Project Management Foundation Course

Course Details

• Length: 56 hours.
• Style: Instructor-led, using PowerPoint presentations, facilitated discussions, individual and group exercises.
• 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 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.

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.

Module Four (Building High Performance Project Teams) Objectives

By the end of Module Four you will : 

• Be familiar with the SuddenTeams™ team-building program.
• Understand how to create, motivate, and disband your teams effectively.
• Better facilitate your team meetings.
• Improve your team's decision-making abilities.
• Reduce unproductive intra-team conflicts.
• Improve the productivity of your team.

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 Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK)
• 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
• PMBOK “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

Course Content - Module Four (Building High Performance Project Teams)

• Standard vs. Empowered Teams
• Identifying Team Players
• Building Motivation
• Creating Rules of Conduct
• Defining Roles
• Creating Administrative Procedures
• Meeting Facilitation
• Group Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
• Supervising Empowered Teams
• Disbanding with Dignity