Project Management, Planning & Control

Overview

This intensive two-day course is designed to give the delegate hands-on, practical experience of the skills, processes and techniques required to manage, plan and control projects.

This is accomplished using a mix of interactive lectures and case studies as well as individual and syndicate exercises.

Delegate take away a comprehensive manual of overhead slides, handouts, and course notes.

Who Will Benefit From This Course?

• Anyone currently in or about to enter a Project Management role
• Project Managers who would benefit from an insight into current thinking

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the key elements of a Project
• Estimate and plan more effectively
• Define and manage risk with greater control
• Develop skills and techniques to Project Manage teams more effectively and professionally
• Understand the benefits of Project Management Tools

Content

The Role & Responsibilities of the Project Manager

• The role, skills and responsibilities of the Project Manager
• Why Projects Fail
• Key criteria for ensuring Project Success
• Nailing down the Project Objectives
• Defining the Project Strategy and Critical Success Factors (CSF’s)
• The Four Phases of Project Management

The Project Management Environment

• Setting Up the Project Environment
• The Team and Management Structure
• Setting Up the Control System
• The Project Administrator
• Communicating and Reporting

The Project Methodology

• Advantages to a Phased Approach
• Product, Solution and Organisational Change Methodologies
• Phase Structures and Key Deliverables

Estimating Techniques

• Tasks, Resources, Costs and Time
• Techniques for Improving Team Estimates
• The Mythical Person-Month
• The Standard Task Method
• Bottom-Up, Effort-Based Estimating
• The Delphi Technique

Planning the Project

• Creating Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
• Defining the PERT Chart
• Calculating and interpreting the Critical Path and Slack
• Strategies for using the Critical Path
• Resource and Task Allocation
• Resource Loading and Levelling
• Team Planning Techniques
• The Project Plan structure and contents

Risk & Contingency Management

• Defining and analysing Risks
• Risk types and categories
• Sizing the risk
• Contingency Strategies
• Building risks into the Plan
• Risk Management

Using PC Tools

• Advantages and limitations
• Creating and Managing the Plan
• Reporting and Communicating the Plan

Managing Change

• The dynamics of change
• Setting Up the Change Control File
• The Change Methodology and Life Cycle
• Determining options and implementing changes

Project Tracking & Control

• Setting the right level for Control and Tracking
• Determining the information required
• Interpreting Progress and Project Status