Successful Project Management, Third Edition

American Management Association Self-Study, February 2011, Pages: 206

Successful Project Management, Third Edition, is the introductory course in AMA’s self-study program on project management. This practical, concise course covers the fundamentals of project management, focusing on practical skills you can apply immediately to complete projects on time, on budget, and on target.

This course teaches you how to use proven strategies in large or small projects to clarify the objectives, avoid serious errors of omission, and eliminate costly mistakes.

Gain the skills to:

- Set measurable project objectives and create a practical plan to achieve them.
- Manage the time, cost, and scope of the project.
- Lead the project team and manage relationships effectively and productively across the spectrum of project stakeholders.

Modern project management is a premier solution in business and non-profit organizations. Project managers find success using a structured approach to project planning, scheduling, resourcing, decision making, and management.

This course isn’t just for project managers. Team members need to know how to carry out their part of the project, and business executives need to understand how they must support project management efforts in the organization. Now you can master the skills and techniques you need to bring projects in on schedule, and on budget, with Successful Project Management. No matter how complex or extensive your project, you’ll understand how to exercise the strict planning, tracking, monitoring, and management techniques needed to stay on top of every project.

Course Objective: Develop skills to plan and execute projects to ensure that they meet agreed goals of time, cost, and scope.

About This Course
How to Take This Course
Pre-Test

1. Understanding Project Management
What Is Project Management?
The History of Project Management
Project Management Today
Functional Work vs. Project Work
Functional Work
Project Work
Why Project Management Is Necessary in Today’s World
Today’s Business Trends
A Proactive Management Style
Organizing for Project Management Efficiency
Adopting a Project Management Philosophy
Organizational Structures
Functional Organization
Project Organization
Matrix Organizations
Functioning Effectively
Project Life Cycle
Recap
Review Questions

2. Defining the Roles of the Project Manager and the Team
The Role of the Project Manager
Project Manager Skills
Project Management Skills
Teamwork
Integration Skills
Technical Skills
Knowledge of the Organization
The Makeup of a Project Manager
Project Manager Relationships and Tools
Responsibility, Accountability, and Authority
Responsibility
Accountability
Authority
Maintaining the Balance
Roles of Team Members
Defining the Roles of Project Sponsors, Customers, and
Other Stakeholders
Project Sponsor(s)
Customers
Other Stakeholders
Recap
Review Questions

3. Defining the Project
Project Planning
Defining the Problem or Opportunity
Collect Project Requirements
Types of Projects
Establishing Project Objectives
Keeping the Objectives in Balance
Cost Considerations
Time Considerations
Scope Considerations
Final Statement of Project Objectives
Performing Project Reviews
Conceptual Review
Feasibility Study
Benefit-Cost Analysis
Profitability Measures
Alternative Course of Action Review
Opportunity Cost Review
Preliminary Risk Assessment
Possible Review Outcomes
Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
Job Aid: Work Breakdown Structure Checklist
Recap
Review Questions

4. Estimating the Activities
The Importance of Estimating
Steps in Estimating Activities
Estimating Methods
Expert Judgment
Analogous Estimating
Parametric Modeling
Bottom-Up Estimating
Simulation Modeling
Precision of Estimates
Underestimating Activities
Inflating Estimates
Estimating Familiar Work vs. New Work
Weighted Estimating Formula
Range Estimates
Rolling Wave Estimates
Work Environment and Skill Level
Type of Contract
Fixed-Price Contract
Unit-Price Contract
Cost-Plus Contract
Incentives
Using Project Management Software
Recap
Review Questions

5. Planning the Activities
Sequencing Activities
Schedule Network Diagrams
Creating a Network Diagram
Understanding a Network Diagram
Calculating the Critical Path
Using the Critical Path Method (CPM)
Critical Path Calculations
Critical Chain Method
Recap
Review Questions

6. Preparing a Project Plan
Preparing Schedules
Milestones
Gantt Charts
Crashing the Schedule
Preparing Resource Plans
Identifying the Required Skills
Recruiting Personnel
Assigning People to Activities
Leveling the Resources
Adjusting the Project Schedule
Preparing Budget Plans
Identifying Risk
Assessing Risk
Responding to Risk
Getting Approvals and Compiling a Formal Project Plan
Reconciling the Project Objectives
Getting Approvals and Commitments
Creating a Project Plan
Recap
Review Questions

7. Managing Time, Cost, and Scope
Initiating the Project
Kickoff Meeting
Communicating Project Plans
Setting up a Monitoring and Management Process
Principles of Monitoring and Management
Establishing a Plan to Monitor and Manage the Project
Status Information
Variances
Reports
Course of Action
Managing Project Objectives
Time Management
Cost Management
Scope and Quality Management
Resource Management
Control Thresholds
Tools for Managing Project Objectives
Managing Changes in the Project
Actions
Change Request and Approval Form
Change Control Log
Recap
Review Questions

8. Evaluating and Reporting on Project Performance
Conducting Project Evaluations
When to Perform Project Evaluations
Considerations in Project Evaluations
Reporting on Project Objectives
Reporting Considerations
Graphical Reports
Reporting Percent Complete
Sample Reports
Closing the Project
Lessons Learned Documentation
Recap
Review Questions

Post-Test
Appendix A: Answers to Exercises and Case Studies
Appendix B: Glossary
Appendix C: Organizations and Websites
Appendix D: Bibliography
Index

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