Manage Projects

overview

This learning unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to manage a straightforward project or a section of a larger project. This unit addresses the management of projects including the development of a project plan, administering and monitoring the project,
finalising the project and reviewing the project to identify lessons learnt for application to future projects.

The Project Lifecycle: Introduction, Initiation and Definition

The drive for greater efficiency requires that today's workplace be organised into flexible teams that are tasked with specific projects. In effect, we can think of a project as being a temporary endeavour that requires a project team to accomplish a sequence of connected tasks. This course investigates the skills required to manage such a team, including how to develop and motivate people, how to generate detailed action plans, and how to monitor progress and report to stakeholders.
This course includes 55 minutes of learning covering the following topics:

Introduction

Key Players

The Project Lifecycle

Project Definition

Test Feasibility

Terms of Reference

Defining the Vision

Setting Objectives

Scoping

Risk Management

Cost Risks

Schedule Risks

Resource Risks

Risk level assessment

Reducing Risk

 

Planning and Risk Management

You have completed the initiation and definition stage of the project lifecycle and now have a clear vision of the project with agreed objectives and you have identified the project scope and assessed all risks and constraints.
In this course, we will focus on planning the project in terms of what activities must be completed and how they will be completed. We will get started by looking at the Work Breakdown Structure which is a very effective tool for completing the specification of tasks in a project.
This course includes 40 minutes of learning covering the following topics:

Introduction

Planning

Work Breakdown Structure

Project Scheduling

Task Owners

Statement of Work

CPM Diagrams

PERT Charts

Resource Management

Human Resources

Other Resources

Financial Resources

Commitment Matrix

Budgeting and Cost Control

 

People Skills

We have underlined how important it is to select the right people as key players and resources in the project sphere. In fact, much of your work as a project manager will involve motivating and organising people so, in this course, we will explore the human aspects that are vital throughout the cycle of a project. In doing so, we will touch on human resources, team dynamics and motivational leadership. This course includes 60 minutes of learning covering the following topics:

Introduction

Recruit Talent, Not Experience

Human Resources

Motivational Leadership

Motivating the Team

Balancing Authority and Empowerment

Setting Expectations

Feedback and Coaching

Providing Rewards and Recognition

Challenge and Development

Project Metrics and Monitoring

Project Closure

Manage and Review Projects

We have seen that the successful completion of projects and tasks directly depends on a productive and successful team whose members are committed to contributing, communicating and co-operating. In this course, we will focus on setting goals that can be reviewed and measured so that project milestones and completion are clearly identifiable. We will look at how to review project outcomes and processes against the project scope and plan, as well as how important it is to involve team members in the project review cycle and document lessons learnt. This course includes 40 minutes of learning covering the following topics:

Introduction

Team Charter

Mission and Goals

Setting Outrageous Goals

Team Boundaries

Ground Rules

Resourcing

Initial Team Meeting

Empowerment

Team Patterns

Communication Plan

Completion Criteria

Reporting

Evaluation

Evaluating Your Team

What Have You Learnt?

The Final Report

Recognition