Project Management Fundamentals (2 - 2.5 days)

Why This Course? Learning Objectives Audience Course Outline and Duration

Why This Course?
Project work differs from other, ongoing work efforts, yet few project team members are well prepared to participate in quality efforts. This workshop provides team members experience with the five basic project management techniques needed to succeed in projects.

Participants gain exposure to methods that are consistent with our other workshops. We present this class from the team members' point of view, rather than that of the Project Manager. The class achieves its results through presentation, discussion, team exercises.

Special Option 1: Teams of 3-4 people can use a current project of their own for their case study exercises in an extended-duration 2.5 day version of this workshop.

Learning Objectives

• Initiating and Phase Structuring
	Define project management, and itemize the six vital signs of a successful project.
	Evaluate the business case, and use it to prepare a scope statement and objectives.
	Estimate project effort, then use Successful Project Profiles to define ideal staffing and duration.
	Structure the appropriate life cycle and deliverables for the size and nature of the project.
	Brainstorm and organize the phase activities using Work Breakdown Structure Templates.
	Contrast the individual and team approaches to structuring project work.
• Improving Activity Estimates
	Combine estimating with an effective delegation process, that provides the person doing the job with the information needed to do it well.
	Use a consistent process to determine the priority of multiple projects.
	Use assumptions-based estimating appropriately for the size and risk of the activity estimated.
	Manage the assumptions that can affect an estimate, and improve its actual performance.
	Quantify and control the factors that affect duration estimates. Estimate activity duration.
• Scheduling and Tracking Progress
	Produce useful schedules with Calendars and Gantt charts.
	Show how to complete a project faster and manage resources better, and evaluate the trade-offs.
	Select minimum-effort tracking methods that can prevent, detect, and recover from problems.
	Describe the purpose and process of Quality Reviews; plan and perform effective reviews.
	Institute change control to manage the impact of changes on the project’s schedule and cost, while responding to business needs.
	Produce project reports that are appropriate for their audience, and for their timing.
	In closure, describe what managers, customers and teams all want in a successful project.

Audience
This workshop covers the fundamental tools and techniques needed by team members of medium-sized to large projects: those lasting two to twelve months in duration, and with more than a handful of participants. It can also be of value to beginning Project Managers and their customers. Team members who understand these project management concepts, terminology and tools will provide more useful estimates, better status tracking information, and improved project performance.

Course Outline (2 or 2.5 days, depending on options selected)

1. Initiation and Phase Structuring

	Project Management Defined; Why Manage Projects?
	Balancing the Vital Signs of Successful Projects; Initiate the Project
	Defining the Project; Key Roles in Successful Projects
	Defining the Business Case: Problems or Opportunities
	Early Estimates of Project Effort; Optimum Duration and Staffing
	Structure a Phase; Select Project Life Cycle Phases
	Structure With Activity Templates
	Guidelines For Good Work Breakdown Structures; Summarizing the Phase Work Plan

2. Improving Activity Estimating

	The Real Purpose of Estimating; Delegation and Estimating
	Determining Relative Priority
	What Is An Estimate? Different Levels of Estimating to Reflect Complexity
	Two-Point Consensus Estimating; The Factors that Make Estimates Wrong
	The Effort—Duration Conversion; Universal Assumptions

3. Scheduling and Tracking Progress

	Phase Scheduling; Eliminating "Can't" Charts
	Scheduling with Calendars, Gantt Charts; Schedule Analysis Methods and Trade-offs
	Summary of Steps to Improved Planning
	Tracking Progress; Minimum Effort, Maximum Value Tracking
	Three Levels of Tracking; The Role of Quality Assurance
	A Process for Managing Project Change
	Ending A Project; Evaluating Project Success
	Your Final Exam: Apply this Class Back on the Job