Combining waterfall and agile methods to fill the talent gaps post-CovidThe new normal brings with it a shortage qualified personnel across the workforce. More specifically there is a huge shortage of certified project managers prepared to fill the needs of various sectors of industry. According to PMI there are thousands of project management positions unfilled. This talent gap is costing companies millions of dollars in lost productivity and profit. Leadership needs to address this unmet demand without overwhelming the current employees or other managers. How will your team achieve the corporate goals without the additional personnel? Whether you are conducting routine projects or reacting to cybersecurity threats, every team needs effective project management skills. In this workshop we will discuss how to prioritize and implement activities for the greatest impact on the organization.
Academia is the second career for E. Shirl Donaldson. Dr. Donaldson worked as a partner in a family-owned manufacturing firm resulting in exceptional insight into entrepreneurship, manufacturing, operations management, project management, quality systems, technology management and STEM education. Before returning to Purdue University in 2009 to pursue a Ph.D. in Industrial Technology, she held positions with technical and financial responsibilities. Her most significant corporate project was the implementation of an ISO/QS based quality system and achieving registration by an external body. Achieving this level of recognition garnered a competitive edge in the marketplace. This process included documenting and monitoring all areas of the company with an emphasis on purchasing, scheduling, process verification, customer communications and employee training. While building over ten years of entrepreneurial experience, she facilitated the creation of a second location to increase the customer base. Launching the second manufacturing location was her most complex successful project. She brings these skills and experiences to every space she enters as she continues to teach and consult.
Currently Dr. Donaldson teaches operations management in the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. She is highly skilled at delivering content in various formats including virtual, hybrid and traditional settings. Previously, Dr. Donaldson was an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Tyler in the Soules College of Business. Her area of concentration was project management and quality systems.
At two of her previous institutions, she taught technology courses and provided faculty mentorship on industry sponsored projects. She started student run project management clubs, served as the faculty mentor, and helped students earn valuable credentials for professional growth. Professor Donaldson is a certified project management professional (PMP) and an active member of Project Management International (PMI). She has conducted research and published in technical and management disciplines including a focus on targeted populations such as underrepresented minority students, first generation college students, non-traditional students, and veterans. A strong advocate of inclusionary practices in education and business, Dr. Donaldson encouraged students to work to their strengths while constantly expanding their skill sets and prospective of life. Her research agenda and commitment to intellectual growth is driven by her life experience.
Problem-solving is her passion. Project management and process improvement have become second nature to her. As a subject matter expert in tactics that enable businesses to perform better such as operations management, supply chain management, technology implementation, Lean Six Sigma, and organizational behavior, her experience is vast in corporate training and traditional academic settings. Dr. Donaldson has succeeded in top tier institutions, manufacturing, and community-based organizations. While teaching and researching the last several years, she has maintained close connections with industry. Her collaborators include refineries, manufacturers, and service organizations. She leverages knowledge garnered from different environments for vendible results. Shirl is an advocate for inclusionary practices, outcome-based learning, and technology utilization. By sharing best practices from business and academia as a relationship builder and analytical thinker she will convey accompanying ingenuity with each entity she engages.