Project Management Fundamentals

Project Management Fundamentals Introductory Planning Exercise
Planning Issues

Starting a Project
What is a Project?
The Life Cycle Concept
Why use Projects?
Roles and Responsibilities
Key Project Management Concepts
Typical problems
Why don't we like to plan?
The benefits of planning
Terms of Reference

Breaking the Work Down
How we break a Project Down into Detailed Tasks
Example Work Breakdown Structures
Guidelines for creating the WBS
Brainstorming Guidelines
Task Properties

Estimating
Problems with Estimating
Estimating Detail
How do we Estimate?
Standard Task Method
Work Distribution Model
Delphi Technique
Detailed Estimating
Rolling Windows
Further Considerations

Organising the Work
The History of Networking
Task Arrow Method
Precedence Diagram Method
Good Conventions
Drawing Networks Exercise
PERT Symbols

The Management of Risk
Definitions of Risk
Management of Risk Benefits
The Two Phases of Management of Risk
Risk Analysis Cycle
The Risk Management Phase
Risk Identification
Formal Brainstorming
Risk Estimation
Risk Assessment
Judgement Probability
Subjective Probabilities
Errors in Forecasting
Biases in Risk

Scheduling the Work
Bar Chart History
Bar Chart Layout
Project Planning Terminology
Dependency Type
Dependency Log
Controlling the Project
The Control Cycle
Feedback Mechanisms
Problems Associated with Feedback
Assessing the Impact

Leadership and the People side of Projects
Expectations Influence Performance
Mintzberg's 10 things all Managers do
Mintzberg's Model and Managerial Roles
The Managers Job
Communication and Information
Negotiation
Motivation
Delegation
Team Building

Earned Value Analysis
Earned Value Analysis Terminology
Determining Expenditure v. Planned Costs
Determining Project Performance
Measuring Earned Value
Common Methods of Measuring Earned Value
Performance Indicies
The Importance of Replanning
The Benefits of Control

Course Review and Preparing your Personal Action Plan
Steps in Planning
Prime Points to Remember