessly and
Collaborating productively from both Inside and Ouside the box
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4. What we'll cover
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Project Management 101
What you get inside the box
–
What's possible with the native tools in Connections
What's possible outside the box
–
What's available by extending Connections with external tools

5. Project Management 101
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6. Project Management 101: Definition
(or for the PM's – how to suck eggs)
Project management is about creating an environment and conditions in which a
defined goal or objective can be achieved in a controlled manner by a team of
people.*
* UK Association for Project Management, 2012
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7. Project Management 101: The “Constriants”
(or for the PM's – how to suck eggs)
Cost
Quality
EXPECTATIONS
Scope
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Time

8. Project Management 101: Who is involved
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Project Manager,
Project Sponsor,
Employees,
Clients,
Subcontractors, and
Stakeholders.

9. The Project Manager
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Defines the project, reduces it to a set of manageable tasks, obtains appropriate resources
and builds a team to perform the work.
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Sets the final goal for the project and motivates the team to complete the project on time.
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Informs all stakeholders of progress on a regular basis.
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Assess' and monitors risks to the project and mitigate them.
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10. Project Phases
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Definition
–
Defining the goals, objectives and critical success factors for the project.
Initiation
–
Everything that is needed to set-up the project before work can start.
Planning
–
Detailed plans of how the work will be carried out including time, cost and resource
estimates.
Execution
–
Doing the work to deliver the product, service or desired outcome.
Monitor & Control
–
Ensuring that a project stays on track and taking corrective action to ensure it does.
Closure
–
Formal acceptance of the deliverables and disbanding of all the elements that were
required to run the project.

11. Project Key Components
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Planning through Phases
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Requirements
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Scope
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RISK
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Work Breakdown Structure
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Deliverables
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Meetings
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Updates / Reports
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Communications
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12. Project – Documenting for Success
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Scope
–
The overall definition of what the project is supposed to accomplish, including the
projects goal, the resources to be used to carry it out, and a specific description of the
expected end result.
Deliverable
–
Either a physical object (new product) or an outcome (complete business plan)
Specifications
–
Detailed Descriptions of the deliverables for a project and include the technical, time
and cost requirements of a project.
Contingency
–
A planned allocation of resources that are to be used in the event that something
unforseen affects the completion of a project according to the schedule.
Change order
–
A request for a change in the projects scope deliverables or cost.
Success
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Deliverables need to be both achievable and clearly defined.

13. “Work” generated surrounding the Project
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Planning and Scheduling tool(s)
–
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In Addition to:
Documents / Files
Email
Meetings / Calendar Entries
Status updates / Reports

14. One important note...
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15. Stuff Happens!
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Poor communication,
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Disagreement,
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Misunderstandings,
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Bad weather,
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Strikes / Disruptions,
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Personality conflicts,
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Poor management, and
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Poorly defined goals and objectives.
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16. Project Management 101: Recap
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Scope + Time + Cost + Quality { = <> => =< } Expectations
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Monitor and Manage Phases
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Planning / Documents / Change Control
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Tracking the Work generated
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Reporting effectively
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Everything surrounding a project can be more efficient IF ...
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17. Everyone has access to a single source of the
TRUTH
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18. Project Management 101: Review
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Project management is about creating an environment and conditions in which a defined
goal or objective can be achieved in a controlled manner by a TEAM of PEOPLE.
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Current Generation Project Management = Task Centric
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Next Generation Project Management = People Centric
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THE tool for NextGen Project Management?
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19. IBM Connections
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20. What you get inside the box
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21. How can IBM Connections help?
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Planning through Phases
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Requirements
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Deliverables
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Scope
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Work Breakdown Structure
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Meetings
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Updates / Reports
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Communications
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22. Reviewing IBM Connections capabilities
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Profiles
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Communities
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Files
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Activities
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Wiki's
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Blogs
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Forums
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Events
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Polls and Surveys
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Media Gallery
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23. Creating the Project
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A single source of the TRUTH
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Central access to all project information
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An IBM Connections COMMUNITY
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24. Planning through Phases
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Creation:
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Definition
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Initiation
–
Planning
On Track, On Target, On Time:
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Execution
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Monitor & Control
Closure

25. Planning through Phases: Definition
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Goals
Objectives
Success Factors

26. Planning through Phases: Initiation
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Setting up the project:
Requirements
Scope
Deliverables
Expertise
WIKI

27. Requirements
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What are the outcomes expected by the Project Stakeholder
Wiki provides
–
Version Control
–
Heirachy
–
Comments and review
–
Attachments
–
(images, plans, diagrams, etc)
Does not provide
–
Co-authoring, and
–
Assignment
●
IBM Docs

28. Scope
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The overall definition of what the project is supposed to accomplish
Wiki provides
–
Version Control
–
Heirachy
–
Comments and review
–
Attachments (images, plans, diagrams, etc)
Does not provide
–
Co-authoring, and
–
Assignment
●
IBM Docs

29. Deliverables
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The “things” produced after successfully completing the project
Wiki provides
–
Version Control
–
Heirachy
–
Comments and review
–
Attachments (images, plans, diagrams, etc)
Does not provide
–
Co-authoring, and
–
Assignment
●
IBM Docs

30. EXPERTISE
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No longer limited to:
–
Location
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Geography
–
Time Zone
Choose members based on:
–
EXPERTISE

31. Planning through phases: Work Breakdown Structure
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Activities:
–
Sections
–
Entries
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To Do's (Tasks)
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Assignment
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Notification
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Review
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Comments
–
Attachments
–
Links
–
Bookmarks

