Project Management Essentials

1. Introduction to Project Management

A. Introduction to Project Management
B. Definition of a project
C. Definition of project management
D. Project constraints
E. Project life cycle
F. Project Management Knowledge and Focus Areas
G. Project manager roles and responsibilities

2. Project Initiation

A. Influences on a project
B. Stakeholder identification and analysis
C. Understanding roles of senior management
D. Project selection
-Assess business needs and opportunities
-Qualitative factors
-Quantitative tools (benefit-cost ratio (BCR), present value, net present value, and payback period)
E. Project charter
F. Stakeholder Register

3. Project Planning

A. Core project team
B. Collect requirements
C. Scope management
D. Work breakdown structure (WBS)
-Key WBS terms
-WBS models: graphical and indented
-Building a WBS
-A WBS dictionary
E. Translating the WBS into the schedule
F. Estimating
-Estimating techniques (PERT, three-point, Parametric, Analogous)
G. Schedule planning and common tools
-Network diagramming (estimating activity duration, forward and backward pass, float, critical path)
-Gantt charts
-Milestones
H. Cost planning
-Estimates
-Cost budgeting
I. Resource planning and tools
-Roles and responsibilities matrix
-Resource loading table
-Resource loading histogram
J. Communication and Quality
Planning
K. Risk management planning
-Definition of risk
-Risk management plan
-Risk response strategies
L. Procurement planning
-Contract types

4. Project Implementation

A. Execution, Monitoring and Controlling
B. Monitoring project performance
-Earned value (definition, purpose, terminology, calculations, interpreting variances)
-Assessing project status
C. Ways to speed up schedules
D. Performance Reporting
E. Corrective actions
F. Managing change
G. Managing risk
H. Quality assurance
I. Developing the project team
J. Stakeholder expectations
K. Scope validation and customer acceptance

5. Project Closure

A. Guidelines for project closeout
B. Project closeout issues
-Project team
-Client/customer
C. Contract and administrative closure
D. Lessons learned
E. Performance Appraisal