Project Management Essentials

Course Outline

Getting Started

• Introductions
• Course orientation
• Participants’ expectations

Module 1: Foundation Concepts

• Key terms and concepts
• Organizational framework
• Leadership framework

At the conclusion of Module 1, you’ll be able to:

• Define key terms and concepts essential for a practical approach to project management
• Articulate on the five Process Groups and ten Knowledge Areas in the PMBOK® Guide
• Assess how organizational structures impact management of projects
• Distinguish leadership characteristics for project managers to be effective

Exercises:

• Group Exercise: What are characteristics common to all projects?
• Group Exercise: What makes a project fail?
• Group Exercise: What are the characteristics of a great project manager?
• Class Discussion: Organizational Structures
• Class Discussion: Leadership 

Module 2: Originating and Initiating

• Originating projects
• Initiating projects

At the conclusion of Module 2, you’ll be able to:

• Differentiate between originating and initiating projects
• Understand organizational project and portfolio management, and their role in project selection
• Identify and evaluate project selection criteria
• Understand the importance of a project charter and create project objectives
• Analyze stakeholders and articulate the value of conducting a stakeholder analysis

Exercises:

• Group Exercise: What do you need to consider when selecting a project?
• Class Discussion: Originating
• Discussion: What are the standard Project Charter contents?
• Exercise:  Developing Project Charter objectives
• Exercise: Stakeholder Analysis

Module 3: Planning

• Planning overview
• Scope and quality planning
• Resources and risk planning
• Schedule and cost planning
• Project baselining

At the conclusion of Module 3, you’ll be able to:

• Develop a project management plan with its major elements
• Develop a work breakdown structure and articulate on what comprises a scope baseline
• Apply appropriate tools to plan for risks and staffing
• Differentiate between effort and duration, costs and budgets, and the different estimating techniques
• Understand what comprises a project baseline that includes contingency reserve

Exercises:

• Group Exercise: Develop a WBS
• Group Exercise: What are the steps for a Project Risk Assessment
• Group Exercise: Risk Registry

Module 4: Executing and Controlling

• Executing
• Monitoring and Controlling

At the conclusion of Module 4, you’ll be able to:

• Describe the processes for executing and monitoring & controlling the project management plan
• Create a healthy team, understanding the difference between a healthy and dysfunctional team
• Assess appropriate engagement levels for project stakeholders to effectively manage engagement
• Monitor and control project execution, understanding variance analysis and management

Exercises:

• Group Exercise: What do you see first?
• Group Exercise: Manage stakeholder engagement
• Group Exercise: Managing Change
• Class Discussion: Monitoring and Controlling

Module 5: Closing

• Project closing overview
• Closing administratively
• Closing financially

At the conclusion of Module 5, you’ll be able to:

• Describe the three major closing activities
• Evaluate post-deployment results and meet the challenges
• Develop a checklist for transition and administrative closure activities
• Conduct lessons learned sessions to bring about process improvement
• Acknowledge success via forms of recognition and rewards

Exercises:

• Group Exercise: What do you need to do to close a project?
• Class Exercise Brainstorming: Transitioning and administrative closure

Summary and Next Steps

• Review of goals, objectives, key concepts, and expectations