Introduction to Project Management

Project management is being increasingly recognized as a vital skill-set for many management positions, not just those with the title of “project manager”. This course provides a solid, applied, project management introduction. You will discuss projects from your own organization, and review tools and templates we use every day to manage real projects.

Who should take this Introduction to Project Management course?

This course is for anyone interested in learning about formal project management techniques, including project managers, project team members, functional managers, contracting officers, and senior managers.

Where is this course offered?

The Project Management Introduction course is offered on an open-enrollment basis at our Project Management Education Center in Bellevue/Seattle, WA, (which also serves Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Everett, Federal Way, and Tacoma), as well as at our Project Management Education Center in Tucson, AZ (which also serves the Greater Phoenix area, Oro Valley, and Sierra Vista / Fort Huachuca), and other select locations such as Grand Cayman. We also provide it on an on-site basis anywhere in the world, and online using live instructors.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Understand more about project management.
• Produce better project plans.
• Reduce project risk.
• Capture the complexity of your projects.
• Stay on top of your projects while they are underway and through completion.
• Waste less time and money fighting fires.
• Present a more organized and professional management style.
• Have more success completing your projects on time, and to budget.
• Utilize a project management concept known as “float” to better manage your projects.

Course Content:

• What is a project?
• What is project management?
• Who uses project management?
• Who is the Project Management Institute?
• What drives the need for project management?
• Areas of project management
• Project balance
• The role of the project manager
• Organizational considerations
• The Project Management Office
• The Basic Project Management Process
• Assembling a team
• Project charters
• Phase exit checklists
• Project scope
• Work Breakdown Structures
• Network diagrams
• Estimating durations
• CPM Scheduling
• The importance of Total Float
• Obtaining stakeholder buy-in
• Issue tracking
• Adjusting the plan
• Risk management
• Project closure
• Common project pitfalls
• Next steps