I have been a public speaker since the 1980s. My role as the president of HMS Software, publishers of TimeControl and my work in the project management software industry has provided numerous opportunities to speak in Project Management and Technology events over the last 40 years. My experience includes the design, deployment and adoption of enterprise timesheet, enterprise project management, portfolio management systems. My work with organizations both small and large in how to improve their business management performance has formed the core of many of my speaking topics.
You may have seen some of my writing on project management or business topics. I have been published in publications including Fortune Magazine, Western University’s Ivey Business Journal, the Project Management Institute’s PMNetwork magazine, Computing Canada, Chief Project Officer magazine, the American Management Association’s Handbook on Project Management and Project Times. I have written frequently for Microsoft’s Technet site on Enterprise Project Management subjects.
Finally, I run the popular blog EPMGuidance.
I have been a long standing member of the Project Management Institute, the American Association of Cost Engineers, and the Microsoft Project Users Group. I have worked with a number of project management system vendors including Deltek and Oracle and spent 5 years on the Microsoft Enterprise Project Management Partner Advisory Council.
I speak regularly at business, technology and project management functions and the speaking topics range from high-end team performance to optimizing business process to the technical aspects of project management. Some examples of speaking topics include:
- Enterprise labor tracking
- Enterprise Project Management
- The Project Portfolio Management processes
- Project Field Data Collection
- Creating a business prioritization process
- Generating a Mission document, not just a mission statement
- Generating business performance through metrics and display systems
- Matrix management in a projectized world
The perils and benefits of managing remote workers in an all new world
ProjectWorld/Project Summit, BAWorld Orlando
Orlando, FL, Apr 3, 2023
Making your Hybrid Project Management environment a success
ProjectWorld/Project Summit, BAWorld Global Virtual Conference
Virtual, Dec 13, 2022
The Pyramid of Project and Resource Management
14th Annual UT Dallas Project Management Symposium
Dallas, TX, May 17, 2022
Bringing Agile, Project Management and Portfolio Management together
Minnesota PMI PDD 2022
Minneapolis, MN, Sep 12, 2022
The Perils of Managing Remote Workers in and all-new world
Minnesota PMI PDD 2022
Minneapolis, MN, Sep 13, 2022
Staying small and nimble and loving my business life
Founderpath Conference, Austin, TX
Sep 1, 2022
From the strategic level to the tactical level, perspective is everything
ProjectWorld/Project Summit, BAWorld Global Virtual Conference
Virtual, Dec 8, 2021
Collaborate, Co-operate or “Adversarialize”. Does a Project Manager Really Catch More Flies With Vinegar Than Honey?
ProjectWorld/Project Summit, BAWorld Orlando Virtual Conference
Virtual, Sep 10, 2021
The Perils and Benefits of Managing Remote Workers in an All New World
Minnesota PMI PDD 2021
Virtual, Sep 28, 2021
Scalable Agile Framework (SAFe) is it for you?
Minnesota PMI PDD 2021
Virtual, Sep 27, 2021
The future of Project Management
McGill University Webinar
Montreal, QC, May 10 2021
Collaborate, Co-operate or “Adversarialize
ProjectWorld/Project Summit, BAWorld Global Virtual Conference
Virtual, Oct 27, 2020
Create a Strategic Project Selection Process Using Business Priorities
Minnesota PMI PDD 2020
Virtual, Sep 29, 2020
From Agile to Portfolio – Does it all belong together?
Minnesota PMI PDD 2020
Virtual, Sep 28, 2020
Managing Resource Risk in an Uncertain World
13th Annual UT Dallas Project Management Symposium
Dallas, TX, May 21, 2019
If you can’t cancel a project, can you really have portfolio stage gating?
