Essentials of Project Management for the Non-Project Manager

Gain a working knowledge of the essential tools and techniques of project management and learn how to apply them directly to your day-to-day responsibilities to support stronger project outcomes.

Who Should Attend:

• Individuals who contribute to projects but do not serve as the primary project manager
• Experts, team members, project sponsors, contributors, facilitators, and coordinators across functions

How You Will Benefit:

• Understand the purpose and core process of project management
• Gain clarity on the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of project team members
• Identify and apply the most critical project management tools to your work
• Map stakeholder relationships and understand how those dynamics influence project outcomes
• Recognize and navigate stakeholder issues within organizational contexts
• Identify and apply communication tools and protocols that keep projects moving forward

What You Will Cover:

• Key project management terminology and concepts
• The five core groups of the project management process
• Techniques for estimating project activity accurately
• Identifying and aligning key project stakeholders
• Evaluating and interpreting the project charter
• Validating project requirements using the SMART Tool
• Understanding and building the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Course Outline:

Getting Your Hands Around Project Management

• Distinguish Between a Project and Ongoing Operations
• Recognize the Key Factors That Contribute to Project Success or Failure
• Identify the Overall Framework for Project Management

Getting It Off the Ground

• Recognize the Value of Understanding Why a Project Matters to the Organization and to You
• Explain the Elements of a Project Charter and Its Role in Initiating a Project
• Identify Stakeholders and Their Roles on a Project

Planning the Work

• Apply Techniques to Define the Scope of Work
• Identify and Apply Techniques to Estimate Needed Resources, Costs, and Hours
• Apply Scheduling Techniques to Create a Realistic Project Timeline
• Define Roles and Responsibilities for Each Phase of the Project
• Plan Proactively for Potential Risks

Working the Plan

• Build an Effective Project Status Report
• Recognize the Types and Purposes of Different Project Meetings
• Track Action Items and Issues with Clarity
• Understand the Importance of Managing Change Effectively

Putting It to Bed

• Contribute to the Lessons Learned Database for Future Projects
• Identify the Records and Files That Must Be Archived
• Describe a Project Closure Checklist and Its Purpose
• Compare the Process of Closing Successful Versus Unsuccessful or Canceled Projects