PMI Belgium Chapter kicked off 2023 with the traditional New Year’s General Assembly event.
I wanted to kick-off this year with more interaction with the audience and I proposed the attendees to submit their ideas and sentiments about Chapter’s activities through a live online survey.
Using a lean “retrospective” approach, the survey asked the audience 4 simple questions to indicate 1.what the chapter should be keep doing (continue), 2.what should be improved, 3. what to start doing new in 2023 and 4.what to stop doing.
The survey was answered by 78% of the attendees and generated 70 ideas in little less than 1 hour.
Based on the results, it appears that our members are really enjoying our focus on networking and professional development through face-to-face events, PMFair, and sessions on relevant project management topics. They also appreciate our efforts to involve more volunteers and prioritize climate action, as well as our focus on introducing members to PM tools and techniques and keeping them informed through our newsletter.
As for areas that could use improvement, attendees suggested we focus on organizing both formal and informal in-person meetings, offering volunteering opportunities, and providing career support for members. They also want us to create a positive atmosphere, increase awareness of PMI global initiatives, provide post-event materials, reach out to new members, keep our website updated, continue our mentorship program and organize more regional events (e.g. Wallonia).
For new ideas, attendees suggested incorporating laughter into events, interacting with other PMI chapters in the Netherlands and Luxembourg, organizing hybrid events, and promoting opportunities for experienced and new PMs to support companies and sponsors. They also suggested starting a podcast, providing career support, organizing communities of practice, and engaging more actively with volunteers.
Three main trends have emerged that the PMI Belgium Chapter should consider:
- Emphasis on Education and Training: There is a strong need to provide educational opportunities for project management professionals, being with PMFairs, PMI training, or workshops on PM-related topics.
- Flexible Events: There is a need for flexible event planning that caters to both in-person and online participation.
- Career, Volunteer and Community Support: Providing support to members, engaging with volunteers, and building community is a key area of focus.
Overall, I'm feeling energized and inspired by all of the ideas and feedback received. And as we move into this new year of "relaunch" after the challenges of the pandemic, I'm confident that we'll continue to grow and thrive as a chapter.
Luigi Belli PMP
Director of Events