32. Meetings
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Community Events
Coordinate Meetings
Plan Deadlines
Subscribe and
overlay in a Notes
Calendar

33. Updates / Reports
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Single source of the TRUTH enables a complete overview of everything happening

34. Communications
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Consolidated access to all information
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Email,
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Activities,
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To Do's,
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Comments,
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Files,
–
Bookmarks

35. Summary: Whats possible inside the box
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Single source of the TRUTH
Ability to manage project components
Version (change) control
Easily share, notify and discuss
Capture “Work” surrounding the project:
–
Planning and Scheduling tool(s)
–
Documents / Files
–
Email
–
Meetings / Calendar Entries
–
Status updates / Reports

36. What's possible outside the box
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37. Inside/out vs. outside/in
2 ways to extend IBM Connections
● Inside / out
– Stuff running inside the IBM Connections
container connecting out or providing functionality
● Outside / in
– Stuff running outside the IBM Connections
container connecting in to provide functionality
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38. Inside / out
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Customize header / footer UI / CSS / logo
Customize profile layout using profile types and/or macros
iWidgets (Homepage, Profiles, Communities)
OpenSocial Gadgets (Homepage, Embedded Experiences)
Event Handlers
– Synchroneous
– Asynchroneous

39. Outside / in
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Gadgets w/ embedded experience in the activity stream
Use API to read data
– Read activity stream e.g. actionable items
Use API to add/update data
– Post to the activity stream e.g. save entries or mark
actionable
– Post to the microblog
Use API to search
Embed business card in other application

40. IBM Connections as a platform
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When looking at IBM Connections from outside the box you see it as components and not
a single unified UI
–
News
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Common aka “Connections”
–
Profiles
–
Activities
–
Search
–
...
Each component as its own Application Programming Interface or API for short
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The API's are documented in the IBM Social Business Application Development Wiki
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http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/appdevwiki.nsf

41. API 101
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42. API 101
API
● Steering wheel
● Gear shift
● Pedals
● Key
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43. Inside / out
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Customize header / footer UI / CSS / logo
Customize profile layout using profile types and/or macros
iWidgets (Homepage, Profiles, Communities)
OpenSocial Gadgets (Homepage, Embedded Experiences)
Event Handlers
– Synchroneous
– Asynchroneous

44. Inside / out
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Customize header / footer UI / CSS / logo
Customize profile layout using profile types and/or macros
iWidgets (Homepage, Profiles, Communities)
OpenSocial Gadgets (Homepage, Embedded Experiences)
Event Handlers
– Synchroneous
– Asynchroneous

45. iWidgets
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Built using HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Deployed by the IBM Connections administrator
May be used in Homepage, Profiles and Communities
Context about current profile or current community may be
obtained from the runtime
Pro tip: See my Lotusphere 2012 presentation titled “BP207: Easy as Pie – Creating Widgets
for IBM Connections” at http://www.slideshare.net/lekkim
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46. Inside / out
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Customize header / footer UI / CSS / logo
Customize profile layout using profile types and/or macros
iWidgets (Homepage, Profiles, Communities)
OpenSocial Gadgets (Homepage, Embedded Experiences)
Event Handlers
– Synchroneous
– Asynchroneous

47. Event handlers
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Allows you to hook into the event mechanism in IBM
Connections
Written in Java and configured through XML files
Provides unlimited flexibility and power but it comes at a
price
Excellent for compliance or monitoring
Event reference: http://bit.ly/IC14BP309_02

48. Outside / in
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Gadgets w/ embedded experience in activity stream
Use API to read data
– Read activity stream e.g. actionable items
Use API to add/update data
– Post to the activity stream e.g. save entries or mark
actionable
– Post to microblog
Use API to search
Embed business card in other application

49. Outside / in
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Gadgets w/ embedded experience in activity stream
Use API to read data
– Read activity stream e.g. actionable items
Use API to add/update data
– Post to the activity stream e.g. save entries or mark
actionable
– Post to microblog
Use API to search
Embed business card in other application

50. Activity stream
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Easily done from almost any language or application
out there using standards based REST API
(there is that word again)
Excellent tool to notifying about content created in other
locations – provides rollup, commenting and rich UI using
embedded experiences
Bridge the gap from simply sharing to purposefully
collaborating
Pro tip: See my IBM Connect 2014 presentation titled “BP301: An Introduction to Working
With the Activity Stream” at http://www.slideshare.net/lekkim
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51. Outside / in
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Gadgets w/ embedded experience in activity stream
Use API to read data
– Read activity stream e.g. actionable items
Use API to add/update data
– Post to the activity stream e.g. save entries or mark
actionable
– Post to microblog
Use API to search
Embed business card in other application

52. Using Atom based API's
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All components has standard based REST API's
Based on Atom standard (feed / entries)
Requires parsing and patience but you can do just about
anything from any language
Recommend you look into IBM Social Business Toolkit if you
prefer not rolling your own
API Reference: http://bit.ly/IC14BP309_03

53. Engage Online

SocialBiz User Group socialbizug.org
– Join the epicenter of Notes and Collaboration user groups

Follow us on Twitter
– @IBMConnect and @IBMSocialBiz

LinkedIn http://bit.ly/SBComm
– Participate in the IBM Social Business group on LinkedIn:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IBMSocialBiz
– Like IBM Social Business on Facebook

Social Business Insights blog ibm.com/blogs/socialbusiness
– Read and engage with our bloggers
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54.  Access Connect Online to complete your session surveys using any:
– Web or mobile browser
– Connect Online kiosk onsite
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