PW*BA World Orlando
Orlando, FL, Mar 26, 2019
Project Manager Career Boosters
Minnesota PMI PDD 2018
St Paul, MN, Sep 27, 2018
Project Manager Career Boosters
Minnesota PMI PDD 2018
St Paul, MN, Sep 27, 2018
Project Manager Career Boosters
PW*BA World Orlando
Orlando, FL, May 17, 2018
Increase Resource Capacity without Hiring
PMI UT Dallas 2018 Symposium
Dallas, TX, May 18, 2018
Create a Winning Enterprise System Deployment Strategy
ProjectSummit*BAWorld Orlando
Toronto, ON, April 4, 2017
Increase Resource Capacity
PMI Eastern Iowa PDD
Cedar Rapids, IA, October 20, 2017
Just call me Trim Tab
Global PMI Congress
San Diego, CA, September 27, 2017
Creating Business Prioritization for Projects and Portfolios
Minnesota PMI Professional Development Days
St Paul, MN, September 14, 2017
Agile is not just for IT
Minneapolis PMI Symposium
St Paul, MN, September 15, 2016
R&D Tax Credits and the Project Manager
Montreal PMI Symposium
Montreal, QC, October 7, 2015
Increase Resource Capacity Planning without Hiring
Minnesota Professional Development Days
St Paul, MN, September 17, 2015
Sub-Contractor Tracking
OPSIG – Oracle Primavera Special Interest Group
Online, July 16, 2015
Agile for the PMO
ProjectWorld Canada
Toronto, ON, May 25, 2015
Project Management of Sub-Contractors
Collaborate15
Oracle Application Users Group
Las Vegas, NV, April 14, 2015
Agile methodology and Enterprise Projects
PMI Global Congress
Phoenix, AZ, Oct 26 – Oct 28, 2014
Integrating Cost Control and Field Data Collection
Oracle Application Users Group – Collaborate 14
Scottsdale, AZ, Sep 28 – Oct 1, 2014
The Wonders of the As-Built Schedule
Oracle Application Users Group – Collaborate 14
Las Vegas, NV, April 11, 2014
Panning for gold by data-mining your project tracking data
PMI Central Illinois Chapter
Bloomington, IL, March 11, 2014
Setting Priorities To Achieve Quick Wins and the Best ROI
5th Annual Business Process Re-engineering Course
Toronto, ON, February 25, 2014
Panning for Gold – Data mining your project management data
PMI Global Congress
New Orleans, LA, Oct 29, 2013
How to Cancel a Project Without Cancelling your Career
PMI Global Congress
New Orleans, LA, Oct 28, 2013
Creating Business Prioritization for Projects and Portfolios
PMI Huron Valley Chapter
Ann Arbor, MI, October 21, 2013
Cancelling a project without cancelling your career
ProjectWorld and Business Analyst World Canada
Toronto, ON, June 4, 2013
Enterprise Project Management Workshop
PMI Southern New England Chapter Professional Development Days
Hartford, CT, April 30, 2013
Extending Project Management to the Organization
PMI Durham Highlands Chapter
Whitby, Ontario, Canada, March 26, 2013
Benefits of integrating Field Data Collection, Project Cost Control and Scheduling
Hard Dollar Customer Round Up Conference
Scottsdale, AZ, October 15, 2012
Improving resource capacity through timesheet management
PMI Buffalo Professional Development Days
Buffalo, NY September 20, 2012
Creating Resource Requirements without Hiring
PMI Central Illinois
Lincoln, IL July 10, 2012
The Timesheet Challenge: Tracking your projects with Microsoft Project and Project Server
Microsoft Project Users Group Toronto
Toronto, ON, May 15, 2012
Increasing your Resource Capacity without increasing your costs
ProjectWorld and Business Analyst World Canada
Toronto, ON, May 14, 2012
Prioritizing your Projects
PMI Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA May 10, 2012
Increate Resource Capacity without Hiring
through Timesheet Best Practices
Oracle Application Users Group, Collaborate 12
Las Vegas, NV, April 2012
Creating Resource Requirements without Hiring
PMI Huron Valley
Ann Arbor, MI April 16, 2012
Extending Project Management to the Organization
McGill University Webinar
Montreal, QC, February 28, 2012
Apply Business Analysis to Project System Requirements projects
PMI Syracuse
Syracuse, NY, February 21, 2012
Here is a partial list of presentations delivered by Mr. Vandersluis:
Be a Solution Buyer: Setting your EPM Requirements
PMI Maine
Portland, ME, January 19, 2012
Creating your EPM Deployment Plan
Microsoft Project Users Group Global Webcast
Online, January 10, 2012
Stop the Madness of Multiple Time Entry
Oracle Application Users Group, Collaborate 11
Orlando, FL, April 2011
Timesheet management in the Finance Industry
Project Management 2009 Development and Perspectives
Moscow, Russia, October 2009
The Resource Management Dilemma
Project Management Institute
Montreal, February 2008
Benefits of Data Mining
ProjectWorld
Montreal, May 2007
Causing a Breakthrough with Elite Swimmers
Beaconsfield Bluefins Swim Club
Beaconsfield, QC Canada, October 2006
Effective IT Governance using Microsoft’s EPM Solution
Microsoft TechEd
Boston, June 2006
Trends in the Project Management Industry
Northwestern Ontario Technology Association
Thunder Bay, On, Canada, November 2005
Enterprise Project Management means Culture Change
Bell Canada Project Managers and Business Analysts Conference
Montreal, QC, Canada, May 2005
Project Stage Gating – are you choosing the right projects?
ProjectWorld Canada
Montreal, QC, Canada, April 2005
Enterprise Project Management: Big Bets, Big Bucks
Microsoft World Wide Partner Conference
Orlando, FL, USA, July 2004
Effective IT Governance using Microsoft’s EPM Solution
Microsoft TechEd
Boston, MA, USA, June 2006
Getting Strategic IT projects done on time and on budget
Microsoft TechEd
Orlando, June 2004
Real-time project management systems – myth or reality?
