Project Management

Exercises provide practice creating baseline documents, forecasting staff requirements, managing communications, modularizing work assignments, sequencing activities, implementing quality assurance, managing risk, controlling scope, planning procurement and controlling costs.

Students will utilize Microsoft Project as a practical introduction to the use of software tools that are available to assist with creating a project plan, setting up time lines and deliverables, tracking costs, monitoring resources and managing the impact of changes to the plan.

Participants are encouraged to discuss how the concepts and skills can be applied to project work in their application domain.

Prerequisites: This course is designed for project managers, team members, and senior managers looking to acquire a firm grasp of specific steps in the project management process.

• Project Life Cycle – Planning, Implementation and Control
• Skills Required for a Project Manager
• Project Manager's Responsibilities

• Project Evaluation and Selection
• Identifying Project Phases
• Planning and Obtaining Funding
• Identifying Project Stakeholders
• Building and Sustaining Commitment

• Scope Statement
• Organizing the Project into Manageable Chunks
  • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Developing a Flexible Project Management Plan
• Project Management Software Tools
• Using the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Modularize Work
• Using the Delphi Technique to Improve Project Design

• Developing a Human Resource Plan
• Using the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to Identify Team Members Needed for a Project
• Using Rewards and Recognition to Motivate Employees

• Defining and Sequencing Work Activities
  • PERT Activity Sequencing
• Activity Resource Assessment and Planning
• Activity Duration Estimates
  • Critical Path Methodology (CPM)
  • Gantt Chart Schedule Development
• Cost Estimates and Cost Baselines
  • Analogous Cost Estimation
  • Bottom Up Estimating
• Time Management
  • Sequencing Activities
  • Parametric Estimating

• Developing the Quality Plan
  • Differences Between Quality and Grade
  • Using Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to Solve Problems
• Project Team Member Acquisition
• Developing the Communications Plan
  • Internal Progress Reporting
  • External Marketing Messages
  • Stakeholder Updates

• Risk Identification and Management Plan
• Qualitative Risk Analysis
• Quantitative Risk Analysis
• Risk Responses

• Statements of Work
• Awarding Contracts
• Procurement Documentation and Tracking

• Quality Assurance
• Project Team Management
• Anticipating and Avoiding Problems
• Recovering from Setbacks

• Quality Control
• Stakeholder Management
• Monitoring and Controlling Project Risk
• Avoiding Schedule Slippage
• Contract Administration

• Managing Change Requests
• Controlling Project Scope
• Controlling Project Schedules
• Monitoring and Controlling Project Costs
  • Monitoring Schedule and Cost Variances Using Earned Value Technique (EVT)
• Project Performance Reporting

• Closing Individual Phases
• Closing Procurements
• Closing the Project

• Creating and Grouping Tasks
• Scheduling Tasks and Milestones
• Assigning Resources to Tasks
• Adapting to New Requirements
• Cost Analysis Reporting