Project Management - Understanding

Description

The Project Management Institute defines project management as, “The application of knowledge, skills, and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently.” This course will give you the project management tools that you need to plan, manage, and execute small to medium sized projects.

Objectives

This in-depth course will take you through all aspects of project management. First, you will consider what a project is and what a project manager does. Then, you will work through the four stages of the project life cycle: conceptual, planning, execution, and termination. You will also learn some supporting skills, like teamwork, communication, and presentation.

Course Outline

How to Use This Guide

Session One: Course Overview

Session Two: What is a Project?

Session Three: Project Management Basics

Session Four: Pre-Assignment Review

Session Five: How Can Projects Help Me?

1. The Benefits of Projects
2. Case Study: Mary Marvellous

Session Six: A Project’s Life Cycle

Session Seven: Selling a Project

1. Tom Peters
2. The Priority Matrix

Session Eight: Preparing Your Project

Session Nine: The Role of a Project Manager

1. A Project Manager’s Skills
2. Key Skills

Session Ten: Project Goals

Session Eleven: Laying Out the Project

1. The Statement of Work
2. Individual SOW
3. Project Planning Worksheet
4. Writing Reports

Session Twelve: Project Risks

1. Risk Tolerance
2. About Risks
3. Reducing Risks

Session Thirteen: Contingency Planning

Session Fourteen: What Really Needs To Be Done?

1. Beginning to Plan
2. Preparing a Basic Schedule
3. Other Scheduling Factors
4. Scheduling My Project

Session Fifteen: The Work Breakdown Structure

Session Sixteen: Planning Tools

1. Two Basic Tools
2. PERT
3. Gantt Charts
4. The Network Diagram
5. The Flow Chart

Session Seventeen: Budgets

Session Eighteen: Teamwork

1. Why is Teamwork Important?
2. Building a Winning Team

Session Nineteen: Developing Teams

1. Four Issues to Address with Project Teams
2. Team Development

Session Twenty: Putting it Into Practice

1. Decision Information
2. Individual Action Steps

Session Twenty-One: Communication Tips

Session Twenty-Two: Closing Out a Project

Session Twenty-Three: Team Meetings

Session Twenty-Four: Presentation Primer

Session Twenty-Five: Project Presentations

Recommended Reading List

Post-Course Assessment

Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Keys

Personal Action