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3. An Inside look at Verizon from a Project Management Perspective

An Inside look at Verizon from a Project Management Perspective

I'd like to introduce to you, Alkesha Brown, an eight veteran with Verizon in the northeastern region. Alkesha’s current role is Outside Plant Engineer which incorporates project management into servicing customers in the New York area. You’ll find a variety of information about the state of the telecommunications industry related to project management and what lies ahead for Verizon’s future below. 

Q. What types of business process management practices are used at Verizon when it comes to project management? What types of tools in addition to MS Project and Visio do you like to use or would recommend? Can you share with me two best practices used at Verizon related to project management? 
A. Verizon has a Project Management Center of Excellence whose mission is to establish Project Management as a recognized discipline within Verizon. Its purpose is to provide access to the resources necessary to successfully implement projects for our customers within and outside of Verizon. Personally I’ve used MS project as a project management tool and Visio as a work tool (It is used to design the work prints) 

Q. How is project management viewed within Verizon? Does each region have their own internal project management methodologies or is there a global set of guidelines? 
A. Today's telecommunications markets are demanding increasingly faster turnarounds, smarter solutions, lower prices, and higher value. Sophisticated strategies are required for meeting these demands—strategies that cannot be carried out by simple, hierarchical organizations. Cross-functional teams, business-unit joint ventures, strategic alliances, supplier/customer partnerships, and other new ways of operating are needed—along with the ability to make them work. To remain competitive in the changing marketplace, Verizon needs highly trained project managers. So the company created Project Management Professional Development Program to be consistent. This innovation is in conjunction with George Washington University and ESI International 

Q. What advice can you provide to aspiring PM’s who are currently in the Telecommunications field and want to get ahead? What skills are telecomm companies looking for to make PM candidates most marketable? 
A. Advice: The core competencies used in any project management discipline are applicable in the Telecommunications field. Subscribing to newsletters and publication that are telecomm specific is a good way to show dedication and interest. It also hones your skills in the tumultuous world of telephony. Telecomm companies are looking for individuals who have had intensive instruction in the fundamentals of project management and have mastered the skills for handling the daily challenges of complex problems 

Q. How will some of Verizon’s new products directly impact the way project managers plan and implement projects? 
A. The fundamental triangle of scope, time and cost will shrink, with the slightest change having a consequence tantamount to a butterfly effect 

Q. Where do you see Verizon heading with the new acquisition of MCI on a national level? How will it effect the northeastern region? Verizon Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg said, "Verizon and MCI together create a formidable and highly competitive company delivering a full range of mission-critical voice and data products to businesses and government. We believe our agreement with MCI represents superior value and is a compelling proposition for MCI's shareholders, customers, employees and creditors." 

Q. Can you explain what Verizon’s strategy is in general terms with regards to the FIOS product? 
A. FIOS (pronounced FYE-ose) is the name of a new suite of fiber optic service over the Fiber network. Verizon’s new network that will utilize fiber-optic cables and associated optical electronics instead of copper wire to connect a customer’s home or business directly to the Verizon network. Check out http:// http://www.verizonfios.com/ 

Q. Do you think there will continue to be consolidation within the telecommunications sector? If so, what can we expect to see for the remainder of 2005 and early 2006? 
A. There will be as much consolidation within the telecommunications sector as the market deems profitable and as the FCC allows 

Q. What kinds of trends do you see in the telecommunications sector that other Project Management professionals would find useful or interesting? 
A. Fast, fast and faster: the project manager has to be one step ahead 

Q. What makes Verizon unique amongst its competitors when it comes to cutting edge technologies? 
A. Verizon offers superior broadband speeds at very competitive prices along with existing wireline local and long distance telephony services 

Q. What management style are most prevalent amongst Project Managers at Verizon? 
A. Verizon Project managers can assume leadership in today's evolving business environment. They use the most current techniques for meeting the challenges of complex projects, as well as principles and methods emerging from research in the field. The training experienced is dynamic, thorough, and practical. They apply the principles and techniques of project management in realistic situations that involve technical, economic, and human resources issues.