Course Details

Material Provided for the Developing Project Management Skills Course:

  • Course book (3 ring binder)

Instructional plan, methods and techniques:

This course is taught using a combination of lecture, group exercises and instructor feedback (primarily exercise wrap-up). The course objectives are met by participants demonstrating mastery of the skills through class discussions and exercise development.

The following topics are taught in the 3-day Developing Project Management Skills Course:

  • Project Management Basics - 4 hours
    • How do you know it's a project?
    • The Big Picture
    • How does it all fit together?
    • Project Tools Categories
    • Project Scope and Parameters
    • The Reality Triangle
    • The Flow of Work
    • Project Management Processes
    • Common Phases of a Project
    • The Seven Common Stages of a Project
    • Communication Exercise
  • Initiating the Project - 3 hours
    • Project Charter
    • Do You Need Sponsorship?
    • Steering Committees
    • Project Management Office
    • Written Agreements
    • Project Requirements Document
    • Defining the Project Manager's Role
    • Project Manager Responsibility
    • Team Accountability
    • Challenges of Managing the Project
    • Project Manager Authority
    • Defining Project Success
    • Organization Types
    • Helicopter Exercise - Team Building
    • Traits of Successful Teams
    • Team Environment Issues
    • Stages of Team Development
    • Skills Inventory
    • Resource Matrix
    • Identifying the Extended Project Team (EPT)
    • Communication
    • Before Trying to Communicate
    • Barriers to Communication
    • Active Listening
    • Shared Resource Communication / Negotiation
  • Planning - 8 hours
    • Planning
    • Planning Video - "4 Hour House"
    • Project Management Guide Overview
    • PMG Structure
    • PMG Topics
    • Preparing for the Project Plan
    • Project Objectives
    • Gathering Project Information
    • Estimate and Scope Review Tool
    • The Work Structure in Project Management
    • Work Breakdown Structure
    • The Work Breakdown Structure Example
    • Work Breakdown Structure Exercise
    • The Scheduling Process
    • Developing Estimates
    • Defining Work Dependencies
    • Logic Networks
    • Logic Network Development
    • The Logic Diagram
    • Logic Network Worksheet
    • Calculating Early Start, Early Finish
    • Developing Late Start, Late Finish
    • Project Float
    • Gantt Chart Schedules and Reports
    • Scheduling Exercise 
    • Developing the Project Organization Team
    • Risk Management
    • Project Phase Screen Example
    • Obtaining Management and Client Support
    • Project Checklists
    • Project Planning Exercise
  • Executing Controlling - 5 hours
    • Reporting Project Status
    • Status Reporting Format
    • Charts and Graphs
    • Creating Effective Reports
    • Review Meetings
    • Typical Meeting Agenda
    • Conducting the Meeting
    • "We've Got to Stop Meeting Like This" Video Recap Sheet
    • Planning, Cost and Scheduling Baselines
    • The Project Budget
    • Cost Control
    • Earned Value
    • Types of Milestones
    • Change Management
    • Key Change Management Considerations
    • Sources of Change to a Project
    • Defining Change Control Issues to Others
    • Additional Resources Is Not Always the Answer
    • Change Request Form Example
    • Risk Management
    • Tolerance for Risk
    • Decision Trees
    • Risk and the Project
    • Risk Management Exercise (Optional)
    • Conflict Management
    • Areas of Potential Conflict
    • Controlling the Project
    • The Project Control Room
    • Project Leader's Control Book
    • Project Controls and Forms Overview
    • The Scheduling Process
    • The Work Breakdown Structure
    • The Activities List
    • Resource Skills Inventory
    • Resource Matrix
    • Developing Estimates
    • Estimate and Scope Review Tool
    • Logic Networks
    • Network Development
    • Defining Work Dependencies
    • Overlapping Tasks
    • Resource planning process to identify resources
    • Estimating methods and tools to effectively estimate costs
    • Cost management plan
    • Cost budgeting process
    • Contingency and management reserves
    • Cost control and its elements
  • Closing - 1 hour
    • Administrative Closeout
    • Contract Closeout
    • Lessons Learned Application
    • Continuous Improvement
    • Capacity Planning
    • Reassignment of the Project Team
  • Course Wrap up