Course Description

Project management, is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to describe, organize, oversee and control the various project processes. But perhaps project management can best be described in terms of the things that you need to do to successfully manage a project: What is a project and how to kick-off a new project. (Project Initiation) Plan, define and manage project scope (Project Planning) Manage a project schedule, plan resources and budget costs (Project Execution) Develop a defined process for monitoring and controlling a project (Project Control) Perform detailed process for closing a project (Project Closing) What does it mean to be a certified project manager and what does the future hold for project management (Professional Responsibility) This list may seem quite overwhelming but be assured that even the smallest project can benefit from each of these project management processes. Please note however, that the extent to which you carry out each of these activities should be based on the nature, size and complexity of your project and on your level of project management expertise. This is a 5 week, self-paced, online course. If you need additional help understanding the material presented, you can communicate with the instructor and fellow classmates. The instructor will monitor and track your progress throughout the class. LVS Online offers many wonderful learning tools to help you get the most out of your online course, including an online portfolio service that manages all your course registrations, certificate of completion option, a class discussion board to interact with your instructor and fellow classmates, free hosting account, and a student upload area. LVS is a Corel Training Partner. LVS students may purchase Corel products at a significant savings. Follow this link for details. LVS students are also eligible take advantage of special offers made available by famous software developers such as Andromeda, AV Bros, Extensis, Harry Heim, namesuppressed, Nik Multimedia, and Ulead. Details are provided in the classinfo link found in the confirmation of registration. If you would like to receive more information regarding this course, click on the "Contact Us" link in the Information section and we'll try to answer any of your questions within the day.

Course Requirements

Students should have working knowledge of their operating system: Free Windows Class Here Plan to devote approximately 3 - 4 hrs per week on the lesson, quiz, and assignment.

Course Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of projects is particularly helpful when we get into the managing of projects. The instructor will lightly cover how to effectively manage projects in difficult situations in the final lesson.

Course Syllabus

Lesson 1 - Define Project Management The Project Management Process Organizing the Effort Planning the Project Managing Project Execution Closing the Project Lesson 2 - Project Members Project Sponsor Project Sponsor's To-Do List Project Manager Project Team Leader Leader As Initiator Leader As Model Leader As Negotiator Leader As Listener Leader As Coach Leader As Working Member Choosing the Leader One Leader or Several? Team Leader's To-Do List Project Team Members Criteria for Project Team Membership Adding and Subtracting Members How Many Is Too Many? Team Members' To-Do List Recruiting The Project Steering Committee Lesson 3 - Effective Project Teams Competence A Clear, Common Goal Commitment to a Common Goal Every Member Contributes-Every Member Benefits A Supportive Environment Alignment Lesson 4 - Budget Cost Estimating Consider the Cost Estimating Inputs Relying on the Resource Requirements Calculating Resource Rates Estimating Activity Durations Straight-line depreciation Double-declining balance Sum of the years Depreciation Using Estimating Publications Using Historical Information Referencing the Chart of Accounts Acknowledging the Cost of Risk Estimating Project Cost Using Analogous Estimate Using Parametric Modeling Using Bottom-Up Estimating Lesson 5 - Risk Management Planning for Risk Management Relying on Risk Management Policies Consider Roles and Responsibilities Creating the Risk Management Plan Examining the Risk Management Plan Methodology Roles and Responsibilities Budgeting Scheduling Risk Analysis Scoring Assessment Create the plan Implementation Review and evaluation of the plan Limitations Areas of Risk Management Risk Management Activities Risk Concepts Risk Management Risk Quantification Risk Response Risk Control Lesson 6 - Project Time Management Defining the Project Activities Considering the Inputs to Activity Definition Decomposing the Project Work Packages Relying on Templates Compiling the Activity List Organizing the Supporting Detail Mapping the Activities Considering the Inputs to Activity Sequencing Creating Network Diagrams

Course Excerpt

LESSON 1 Before we get into the project we need to define what a project is and what is not a project. A project is "A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service within a defined time frame". Although some project may last for several years they still have a defined time frame. Temporary means that the project, has a end date. Unique means that the projects end result is different than the results of other functions of the organization. Operations are not projects although they do have some of the same items. Operations are the day-to-day activities that goes on in a organization, with no end date in mind. Now lets define Project Management Project Management is the supervision and control of the work required to complete the project vision. The project team carries out the work needed to complete the project, while the project manager schedules, monitors, and controls the various project tasks. The Project Management Process Defining the Objective In Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, Alice asks the Cheshire Cat, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" The cat answers that the right way depends on where she wants to go. "I don't much care where," says Alice, "as long as I get somewhere." The cat replies, "Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough." Obviously, you don't want to be like Alice, wandering endlessly and randomly until, by chance, you arrive at a suitable "somewhere". The best way to get where you are going is to first identify your destination. This common sense advice seems obvious, but is not always observed in practice. What problem is your project expected to solve? What deliverable does management expect from your team? You may have clear answers to those questions, but not everyone may agree with you. Other project team members, the stakeholders who will use the project's output, and the senior managers who will judge the success or failure of your work may have slightly different expectations. So before you begin to plan the work, make sure that everyone is singing from the same page in the hymn book. Identify the project's objective or objectives in the clearest possible terms. Sometimes it is easy for everyone to agree on objectives. This is especially true when the desired outcome follows clearly from the motivation for the project - for example, when everyone says in unison, "The problem is ________ ." Harvard professors Lynda Applegate, Robert Austin, and Warren McFarlan refer to these situations as "highly structured projects." In describing corporate information-technology projects, they say, "High structure implies that the nature of the task defines its outputs, the possibility of users changing their minds about the desired outputs is practically nonexistent, and significant change management issues are not present." Unfortunately, few project situations are highly structured. Objectives are not always shared. Even the definition of the problem may be unresolved. Continued...

Course Goals

Anyone can manage a project but you will learn how to effectively manage a successful project from beginning to end. This class will take you step by step in doing it the "right" way from the bottom up. We begin by introducing you to start the project off on the right foot. Then we move into the fun stuff.... planning, execution, control and then how do you close a project the right way.

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