Course Description
Project management is being increasingly recognized as a vital skill-set for many management positions, not just those with the title of “project manager”. This course provides in-depth, practical, project management training. You will discuss projects from your own organization, and review tools and templates we use every day to manage real projects.
The course is structured into three modules :
Project Management Concepts and Project Initiation (1 day)
Project Planning and Scheduling (2 days)
Project Execution and Control (2 days)
Who should take this Project Management Skills for Success course?
This course is for existing project managers who are interested in learning more about formal project management techniques, and anyone who is interesting in becoming a project manager.
Project Management Skills Course Details
Length: 40 hours.
Style: Instructor-led, using PowerPoint presentations, facilitated discussions, individual and group exercises.
Texts: Participants receive a copy of Project Management Institute’s PMBOK® Guide, and a course participant’s manual/binder.
Format: Classroom. No computers required.
Prerequisites: None.
Module One (Project Management Concepts and Project Initiation) Objectives
By the end of Module One you will :
- Have a basic understanding of the different areas of project management.
- Understand how the different areas of project management are interrelated.
- Have seen many of the tools and techniques used by project managers.
- Better understand which of the other project management courses available to you may be appropriate, or of interest.
- Be prepared to examine various areas of project management in more depth in future classes.
- Be familiar with the Project Management Institute’s Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
- Understand the basic steps necessary to manage your projects.
- Be better able to prioritize projects.
- Understand the value of project charter documents, and will have written at least one of your own.
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Module Two (Project Planning and Scheduling) Objectives
By the end of Module Two you will know how to :
- Consider the impact of the environment or context in which your projects occur on your planning processes.
- Develop work breakdown structures to better define your projects.
- Develop network diagrams that model how your project will be executed.
- Schedule your project and identify the critical path for your project.
- Use these various tools and reports in improve project communications.
- Build resource information and cost information on top of your project plans.
Module Three (Project Execution and Control) Objectives
By the end of Module Three you will know how to:
- Run better project status meetings.
- Track issues and action items in a more systematic manner.
- Update your project plans on a regular basis.
- Measure how your project is progressing.
- Work with schedule delays and modify the project plan appropriately to minimize their impact.
- Better estimate your project costs and durations.
- Implement project quality systems.
- Identify, prioritize, and manage, project risks.
- Select appropriate contract types for procurements.
- Manage the project procurement process.
- Plan your project communications to keep all your project stakeholders involved and informed.
Course Content – Module One (Project Management Concepts and Project Initiation)
Introduction
- Applicability
- What is a Project ?
- Projects versus Products
- What is Project Management ?
- Where did Project Management Come From ?
- What’s Driving the Need for Project Management ?
- Project Management Websites
- The Project Manager
- Some Characteristics Of A Good Project Manager
- The Project Management Institute (PMI)
- PMI Membership Growth
- PMP® Certification
- CAPM® Certification
The Project Management Framework
- The Guide to the Project Management Body Of Knowledge
- Project Integration Management
- Project Scope Management
- Project Time Management
- Project Cost Management
- Project Quality Management
- Project Human Resource Management
- Project Communications Management
- Project Risk Management
- Project Procurement Management
- Project Stakeholder Management
- PMBOK® Guide “Add-Ons”
- Project Life Cycles
- Project Management Phases
- Project Management Stage Overlap
- Project Balance
- Project Trade-Offs
- The Role of the Project Manager
A Simplified Project Management Process
- Assemble Team
- Define Project Scope
- Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
- Develop an Initial Plan
- Network Diagrams / Precedence Diagrams
- Add Resources, Costs, Risks Etc.
