Project Management

• Developing a communications plan
• Managing crucial project conversations with customers, sponsor, stakeholders and team members
• Understanding and managing expectations

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Introduction to Projects for Team Members

OVERVIEW:

Introduction to Projects for Team Members is a one-day workshop that introduces project management concepts, and provides participants with the skills needed to serve as part of a project team effectively. The workshop combines discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises to introduce and reinforce key concepts while providing information that can be immediately applied on the job. The goal is to introduce effective project team member skills.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the conclusion of the class, participants will:

• Have been introduced to the Project Management concepts and language used to define, plan, and manage projects
• Be able to identify “tasks” as the elementary units of project work
• Understand the importance of timely and accurate status reporting
• Understand the concept of task dependencies and the implications of schedule slippage

Defining Project Objectives

Emphasizes the importance of clearly defined objectives and provides usable tools to assist the project manager in organizing a team to determine objectives and construct a comprehensive charter that addresses the schedule, scope and resource targets and constraints of the project.

Planning the Project

Presents a process to support the creation and refinement of credible plans to accomplish project objectives. Particular emphasis is placed on task definition, schedule creation, risk management and communication between the project manager and project sponsors to facilitate informed decision-making.

Doing and Managing the Project

Shows how to use work products from planning to assist with tracking progress, assuring work product quality, supporting informed decisions and recommendations, coordinating the activities of the project team and external entities, identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for process improvement, and communicating project status.

Closing a Project

Outlines a process for efficiently closing a project administratively while assuring that the sponsoring organization benefits from lessons learned.

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Problem Solving and Decision Making

OVERVIEW:
Problem Solving and Decision Making discusses the process and challenges technical professionals and managers face in making timely decisions. It is a one-day workshop providing participants with tools and tactics for working with real world problems in a professional environment. This class is a catalyst for better idea generation and provides analytical tools for problem definition, solution evaluation and selection.

The workshop is highly interactive, combining demonstrations and brief discussions of key learning points with individual and group “hands-on” problem-solving exercises to reinforce learning and build confidence. The day is designed to help participants solve problems and make decisions to bring better value to their organizations and customers. Participants apply the processes and tools presented by working on real world and case study problems throughout day.

KEY TOPICS:
Introduction: What is a “problem” and what does it mean to “solve” one? – Participants will see new perspectives on problem identification and solutions.

Verification: Tools and tactics for problem definition – Whether defining a “problem” or an “opportunity”, problem solvers must understand fundamental parameters and assumptions about the situation.  This section explores methods to quickly gather and organize relevant information about a problem.

Identification: Heuristics for alternative solution generation – Introduces participants to techniques for generating a wider range of solutions.  These tools improve both the quality and quantity of alternatives available to the problem solver.

Selection: Evaluating alternatives – The intersection between problem solving and evidence based decision-making is the analysis of different options.  Several approaches will explore, including advantages, disadvantages and pitfalls.

Execution: Implementation considerations – How to implement decisions for maximum effectiveness and organizational learning.

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Project Management Essentials

OVERVIEW

Project Management Essentials course provides individuals with the skills and techniques needed to effectively participate in the definition, planning, and management of projects.  The course combines lecture, discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises to communicate and reinforce key concepts while providing tools and models that can be immediately applied to projects.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After successful completion of the workshop series participants will:

• Understand basic concepts, skills, and techniques needed to define, plan and manage projects
• Have applied these skills and techniques to case study projects and situations in class
• Be better prepared to define, plan and manage projects in the real world
• Have improved project and task definition and estimation skills
• Understand the basics of scheduling and risk management
• Share a common project management language with their peers

AGENDA
Initiate Project Team Acquisition

• Project Sponsor
• Project Manager/Leader
• Project Team

Initiate the Project

• Identify Project Stakeholders
• Validate the Project Definition with Sponsor

Plan the Project

• Establish Project Norms and Policies
• Create the Work Breakdown Structure
• Develop Preliminary Project Schedule
• Refining estimates of work and cost
• Optimize the Project Plan
• Develop Risk Management Plan

Execute the Project

• Measure Results and Progress
• Identify and Analyze Variances
• Plan and Manage Corrective Actions
• Report Project Status

Close-Out the Project

• Project Retrospective
• Archive
• Reward, Recognize, and Celebrate

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Project Management: Executive Overview

OVERVIEW:
Have you received results from your project teams and been disappointed in what they did? You thought you had clearly communicated your expectations, yet the team did not provide what you expected. How can you get the most from your project teams? Using a mix of presentation, group interaction and exercises, this powerful course gives you the methodology and language to generate the accountability and results you know are possible. It includes highlights from “Project Management Essentials” that will help you understand what your project teams are learning and how you can use it, as a project sponsor, to set expectations for achievable results.

• Introduction – Project Team Simulation Exercise
• Portfolio Management, Project Selection, Assigning Projects Based on Business Imperatives
• The Project Management Model
• Roles of the Sponsor, Project Manager and Project Team
• Project Team Planning Meeting
• Project Reporting, Change Management, Project Reviews

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