2009 was a year of wait and hold as many organizations tried to determine which strategic initiatives to undertake and how much risk to assume with so much uncertainty.

Lindsay McMurray is Vice President of SPM Learning, a division of SPM Group Ltd.   Lindsay brings extensive experience in training and business development. He brings expertise and unique solutions to help corporations and government navigate the challenges of learning & development within the business and technological landscape of today’s continually changing environment.

Many organizations now consider Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a viable option to increase operational capacity, access specific business process knowledge and reduce costs. The evolution of BPO is Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), the outsourcing of process requiring analytical thinking and judgement. Embarking on an outsourcing effort is not for the faint of heart. There could be negative repercussions on employee morale and public opinion and the probability of failure is high. This article describes some of the benefits, challenges, risks and program management aspects you should know before evaluating a process outsourcing effort specifically around KPO.

SPM Group Ltd. is looking for a Vice President for Training & Learning Solutions.

Whenever I make a presentation on project management best practices, I always point out that if project managers are oblivious of the impact of change management variables on their projects, these projects will be challenged or even fail. Here I am not speaking of the management of change requests from project stakeholders that could result in scope creep or project deliverables that bear little resemblance to original project objectives or scope. This conversation often results in an ah'ha moment for many in the target group because it allows us to recognize one of the key reasons why projects fail - our inability to address or lack of acknowledgement of the symptoms of change that permeate our projects. Even if the project team produces the 'Rolls Royce' of deliverables, guess what? The project may still fail because of such issues as lack of buy-in or resistance to change. So, should we be considering these management disciplines as two disparate areas? What are the consequences for our projects if we do?

Over the years, the conference has evolved from strictly a technology show to one that encompasses a wide and varied learning experiences.

SPM has always been a leader in the workplace learning and development field and actively supports the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD) and International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO).

Envision a corporation where project management is a core skill. Where certified and fully competent project managers successfully execute technical and business strategic initiatives alike while managing large and complex teams. In today's economy delivering effectively on strategic initiatives to gain business results and competitive advantage is not only a survival move but will help a company thrive.

The Real News Cafe discusses 'too big to fail' so - nationalize & democratize or renew capitalism?  Paul Jay moderates as panelists Leo Panitch, Richard Kelly and Catherine Daw discuss the economic crisis.

Managing strategic initiatives effectively and efficiently at any time can be challenging.  When the economy turns itself on its head it is even more critically important.  This whitepaper will discuss the business context we are currently in, what makes initiatives challenging and challenged and the application of key concepts to manage strategic initiatives now and beyond the crisis.

Catherine Daw, CEO & President of SPM Group Ltd was interviewed on Tuesday, January 21st on the program “Career Juice! ™” hosted by Elizabeth Lengyel of PeopleCoach Inc.

Today’s businesses are pushed and pulled in many directions.   Strategy execution has been recognized as critical by leaders and organizations to give the edge and competitive advantage over competitors and is needed even more in the turbulent times we face. 

SPM is pleased to announce that Catherine Daw, President and Co-founder, has once again joined the ranks of other women blazing trails across Canada and globally for a 4th consecutive year.

Over the years, this conference has evolved from strictly a technology show to one that encompasses a wide and varied learning experiences.

Greg Gavarkovs, Senior Director at SPM Group Ltd.  will be presenting a feature workshop. The topic will be I&IT Project Management -  3 3 4 The Maturity Model on September 9th from 11:45am - 12:15pm.

More and more CEO’s are leveraging their staff’s ‘smarts’ by empowering them to make recommendations and drive upper management decision-making.

Managing virtual project teams presents a host of challenges. But remote project managers who trust their people, establish solid processes and make the most of technology often can be more productive than their on-site counterparts.

SPM professionals demonstrate our thought leadership in a series of upcoming workshops and presentations: Project World Canada 2007 (March 26-30) and the Project Management Institute's Technology Triangle Chapter (March 27).

Catherine Daw, President of SPM Group and industry veteran, provides a unique perspective on this challenging initiative at the upcoming kick-off event for the PMI-SOC's Healthcare Local Interest Group.

SPM Group Ltd. has been selected by the Ministry of Works and Housing (MWH) of the Kingdom of Bahrain to support the development and implementation of a Project Management System to serve the entire organization. SPM in partnership with a local Bahraini firm, LSS Technologies, is providing a comprehensive solution to fulfill the Ministry’s goal of creating an in-house centre of Project Management excellence.

SPM Group is proud to share the news of their recent membership with Imagine Canada as a Caring Company Member!

Governments have made great strides in establishing their strength in project management thanks to important life lessons – sharing and collaboration.

Catherine Daw ranks 83rd on the 2006 PROFIT W100 - Canada's Top Women Entrepreneurs - up from 2005 ranking of 93rd.

Understanding PPM and what it can do for an organization.

PPM is a topic of great interest today. Many organizations have woken to the fact that they need a mechanism to link strategy with execution and ensure they are, in fact, investing in the right initiatives.

Recognize any of these? Many people involved; very few committed. Not clear who can decide on what. Unclear of what “sign-off” really means! Intelligent project governance is critical in a complex large initiatives environment. Join us September 14th in Edmonton at the EPC Mega-Projects Forum.