Dear PMI-ISSIG members,
I am pleased to share with you the status on the formation of the Information Systems Community of Practice, under the Virtual Communities Program of PMI.
PMI has recognized the significant investment in time, effort and cost being expended by PMI-ISSIG in delivering quality and unique services and products that enabled PMI-ISSIG to become the world’s largest community of IS/IT project management professionals. Therefore, PMI has agreed that in exchange for such investment by PMI-ISSIG, it will continue to deliver PMI-ISSIG specific programs and services. PMI has also agreed to provide the programs and services common to all Virtual Communities. This is a win-win situation for all the PMI-ISSIG members in hundred countries and as the largest component of PMI.
Our continued discussions with PMI on transitioning to this new IS CoP have resulted in a clear understanding with them that preserves all our products and member services in the current form, in the proposed Information Systems Community of Practice. In addition, the members will also benefit from the common programs of the virtual communities that were not part of our services. Throughout our discussions, the interest of all the members was supreme and no compromises have been made to cut any of the member benefits.
In view of the above, PMI-ISSIG has entered in to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PMI. This will help us to plan the transition activities in an extremely professional manner, keeping member interests in the front and center. As your volunteer leader, we at PMI-ISSG will ensure that you get the best deal and more. We are taking care of all your interests in the transition planning but ultimately you will decide to transition into the new Information Systems Community of Practice (IS CoP).
The PMI-ISSIG is currently developing the transition and business plans in line with the above. The transition of PMI-ISSIG to IS CoP, business plan for the new IS CoP and eventual dissolution of PMI-ISSIG will be done in accordance with the PMI-ISSIG bylaws, MOU and outcome from the membership vote, as applicable. We will keep the whole process transparent and continue to communicate with you on a regular basis.
Over the next few weeks you will receive information on the membership vote. Upon successful transition, we will require dissolution of our Charter with the PMI and your acceptance of transferring the remaining funds to PMI for the exclusive use of the new Information Systems CoP. The PMI-IS SIG membership vote will decide the following:
1. PMI-ISSIG transition into the new Information Systems CoP under PMI
2. PMI-ISSIG URL ownership transfer to PMI for website redirects effective on the date that the virtual community website opens to the membership
3. Acceptance of the proposed PMI single price fee model resulting in the discontinuation of PMI-ISSIG dues collection, effective on the date that PMI and PMI-ISSIG approves that the virtual community delivers all the products and services included in the MOU
4. The dissolution of PMI-ISSIG after successful transition to Information Systems Virtual Community, as the PMI-ISSIG will then no longer be required as a separately incorporated chartered entity of PMI
5. Amend the PMI-ISSIG Bylaws to facilitate transfer of the remaining funds, at the time of dissolution to PMI for exclusive use by IS CoP
All along, our key objective is to ensure a seamless and transparent transition of our existing member services into PMI CoP, as you are our most valued stakeholder. This can be achieved with the affirmative members vote. Some of the targeted milestones are as follows:
1. Approvals of the IS CoP Business Plan by PMI and PMI-ISSIG Board of Directors by end of July 2010
2. Initiation of the PMI-ISSIG membership vote by the end of June 2010
3. Completion of the PMI-ISSIG membership vote by the end of August 2010
4. Transition of PMI-ISSIG to the IS CoP around end of September, 2010
Get involved!
As an exclusive promotion to all PMI members, you currently have complimentary access to the websites of all the Communities of Practice. This is a great opportunity for you to explore these websites, to better understand the community of practice platform, and to participate in any community that may interest you. To access PMI’s communities of practice, follow the following steps:
· Visit http://www.pmi.org/GetInvolved/Pages/Communities-of-Practice.aspx
· Click on a community of interest and log in with your pmi.org username and password. You then gain immediate access to browse the community
· Click on the “subscribe to this community” link to actively participate in the communities
It is an exciting time to be involved in this organization change! Please stay tuned, contact us and feel free to send your questions to vcp_communications@pmi-issig.org
We look forward to working with you!
Sanjay Swarup, PMP, P.Eng.
Chair (PMI-ISSIG)
chair@pmi-issig.org
http://www.pmi-issig.org/