Essentials of Project Management for the Non-Project Manager

Master the fundamental principles of project management and apply them directly to your work to support consistent project success.

When everyone on a project team shares a common language and clear expectations, the work gets done more effectively. This unique seminar is designed for professionals with little or no prior project management training, including those who contribute to projects without managing them, those considering a move into project management, and anyone who wants a firmer grounding in PM concepts. In just two days, you will build fluency in essential project management terminology and learn to apply core tools and techniques that improve your effectiveness both within the team and in your individual work area.

Who Should Attend:

• Professionals who contribute to projects but do not hold a project manager role
• Subject matter experts, team members, project sponsors, contributors, facilitators, and coordinators

How You Will Benefit:

• Understand the purpose and process of project management at a foundational level
• Clarify the roles, responsibilities, and needs of all project team members
• Identify and apply critical project management tools to your work
• Map stakeholders, understand their relationships, and recognize how those relationships influence project outcomes
• Spot stakeholder-related issues before they escalate
• Identify and apply the right communication tools and protocols for each project phase

What You Will Cover:

• Key project management terminology
• The five process groups of project management
• Techniques for accurate activity estimation
• Stakeholder identification and alignment
• Evaluating the project charter
• Validating project requirements using the SMART framework
• Understanding and creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Course Outline:

Getting a Handle on Project Management

• Distinguish between projects and ongoing operations
• Recognize the key factors that contribute to project success or failure
• Identify the framework that guides effective project management

Getting the Project Off the Ground

• Appreciate why understanding a project's organizational importance matters from the outset
• Explain the elements of a project charter and its role in initiating a project
• Identify stakeholders and clarify their roles within the project

Planning the Work

• Apply techniques to define the scope of work clearly
• Estimate the resources, costs, and hours required
• Build the project schedule
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Plan for potential project risks

Working the Plan

• Build an effective status report
• Identify the types and purposes of project meetings
• Track action items and open issues
• Recognize the importance of managing scope and schedule changes

Closing the Project

• Contribute meaningfully to the lessons-learned database
• Identify records and files that must be archived
• Describe a project closure checklist
• Understand the differences between closing a successful versus a canceled or unsuccessful project