- Obtain Stakeholder Buy-In
- Publish The Plan
- Collect Progress Information
- Analyze Current Status
- Adjust The Plan, and Manage Project Change
- Close Project
Portfolio Management
- Project Selection Processes
- Typical Project Evaluation Criteria
- Weighted Scoring
- Financial Models
- Risk/Return Profiles
- Portfolio Management – Monitoring
Organizational Considerations
- Transition Points
- The Project Office
- Organizational Structures
- Functional Managers’ Role
- The Role of Project Sponsors
Project Initiation
- Project Charters
- Project Repository
- Project Management Software Packages
Course Content – Module Two (Project Planning and Scheduling)
Planning Concepts
- Planning Processes
- Planning Considerations
- Project Balance
- Conceptual Integrity
- Iterative Expansion
- Progressive Elaboration
- Project Stakeholders
- Stakeholder Management
- Keeping Stakeholders Involved
- Phase-exit Reviews
- Initiation Phase Exit Checklist
Project Scope
- Work Breakdown Structures
- Project Scope versus Product Scope
- Rolling Wave Planning
- WBS Checklist
- Advantages of Developing a WBS
- WBS Dictionaries
- Change Control
- Change Requests
- Organizational Planning
- Project Interfaces
- Roles and Responsibility Assignments
- Staffing Management Plan
Activity Sequencing and Project Schedules
- Network Diagrams
- Activity Relationships
- Network Diagram Principles
- Milestones
- Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM)
- Network Templates
- Estimating Durations
- Analogous Estimating
- Parametric Estimating
- Project Review and Evaluation Technique (PERT)
- Estimating Resource Requirements
- Resource Requirements
- Schedule Development
- The Importance of Total Float
- Different Kinds of Float
- Other Important Scheduling Considerations
- Simulation
- Duration Compression – Crashing
- Duration Compression – Fast Tracking
- Resource Leveling
- Reporting the Project Schedule
- Gantt Charts
- Calendars
- Constraints
-
Project Costs
- Common Estimating Themes
- Cost Estimating Techniques
- Finalizing the Cost Estimate
- Accuracy of Estimates
- Budget Reallocations
- Allocation of Indirect Costs
- Time-phasing the Budget
- S-Curves
- Common Budgeting Problems
- Contingencies
- Pricing
Pulling it all Together
- The Project Plan
- Project Plan Review
Course Content – Module Three (Project Execution and Control)
Planning Concepts
- Project Plans
- The Project Management “Environment”
- Project Balance
- Execution Objectives
- Control Objectives
Meetings and Reviews
- Status Review Meetings
- Keys to a Successful Status Meeting
- Status Meeting Agendas
- Meeting Minutes
- Project Reviews
- Phase-exit Reviews
- Tracking Issues and Action Items
- Issue Resolution
Schedule Control
- Project Control Processes
- Baselines
- Variance Analysis
- Schedule Control
- Collecting “Actuals”
- Progress Collection Considerations
- Progress Collection Approach
- Schedule “Actuals”
- Percent Complete
- “Actuals” Collection Strategies
- Corrective Action
- Fast Tracking
- Crashing
- Resource Leveling
Cost Control
- Cost Budgeting
- S-Curves
- Earned Value
- Cost Control
- Estimate at Completion
- 50/50 Progress Reporting Rule
- Types of Costs
- Reserves
- Cost Tracking
Project Quality Management
- Quality Planning
- Project Quality Management
- ISO 9000
- PMI’s Approach to Quality
- Quality Policy
- Quality versus Grade
- Operational Definitions
- Quality Improvement
- Quality Assurance / Quality Control
- Quality Audits
- Quality Control Techniques
- Control Charts
- Inspection/Testing
- Scope Verification
- Scope Verification vs. Quality Control
- Requirements Traceability Matrix
- Pareto Diagrams
- Other Quality Control Terms
Project Risk Management
- What is a Risk?
- Risk Identification
- Risk Categories
- Risk Checklists
- Assumptions Analysis
- Qualitative Risk Analysis
- Rating Impact
- Probability-Impact Matrix
- Risk Response Planning
- Risk Avoidance
- Risk Transference
- Risk Mitigation
- Risk Acceptance
- Risk Response Plans
- Other Risk Terms
Project Procurement Management
- Procurement Planning
- Make-or-Buy Analysis
- Contract Types
- Fixed-Price (Lump Sum)
- Cost-reimbursable
- Time and Material (T&M)
- Advantages/Disadvantages
- Procurement Management Plan
- Procurement Documents
- RFP’s
- Typical Contents of an RFP
- Noncompetitive Procurement
- Evaluation Criteria
- Solicitation
- Source Selection
- Screening System
- Weighting System
- Independent Estimates
- Contract Administration
- Change Requests
- Contract Interpretation
- Contract Closure
- Closure Activities
Project Communications Management
- Work Authorization System
- Communication Planning
- Communication Requirements
- Communication Management Plan
- Example Reports