PMI Houston Katy: "Bridging the Gap: Unlocking the Power of Project Controls for Project Management Success"-Monthly Meeting
PMI Houston Katy: "Bridging the Gap: Unlocking the Power of Project Controls for Project Management Success"
Hybrid Project Management with AI - Blending for Success
As a Digital Business Transformation Leader with over 15 years of experience, Mahesh Karnik has a proven ability to drive impactful results through Digital Transformation, Program Delivery, and M&A initiatives. He possesses deep expertise in project, program, portfolio management, and governance, consistently delivering complex, multi-million dollar technology solutions. His experience includes leading Global deployments of Cloud Applications, ERP, Custom Development, Data Analytics platforms, AI/ML solutions, and real-time monitoring systems. Mahesh is passionate about building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Topic Synopsis:
Modern projects demand adaptable management approaches. Hybrid Project Management blends traditional (Waterfall) and Agile methodologies to address this need, tailoring methods to specific project contexts. This approach optimizes for factors like complexity, stakeholder involvement, and control by combining structured planning with iterative execution. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) further enhances hybrid project effectiveness. AI-powered tools automate user story creation, predict risks, optimize resource allocation, and provide real-time progress tracking. This integration improves efficiency, enhances decision-making, and increases project success rates by leveraging AI within both Waterfall and Agile phases of the project lifecycle.
Learning Objectives:
- Make informed decisions about when and how to use a hybrid approach.
- Effectively integrate AI tools and techniques into their project management practices.
- Improve project outcomes by leveraging the combined strengths of hybrid methodologies and AI.
PDU Triangle:
1 Ways of Working PDU
Dinner Presentation: Bridging the Gap: Unlocking the Power of Project Controls for Project Management Success
Shohreh Ghorbani: is a dynamic project controls leader, educator, and industry advocate with more than 20 years of experience in project controls, project management, and project leadership. Her background spans major capital projects in energy, engineering, & construction, where she has led and supported key Project Controls functions. As the Founder and Technical Director of Project Control Academy, a leading global provider of practical online training programs in project controls, Shohreh has made it her mission to fill the education gap in project controls through premier training, practical resources, and expert guidance.
Through her work, she has helped tens of thousands of professionals and organizations worldwide strengthen their project controls knowledge and build the capabilities needed to deliver projects with greater predictability and business value. Shohreh is also a driving force behind the Project Control Summit, known as the best-in-class global gathering of project controls and project management professionals, industry leaders, technology innovators, and practitioners dedicated to sharing knowledge and shaping the future of the profession.
Renowned for her engaging and practical teaching style, Shohreh is passionate about bridging the gap between project controls and project management—helping project professionals become trusted partners in project success.
Through her dedication to education, community building, and continuous innovation, Shohreh continues to inspire and empower project professionals worldwide to lead with confidence, deliver greater value, and become true heroes of their projects.
To explore more, check her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shohrehghorbani/
Topic Synopsis:
Why projects struggle without alignment—and how project managers can turn project controls into a strategic advantage.
Many project managers are expected to do it all—manage scope, control costs, maintain schedules, mitigate risks—often without dedicated project controls support. Even in organizations that do have project controls teams, the collaboration is frequently limited, leaving project managers with data but not the clarity they need to make confident decisions.
As a result, project managers often find themselves asking: Are we truly on track? Where are the real risks? Why do issues surface too late?
The challenge is rarely the lack of tools—it is the gap between project management and project controls thinking.
This session addresses that gap from both perspectives: for project managers who must act as “project controls” themselves, and for those who work alongside project controls teams but are not fully leveraging their value.
Through real-world examples and practical scenarios, participants will explore where misalignment typically occurs—across scope, cost, schedule, and risk—and why projects struggle even when processes appear to be in place.
More importantly, this session provides a practical path forward. Participants will learn how to shift from reactive management to proactive decision-making by asking the right questions, focusing on the right signals, and strengthening alignment—regardless of organizational structure.
Learning Objectives:
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Clearer understanding of why projects struggle—even with tools, reports, or established processes
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Insight into the most common gaps between project management and project controls (or lack thereof)
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Practical strategies to improve decision-making, whether working independently or alongside a project controls team
By the end of the session, participants will walk away with a new mindset and practical approach—enabling them to move beyond managing tasks to confidently driving project outcomes.
PDU Triangle:
1 Power Skills PDU
Event Information
| Event Date | 10-08-2026 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
| Cut Off Date | 10-08-2026 8:00 pm |
| Capacity | 36 |
| Individual Price | $30 Members / $40 Guests / $20 Student/Unemployed |
| Location | Home2 Suites Katy |