Sustainability Officers Project Management Toolkit- Organizational Tips for Long-Term Sanity

SUSTAINABILITY OFFICERS PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT- ORGANIZATIONAL TIPS

FOR LONG-TERM SANITY

Mieko A. OzekiThe University of Vermont

UVM Office of Sustainability

Projects Coordinator since 2008 and 2nd full-time employee in UVM’s Office of Sustainability.

Charged with creating a structure and implementing a system for managing projects and programs in our department.

Visionaries & Pioneers

Premise

At conferences like AASHE, we gain knowledge of:

Best practices Lessons Learned Core concepts of campus sustainabilityBecoming a change agent

But rarely do we hear about best practices on how to organize and manage the numerous projects we implement on our campuses.

Does managing campus sustainability projects look like this for you?

Climate Action Plan

GHG inventory

Paper Policy

StudentGreen Fund project

Or does the digital version look like this?

Sane Project Management

Source: Ebaum’s World

Principle #1: Look at your sustainability agenda from 30,000+ feet

Develop a work plan that captures the areas you’ll address during the academic year.

Use AASHE STARS as a: ① Framework for your work plan, ② Metric to hold yourself, your department,

and institution accountable.

From brain dump…

From 30,000+ Feet

To mind mapping

Individual Group

Work Plan

Make your work plan public

Principle #2: Find tools that work for you (and your team)

When selecting a PM tool

It should be:-Accessible-Web-based-Cloud-based

Source: http://jeannekolenda.com

When selecting a PM tool

It should not break the bank.Monthly or annual costs should be low, preferably free!

When selecting a PM tool

- Function and makes sense to you and your team- Easy to use- Accommodates internal & external collaborators

External PartnersInternal Partners

Core Users

• Who are your external partners? 

• How do they work? • What is the group

culture?• Who are your

internal partners? • How do they work?• What is the group

culture?• Who is your core

group? • How do they work? • What is the group

culture?

Once you select the tool…

Give your PM tool a test drive for at least a month.

Customize the PM tool to your groups management needs.

Take the time to train collaborators and/or your staff on how to use the tool.

If the tool doesn’t work for your group, retool and look for a system that works for you.

UVM’s Project Management System: 37 Signals Suite

Basecamp™

http://basecamphq.com/

Questions

What systems do you have in place to manage your projects and programs?

Is it well-organized and manageable?

Are you able to collaborate with internal and external partners with the system you have set-up?

Thank you

Mieko A. OzekiSustainability Projects Coordinator

mozeki@uvm.edu

www.uvm.edu/sustainability