Digital Experience Aims to Jumpstart Changemakers Postponed Goals and Dreams 

Project Management Institute(PMI) launched Make Reality, a virtual hub designed to inspire and support changemakers as they drive transformation and create positive social impact across the world while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Telling the unique stories of changemakers – those at the forefront of driving change, personally and professionally – as they created impact in today’s project-centred world, the virtual hub empowers changemakers to get started on their next project or see a project through to the finish line that was left on hold.   

Nearly four in five consumers 79% in PMI’s Make Reality Global Survey 2020 said they consider 2021 a “do-over” year due to the COVID crisis. But 83% said 2020 prepared them for 2021, and an even greater number 86% plan to work harder this year to bring their good ideas to life.  

“The pandemic disrupted countless 2020 plans, but many leaders and innovative thinkers used the time wisely to map out their next moves,” said George Asamani, Business Development Lead for PMI in Sub-Saharan Africa. “As more communities and organizations across the globe cautiously turn to recovery and revival, teams are increasingly focused on turning their stalled projects into reality. However, making that idea a reality isn’t easy and requires effective project skills and new ways of working; that’s why PMI is empowering changemakers to take action through the Make Reality virtual hub.”  

From KICKOFF™ to Power Skills 

The PMI virtual hub features videos and true stories of changemakers across the globe turning their ideas into reality – from creating biodegradable batteries for electric vehicles in India to restoring animal habitats following the Australian wildfires. The hub also connects changemakers to PMI tools, resources, and courses on project management best practices, including KICKOFF – a free, 45-minute digital course and toolkit that guides learners through the basics of project management with bite-sized content and downloadable templates they can quickly implement on the job.  

The Make Reality virtual hub also helps project management professionals and non-professionals identify their unique changemaker persona and offers information about the “power skills” or social behaviours – like communications, empathy, collaborative leadership, and an innovative mindset – that are important in driving change and allow people to work well together to get things done. They complement the technical or vocational skills required and can often spell the difference between a project’s success or failure.  

Research Offers Reasons for Optimism 

The vast majority of changemakers are open to learning new skills. According to the PMI survey, 81% of consumers plan to learn new skills to bring their projects to life. Nearly three-quarters (73%) plan to take a more active role in driving change, and 66% are optimistic about their ability to be successful. 

Consumers are bringing similar ambitions – and a certain adventurous spirit – to their professional lives. Over two in ten (22%) are interested in starting their own business, and a similar number (22%) want to start a new job. They are also interested in increasing their level of responsibility on the job (28%) and learning new, job-related skills (31%). 

Among these are power skills like creativity (35%), communication (38%), and collaboration/teamwork (25%), as well as project management skills themselves (24%). 

“We hope to build on this sense of excitement and optimism with our Make Reality virtual hub,” Asamani said. “We believe there’s a pent-up desire to make change and to have impact in all spheres of peoples’ lives – personal, professional, and in the realm of social good. Our goal is to give people the tools – and a bit of inspiration – to get started.”  

For inspiration and to take the next step into turning their idea into reality, changemakers can visit pmi.org/Make-Reality.