Project Management Fundamentals Course

Project Management: Fundamentals overviews the basics of project management. It provides the theory and core methodology you will need to manage projects or participate on project teams.

This course does not make use of any project management software application, but instead focuses on the conceptual underpinnings that students must know in order to use any project management software application effectively.

Students will learn how to use project management techniques to plan, organize, control, document, and close out their projects successfully and with minimum risk.

Target Student: Students enrolling in this course should be planning to lead a project (primary audience) or serve on a project team (secondary audience).

Performance-Based Objectives

• Discuss the phases of the Project Management Life Cycle and a project manager's role in each phase.
• List and discuss basic project success criteria and common reasons for project failure.
• Discuss techniques for setting up a strong project team.
• List and discuss elements of a Risk Management Plan.
• Discuss techniques for planning and sequencing project activities, including the Work Breakdown Structure and the Network Logic Diagram.
• Identify the Critical Path for completing a project on schedule.
• List and discuss the cost elements that should be included in a project budget.
• Discuss techniques for controlling for deviation from budgets and schedules.
• Discuss key elements of project management communications and reporting tools.
• Discuss key activities of project close-out.

To ensure your success, we recommend you have some working knowledge of your computer's operating system.

Topics covered on the 1 day Project Management Fundamentals course

The Project Management Life Cycle

• What is a Project?
• The Project Management Life Cycle
• The Role of the Project Manager

Setting Up for Success

• The Meaning of Success
• What Happens in the Initiation Phase?
• Project Definition and Scope
• Putting Together a Statement of Work
• The Project Charter

The Project Team

• The Teamwork Challenge
• Selecting Team Members
• The Team Charter

Risk Management

• Project Risk

Project Plans

• The Work Breakdown Structure
• Work Package Sequencing

The Project Schedule

• The Scheduling Process
• Time Estimates

The Project Budget

• What is a Budget?
• Creating a Preliminary Budget
• Budget and Schedule Balancing

Project Tracking and Control

• Moving the Project Forward
• Monitoring for Project Progress
• Earned Value Analysis
• Getting Back on Track

Project Reports

• Communications Overview
• Project Performance Reports
• Project Change Requests

Project Close-out

• Elements of Close-out
• Evaluation of People and Projects