Project Management Training

The Basics of Project Management

Available Formats

Program Overview

Scope creep, changing priorities, teams located throughout the world....  Those issues are common water cooler conversations for anyone working on even the simplest project.  This course covers the basics of project management.  By its close, participants will understand the fundamentals of the project process and the people working to "get it done."

Program Objectives

At this program's conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Explain the importance of clearly defining a project, identifying sponsors, and generating buy-in.
• Identify barriers to running successful projects.
• Apply techniques for dealing with scope creep and changing priorities.
• Demonstrate how to ask effective questions to identify what's really important.
• Effectively apply techniques for running productive project meetings.
• Develop an action plan to address current project shortcomings.

The following outline highlights some of the course's key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Course Outline

Defining a Project: Examining the Essentials

This program kicks off with a discussion of the importance of defining projects and generating buy-in from the start.  Participants will learn to recognize the early signs of projects with a good chance of success to ones doomed to failure: finding the right sponsor, putting together the project team, asking the right questions, identifying a project's importance and priority, etc.

Charting a Course: Developing a Schedule

Milestones, key tasks, and schedules are the building blocks of establishing a project schedule and a tracking system.  This portion of the program discusses Gantt charts, PERT charts, and techniques for identifying key events, determining dependencies, and listing resource requirements.

Surprise, Surprise: Managing the Expected and the Unexpected

Every project has an obstacle or two that must be overcome.  In this section, participants will learn how to identify risk, build an issue list, write to-the-point status reports, and define the escalation process.

Here, There, and Everywhere: Coordinating a Project Team

Whether the team is located in the same office or has members working halfway around the world, meetings are a necessity of working together.  This portion of the program addresses techniques for running project meetings, assigning responsibility, and following up with team members in the next cube and on the next continent.

Rapport Report: Maintaining Relationships

Reporting to a project owner, sponsor, or client requires tact and finesse.  In this part of the program, participants will practice solving cases related to communication problems associated with project management.

Don't Go Yoko!: Breaking Up

Project work is often intense, especially when the end is near.  Ending on a good note is critical for motivating the team for the next project endeavor.  This final section discusses project debriefing, celebrations, and methods for incorporating best practices in to future activities.

Upon completion of this session, participants will have a clear understanding of the fundamentals of running a successful project.