MMSPM003: Project Management Fundamentals

This course will teach you how to effectively manage all phases of a project. You’ll learn the project management framework of initiation, planning, execution, control, and formal closing, and discover what it takes to ensure project success. In this skills-building course, you’ll focus on practical tools and techniques as you spend 75% of the course working on a project-from initiation to close. You’ll work individually and in teams to write objectives, conduct stakeholder analysis, and develop a work breakdown structure and risk management plan for a case study project. Practice using estimating techniques, dependency analysis, and network diagramming. Leave class with the knowledge and tools to immediately get your projects done on time, within budget, and to specification.

Outline:

1. Project Management Framework

• The Project Management Institute
• PMI Framework
  • Five Process Groups
  • Life Cycles
  • Nine Knowledge Areas
• What is a Project?
• Project Management Terminology

2. Initiating

• Five Steps of Project Initiation
  • Build a Business Case
  • Establish Project Scope
  • Analyze Stakeholder Needs
  • Identify Constraints
  • Build a Communication Plan
• BOSSCARD Framework
  • Initiating Questions
  • Objectives
  • The Project Charter
  • Constraints
  • Assumptions
  • Scope
• Stakeholder Analysis
  • Prioritization Grid
  • Five Stakeholder Groups
• Project Roles and Responsibilities
  • Responsibility Assignment Matrix
• Sign-Off Process

3. Planning

• Seven Steps of Successful Planning
• Communications Planning
• Quality Management
• Quality Tools and Techniques
• Risk Management
  • Identify, Assess, Quantify, and Manage
  • Risk Management Life Cycle
  • Risk Response Strategies
  • Risk Management Workshop
• Sources of Change
  • Formal Change Control Process
  • Managing Organizational Change
• Developing the WBS
  • Diagramming a Project
  • Identifying the Critical Path
• Creating the Schedule
  • Producing Effective Estimates
  • Network Diagramming
  • Resource Allocation, Leveling, and Schedule Compression
• Generating a Budget
  • Cost Categories
  • Procurement Planning

4. Controlling and Closing

• Project Controls
• Challenges
  • Activity Analysis
  • Earned Value Analysis
• Expectations
  • Stakeholder Expectations
  • Project Environment
  • Expectation Control Elements
  • Project Manager vs. Expectation Gap
• Organizational Style
  • Why Do Projects Fail?

5. Closing Processes

• Administrative Closure
• Contract Closure
• Lessons Learned

6. Case Studies

• Managing Cross Functional Teams
• Dealing with Conflicting Expectations
• Handling Organizational Impacts

Hands-On Exercises

• Project Management Terminology
• Establish the Project Background and Develop the Project Mini Charter
• Stakeholder Identification and Analysis
• Project Roles and Responsibilities
• Responsibility Assignment Matrix
• Defining Assumptions and Constraints
• Communications Planning
• Risk Planning
• Change Management Planning
• Develop the WBS
• Activity Definition
• Estimate Activity Duration
• Calculate the Critical Path
• Develop the Project Schedule
• Project Controls
• Calculating Earned Value
• Manage Expectations
• Plan for Closure
• Evaluate PM Competencies