2018 Session

Title: Don’t Panic! Success is a bigger target than you think
Co-Presenters: Robert Merrill, Tamra Dagnon
Description:
Someone has handed you a project—actually just an idea and a deadline—and you’re not really a project manager or business analyst. How can you set everyone up for success, without losing your minds in the process? This panel discussion with two BAs and a PM from the CIO’s Office PMO will leave with you some essential concepts and pro tips to help you get from almost zero information to a scope, some high-level requirements, and a realistic budget and schedule that tilt the odds of success
in your favor.
Key Session Takeaways:

• Success – What is the real problem or opportunity?
• Scope – Agreeing on what we’re not doing (and doing)
• Requirements – Understanding and describing possible solution capabilities
• Estimating – effort, budget, schedule, and what if it won’t fit?

Biography

Shannon Larson began her first career as a Technical Process Engineer in the foundry business before
she even graduated from UW-Madison in 2005. After various roles in a variety of industries, she ended
up as a Project Manager in early 2008 in large-scale manufacturing. Exasperated on multiple fronts by
the manufacturing industry, Shannon made the switch to IT project management in 2010 and never
looked back, working as a project and program manager in the private sector before joining the UWMadison
Project Management Office in 2013. Shannon’s pragmatic, lightweight, flexible approach has
helped her lead a number of teams to success, including the separation of the UW System Network
and WiscNet in 2015. Shannon is now a Senior Project Manager.