Introduction to the course
In today's dynamic and fast-paced business environment, effective project management is indispensable for success. Whether you're a seasoned project manager looking to enhance your skills or a newcomer eager to learn the fundamentals, this Planning, Organising & Controlling Projects course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in project management.
Throughout this training course, we will delve into the essential principles and practices of project management, focusing on three key areas: planning, organising, and controlling. You will learn how to initiate projects effectively, develop clear objectives, and create robust project plans that account for scope, time, and resources. Additionally, we will explore strategies for organising project teams, allocating tasks, and fostering collaboration to ensure smooth project execution.
Furthermore, we will discuss techniques for monitoring project progress, identifying potential risks, and implementing control measures to keep projects on track. By mastering these skills, you will be able to mitigate project setbacks, optimise resource utilisation, and deliver successful outcomes consistently.
Whether you're involved in small-scale initiatives or large-scale endeavours, the principles and techniques covered in this course are applicable across various industries and sectors. This 5-day training course will elevate your project management capabilities and drive success in your professional endeavours.
This training course will highlight:
- Professional Approach: Learning systematic methods to manage projects and project activities.
- Scope Definition: Understanding how to define project scope, establish realistic objectives, and identify relevant deliverables.
- Effective Planning: Creating realistic project plans, determine critical paths, and proactively manage risks.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Mastering techniques for identifying, engaging, and managing project stakeholders.
- Performance Tracking: Exploring tools and techniques for tracking and managing project performance.
Daily Agenda
DAY 1:
Reviewing the Fundamentals
- Understanding projects: Differences between large/small and simple/complex projects
- Current trends in project management: Project management associations and qualifications
- Understanding projects: Project complexity factors and categories
- Project life cycles & stage gates: Project planning and decision points
- Earned value management: Measuring project performance
- Project roles, responsibilities, and boundaries: Work Breakdown Structures and RACI Charts
- Key financial concepts: Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, and Payback Periods
DAY 2:
Initiating and Defining Projects
- Initiating projects: Project context and environment
- Setting realistic objectives: Defining project scope and deliverables
- Goal prioritisation & stakeholder management: Achieving objectives
- Developing a project control structure: Defining roles and specifying work packages
- Cost breakdown structures: Techniques for making preliminary estimates of time and cost
- Using appropriate project planning methods: Applying a structured approach
- Initiating risk management: Using qualitative risk analysis techniques
DAY 3:
Planning Projects for Results
- Building a realistic project plan: Using Gantt charts and activity networks
- Using the plan to develop detailed task and resource schedules
- Identifying the critical path and setting milestones: Getting buy-in from the key players
- Techniques for developing detailed estimates for time and cost: Managing estimating uncertainty
- Minimising project timescales: Exploring time-cost options and understanding trade-offs
- Managing project risks: Qualitative and quantitative risk management methods and techniques
- The importance of continuous evaluation: Maintaining and updating plans and risk registers
DAY 4:
Organising, Implementing, and Controlling Projects
- The 20-step project management sequence
- Managing project resources & communication: Running effective meetings
- Running effective change control processes
- Managing & controlling project documentation
- Project performance tracking, management, and control systems
- Using predictive control techniques: Gantt charts, S-curves, and burn-down charts
- Project completion: Managing project close-out and hand-over to operations
DAY 5:
Project Leadership and Team-Working
- Understanding leadership and management: Qualities and skills that enhance results
- Working in project teams: Building collaborative working relationships
- The role of the leader in building team cohesion and performance: The team development cycle
- The keys to effective influence and persuasion: Characteristics of successful leaders
- Improving communication, delegation, and motivation skills
- Working with senior stakeholders: Creating rapport and understanding, managing expectations
- Lean concepts and the learning cycle: Implementing continuous improvement