Course Summary:

Project management is critical to the success of every organization. Industry research indicates that 74% of all projects hit roadblocks, are over budget or are late. And 28% of these projects fail altogether.

Project managers face constant pressure to cut costs, implement projects quickly, and deliver high quality. Without thoughtful planning, execution and monitoring of efforts, organizations will lose business to those that effectively manage their projects.

Whether your goal is to learn the basics of project management, become certified in project management, or learn project management software, MSDI has the courses and training you need.

Course Objectives:

• To set up and manage projects effectively
• To scope out the objectives and deliverables for a project
• To create a Project Plan
• To calculate the resources required for a project
• To manage project teams effectively
• To establish systems for monitoring and evaluating projects
• To assess risk factors and develop contingency plans
• To create a motivated project team

Course Outline

Project Management – Initiation and Philosophy

• Project definition vs. on-going daily operations (Business as Usual)
• The attributes and selection of the Project Manager
• Understanding the Project Charter and the impact of the requirements
• The Triple Constraint that affects all projects
• Understanding the five keys stages of Project Management
• Critical areas that affect the success of a project and how to avoid project failure

Project Preparation and Planning

• Project definition vs. on-going daily operations (Business as Usual)
• The attributes and selection of the Project Manager
• Understanding the Project Charter and the impact of the requirements
• The Triple Constraint that affects all projects
• Understanding the five keys stages of Project Management
• Critical areas that affect the success of a project and how to avoid project failure

The Project Schedule and Tracking

• Working to the scope of the project and statements of work
• The Work Breakdown Structure
• Monitoring the agreed schedule
• The project budget and scheduling balancing
• Estimating methods and Earned Value Analysis
• Critical Path and PERT analysis

Project Implementation and Control Management

• Monitoring the agreed project schedule
• Working on the project and dealing with day to day operational issues
• Managing the performance of the team and selecting and managing suppliers’ performance
• Dealing and coping with changes and variances in the project
• Impact analysis and decision-making
• Getting the project back on track

Project Close Down and Handover

• Dealing with issues and negotiation for better results
• Writing procedures and reviewing and reporting the project stages
• Handing over and delivering the project for sign off
• Evaluation of the team’s performance
• Recommendations and lessons learned
• Documenting the project procedures and results

Leading the Project Team with Conviction

• Adapting your personal style of leadership
• Developing a vision and motivating your team
• Implementing a robust and viable communications plan
• Setting direction and agreeing Critical Performance Indicators
• Major sources of conflict on project teams and the five modes of handling conflict
• Deal with contradicting needs between the customer, project manager and project team

The Importance of Stakeholder Management

• Stakeholder definition and analysis
• Determination of relevance of stakeholders
• Stakeholder mapping
• Stakeholder influence
• Persuasion and negotiation tactics with stakeholders Prioritising stakeholder requirements and expectations
• Dealing with Challenging Behaviours

Managing Risks and Quality

• Risk management planning
• Identifying project risks
• Performing risk analysis
• Risk response monitor and control
• Controlling project quality
• Quality assurance and quality

Measuring Schedule, Costs and Earned Value Management

• Resource allocation
• Scheduling tools and techniques
• Validating the schedule
• Managing change within the project
• The importance of a good cost/schedule baseline to measure performance against
• The tools and techniques for using Earned Value Management

Staying Focused and Delivering a Successful Handover

• Avoiding project scope creep
• Influences on decision making
• Problem solving styles
• Personal attitudes and human behaviours
• The keys to effective influence and persuasion
• Gaining and maintaining commitment throughout to successful handover