Is the systems integration industry ready to fully acknowledge the value of women in project management, and support their growth? I hope so, because whether the job is filled by women or men, it’s time to shift the paradigm of project manager from a through-the-ranks, glorified technical lead (someone who
Introducing Navigate Academy, an online training platform developed exclusively for systems integration and related technology companies. Over the last decade, the audiovisual integration industry has seen monumental advances in technology and systems. With those advances come more difficult challenges when it comes to selling and managing multiple overlapping projects, which
Friend vs Manager I’ve had many conversations recently with owners, directors, managers and employees at AV integration companies about the topic of accountability — or the lack thereof. When I ask them about their frustrations with both their direct reports, peers and others in the organization, I hear answers like,
What Should You Do When Customers Have Unrealistic Expectations? In the middle of 1999, I was a regional sales manager for a manufacturing company, covering most of the eastern US and Canada. My boss, Scott, decided to join me on the road one week in the Philadelphia area. Although the
In today’s global economy, there are more opportunities than ever before to deploy technology systems around the world. But working globally can create some logistical challenges as businesses try to scale their operations. To overcome the challenges of global AV deployments, companies need global technology partners that can deliver high-quality projects
Make it or break it profitability on global integration projects can come down to project management. This week, Brad Malone is joined by Chris Miller, Executive Director of PSNI Global Alliance. PSNI has built a global network of technology solutions providers that now includes 74 integrators, with 188 offices in
Everyone should understand why processes are in place. If an integrator is engaging in an activity on a daily basis, the people need to know why. What is the purpose of your processes? And does everyone understand the value? Mature companies document and improve their processes incrementally — in a
About six years ago I was having a beer with a business development director of a system integration client of ours. He shared a memorable story with me, which I’ll paraphrase below. “Chris, I’ll tell you what concerns me – and it’s not our competition. A few weeks ago, I
When we follow standards, it allows us to establish, measure and assure a level of quality, and predictability to our clients, and to one another. These days, many people have a hard time understanding why some people don’t seem to know how or care about doing the “right things” the
One of the things Navigate often hears from integrators is that they focus on putting quality into commissioning. Today, Brad is joined by Jim Maltese, Vice President of Quality Standards with Level 3 AV, to discuss why you should also build quality and metrics into the design process. “It’s like
