Project Management Principles

Gain a thorough understanding of how to practically apply project management concepts that will equip you to effectively and successfully define, plan, manage, and close out projects. Through informative content, hands-on activities, class discussions, and a threaded case study, you will explore the tools, techniques, and working practices associated with successful project management. This comprehensive foundational course focuses on the project management principles aligned with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and many of the GAO guides.

Learning Objectives:

• Define project management key terms and fundamental concepts

• Define the project and produce a project charter
• Review project management plan elements and project documents
• Select a development approach
• Develop a communications management plan based on stakeholder’s needs
• Define detailed scope using a work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Determine project estimates
• Create a realistic, defensible project schedule
• Develop a project budget
• Create a project risk register
• Plan for project change
• Establish and obtain acceptance for project baselines
• Manage and communicate project performance results
• Perform closing processes

Course Topics

Introduction to Project Management

• What Is a Project?
• What Is Project Management?
• Programs, Portfolios, and Operations
• Fundamental Concepts in Project Management
• Responsibilities of the Project Manager

Defining the Project

• Starting the Project
• Project Charter
• Exercise: Create a Project Charter
• Team Charter

Project Planning Overview

• Project Planning Introduction
• The Project Management Plan (PMP)
• Development Approaches
• Exercise: Choosing Development Approaches

Stakeholders and Communications Management

• Stakeholder Management
• Exercise: Develop a Stakeholder Register
• Communications
• Planning Project Communications
• Exercise: Develop a Communications Matrix

Developing the Work Breakdown Structure

• Progressively Elaborating Scope
• Relationship between Scope and Work
• The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Exercise: Develop a WBS
• Scope Management Plan

Project Estimating

• Project Estimating
• Estimating Methods
• Estimating Best Practices
• Documenting and Validating Estimates
• Exercise: Project Estimating

Developing the Initial Project Schedule

• Project Schedules
• Step 1: Determine Activities and Milestones
• Step 2: Sequence the Activities and Milestones
• Step 3: Assign Resources
• Step 4: Estimate Effort and Duration
• Step 5: Develop the Schedule and Identify the Critical Path
• Step 6: Portray the Schedule
• Exercise: Reviewing a Project Schedule
• Schedule Management Plan

Developing the Project Budget

• The Project Budget
• Estimating Project Costs
• Communicating the Project Budget
• Exercise: Identifying Cost Categories
• Cost Management Plan

Planning for Risk

• Project Risk
• Risk Management
• Step 1: Plan for Risk
• Step 2: Identify Risks
• Step 3: Assess and Rank Risks
• Step 4: Determine Appropriate Responses
• Step 5: Update Impacted Plan Components

Project Baselines and Change Control

• Project Baselines
• Project Change
• Change Management Plan