Project Management Institute
Vancouver, March 2001
Integrated Project Management
PMI Canada Symposium
Calgary, May, 1996
A Matrix Approval Process for Labor Actuals
PMI Global Congress
Darby, PA, 1997
Enterprise timekeeping for project environments
Project Management Institute
Toronto, January 27, 2000
As the president and co-founder of HMS Software, Mr. Vandersluis has been instrumental in the growth and sustained level of operations of HMS since 1984. Under his guidance, HMS has become recognized as one the foremost suppliers of project management products and expertise in Canada and one of the most significant suppliers of timesheet and project tracking software in the world. HMS is the publisher of TimeControl®, one of the world’s most successful project-based timesheet systems.
Mr. Vandersluis has, become recognized as one of the world’s authorities on enterprise project management and on enterprise project systems. He has written for numerous publications including Fortune Magazine, Heavy Construction News, the Ivey Business Journal, the American Management Association, PMI’s PMNetwork, ProjectTimes, Chief Project Officer magazine and Computing Canada magazine and the author of the popular blog EPMGuidance.com. He is the past president of the Montreal chapter of the Microsoft Project User Group (MPUG) and co-founder of the Montreal and Toronto chapters of the MPUG. He teaches Advanced Project Management at McGill University and often speaks at project management association and business functions across North America and around the world.
Education
McGill University
1982 | BA, Economics
Presentations
For a list of speaking engagements where Mr. Vandersluis has presented in the past, see the Previous Engagements tab.
Projects
Here are some projects Mr. Vandersluis has been involved in over the years:
TimeControl
Perhaps most significant has been the creation, design and publication of TimeControl, a popular multi-purpose timesheet system. TimeControl was launched in 1994 and has been deployed to hundreds of thousands of users in countries all over the world.
For more information on TimeControl, go to TimeControl.com.
CF-18 Upgrade program
Bombardier Canadair Defense Systems Division – Mirabel, Quebec
This multi-year, multi-billion dollar project is for the upgrade and maintenance of Canada CF-18 fighter aircraft fleet. Provided project scheduling, earned value and timesheet software, training and consulting to integrate these project systems with SAP and other in house systems
Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
General Motors Diesel Division/EDS – London, Ontario
This ongoing programme is for the design and manufacture of the popular Light Armored Vehicle supplied to Canadian, US and other military clients. Provided scheduling, earned value and timesheet software as well as training and consulting to integrate these systems with corporate systems at GM and Delco
TimeControl Integration
Credit Suisse/First Boston Bank – New York, NY
Assisted Credit Suisse with the integration of TimeControl into an extensive legacy system of in-house financial data and production systems such as Remedy. Provided database architecture and data integration consulting.
James Bay Power Development
Hydro Quebec/SEBJ – Montreal, Quebec
The northern Quebec James Bay Power Development is one of the largest hydro electric power projects in history. Mr. Vandersluis was involved from 1988 supplying project scheduling and cost control software as well as training in project management methodology and consulting for systems integration.
Hot Steel Mill Shutdown program
Dofasco Steel, Hamilton Ontario
Dofasco Steel does regular maintenance of its manufacturing facilities. HMS has assisted Dofasco for almost 10 years in reducing the time required to refurbish its various facilities. Mr. Vandersluis assisted with integrating pm tools with existing corporate systems and provided training in both project management methodology and in project systems.
Y2K Compliancy for Maritime Telcos
CSM2000, Maritime Provinces
CSM2000 was constructed as a virtual Telco out of the 4 Maritime Bell telcos. Mr. Vandersluis assisted CSM2000 from 1998 to 2001 in managing its Y2K project by providing scheduling and timesheet software, training in project methodology, resource leveling analysis and project systems and consulting in systems integration
Nuclear Retubing Project, Thermal Plant refurbishing Project
Ontario Hydro, Ontario
The Nuclear Retubing Project was a multi-billion dollar project designed to replace the aging fueling tubes in all Ontario Candu reactors. The Thermal Plan refurbishing project at Lakeview, Ontario was a multi-million dollar upgrade to the emissions controls for the coal-fired plant. Ontario Hydro used Mr. Vandersluis to assist with these projects to implement project scheduling and earned value software with extensive training and consulting.
Hibernia GBS
NODECO, St-John’s, NFLD
The Hibernia oil platform was the largest and most complex of its type ever constructed. The NODECO consortium received the $2B project to design and construct the Gravity Base Structure (GBS), something never done before. Mr. Vandersluis provided extensive training and consulting services to this project in establishing a project management and earned value environment and supporting that environment until the completion of the Gravity Base Structure.
Enterprise Project implementation
Rolls Royce, St-Laurent, Quebec
Mr. Vandersluis assisted Rolls Royce with the creation of an automated project control environment, which had to meet aerospace and defense standards. This included supplying Rolls Royce with project scheduling, earned value and timesheet software, training to run these systems and integration services to tie the timekeeping to the Rolls Royce financial systems.
Create and Deploy a Project Portfolio Prioritization Process
Johnson and Wales University, Providence, RI
Mr. Vandersluis worked with the Johnson and Wales senior management to create and deploy a business prioritization process that was applied to the prestigious university’s IT work. Working with the university’s executives he was able to facilitate agreements on how to prioritize, create a system with metrics to sequence critical projects and assist with deploying a resource capacity planning environment within the IT department.
