The Artful Argument

Facilitated by Kestrel Stone, CEO of Elemental Projects, the Artful Argument is a space for senior project professionals to engage in rich and generative conversations. Join us for thought-provoking discussions, transformative insights, and meaningful connections.

Dinner and drinks provided, BYO dissenting view.

Brewing Arguments

• Tue 18 Mar - Emerging tech in project delivery solves yesterday’s problems while creating tomorrow’s risks.

• Tue 15 Apr - Collaboration is a behaviour; collaborative working is a business discipline.

• Tue 20 May - Different industries have much to learn from each other about practice, culture, and technology.

The 2025 series of the Artful Argument is sponsored by:

• UniPhi - project and portfolio management software
• ACES - a technical society of Engineers Australia 
• Elysium - professional services for industry and Government
• International Project Management Association (IPMA-Australia)
• Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) Australia
• NEC - contracts that enables mutual trust and collaboration 

Past Arguments

• With Trump in play, everyone's projects just got more complex. 
• The most crucial thing in projects is also the thing least in your control: culture.
• AI is both a blessing and a curse for PMOs.
• The bigger the project, the bigger the problem with lump-sum contracts.
• Measuring project management maturity is more like a jigsaw puzzle than a 5-step ladder. 
• Without project assurance, board members can’t fulfil their fiduciary duties.
• Crisis and change are the same thing at a different pace.
• Most benefits realisation frameworks yield no benefits.
• The call for “Social Licence” is getting in the way of transitioning to renewables.
• Even collaborative contracts can be weaponised at will.
• Poor project sponsorship is a greater threat than poor project management.
• Delusion and deception are rife in reporting.
• VUCA environments need different leadership capabilities.
• Politics is a blind spot in resource management.
• COVID prepared us for the challenges of climate change.
• Effective project management methodologies enable intelligent disobedience.
• Capability is better bought than built.
• The devil’s in the incentives.
• Portfolio risk reporting is broken.
• No one can make a decision.
• Standing up a PMO requires a data strategy like we've never seen before.
• AI can replace project managers.
• The construction sector is overdue for a digital revolution.
• Rational governance is a contradiction in terms.