Project Management Process Framework (PMP)

A. INTRO

Projects are often surrounded by mystery: it is difficult to define exactly what a project is and, especially to the members of an organization, they can appear over night. Projects are diverse; they can mean one or two people working for a few days or weeks, but can also mean hundreds of people working for months or even years.

You heard about projects that were delayed or that exceeded their established cost. You heard about projects that were finalized, but the clients and users were displeased with the results. So the main question is: can we finalize a project? There is no simple answer to this question but, by studying the Project Management Program offered by CODECS you will be able to anticipate some of the problems you will encounter on the way and you will be better prepared in handling them.

B. MZT 865

MZT865 Project Management is presented in cooperation with The Open University – UK.

The course is acknowledged as offering a valid Project Manager training by the Romanian Project Management Association (APMR), affiliated to the International Project Management Association (IPMA) based in Switzerland.

Who is the course addressing to?

• To those that already activate in the Project Management field, either in a national or international company, in the state or private sectors, and want to improve their knowledge level;
• To those that, faced with future projects, want to acquire the necessary competencies in that regard, and higher professional careers;
• To those that want to change their career with a multi-valent and in high demand one.
• To those that are currently in the professional formation stage (students, master students etc) and wish to obtain the advantage of valuable competencies and skills – Project Manager - since the beginning.

What will you obtain?

• an extremely modern course base – 2008 edition, intellectual property of The Open University, UK – composed of the manuals and the optional application software Microsoft Project 2007 (academic license usable only for noncommercial purposes).
• a practical support for the Romanian project manager, that will contain a glossary of terms, the current legislation regarding projects (according to the Romanian and international models), and practical case studies.
• you will obtain, after graduation, a series of skills that will allow you to immediately start working in this field, including project definition and establishing the requirements, creation of various project plans, feasibility studies, choosing the final project variant, organizing the project, activities programming and planning, team leadership, the development and control of the project roll-out, finishing the project.
• at the end of the course, by passing the exam, you will obtain a certified diploma; the training is acknowledged by the Romanian Project Management Association (APMR) as being a necessary course to accede to the Project management certification.

Necessary knowledge

MZT865 may be considered a self-sufficient course and does not require other special requisites. It is necessary, however, to possess a practical experience in project work, however project management experience is not mandatory. Throughout the duration of this course you will have to apply the concepts of the course in a project you’re familiarized with. You will also have to prove that you are capable of creating written reports.

Objectives

• Acquiring the necessary knowledge and techniques for project management, including projects with a technological component;
• Acquiring a practical experience in utilizing project management techniques by using software tools during a real project you chose.

Training material

1. Course guide;
2. Six study volumes (corresponding to seven work units);
3. Software for Project Management (Microsoft Project); (optional)
4. The book “The Project Manager”, by Richard Newton;
5. Term glossier;
6. Exam specimen, together with hints on how to approach the subjects;
7. Reference materials (case studies, articles).

Computer access

Minimum requirements: a PC Pentium 200 (or another compatible PC), Microsoft Windows 95 or a newer version. A minimum of 32 Mb RAM is recommended. The PC needs at least 500 Mb of free hard-disk space and access to a printer.

- MZT865 Course Content

The PROJECT MANAGEMENT course contains six course volumes (corresponding to seven work units):

1. Project initiation
The most important decision in any project is establishing the project’s objectives. This volume presents the factors you need to take into account in order for the project to succeed, including analysis methods that are at the organizations’ disposals. Furthermore, the classical project life cycles and the management necessities of a project are presented.

2. Risk, necessary estimations and contracts
Before deciding on the opportunity of financial and human investments in a project, it is mandatory to establish, with a reasonable precision, how much will it cost, how long will it take and how risky is the project in itself. This volume will familiarize you with the structured activities and resource allocation mechanisms in a project. Furthermore, the risk classifications and the tactics to deal with them will be analyzed.

3. Planning
The planning and re-planning are processes that must be permanently updated, throughout the project’s lifespan. The biggest effort is the one connected to project planning preparation, between project definition and project authorization. You will learn that a formal project plan contains much more than an activities graph. The licensed software Microsoft Project 2007 is offered to you, in order to facilitate the planning, but you can use other software if you wish (the time allocated to studying this volume is double, due to the software utilization).

4. The creation and management of the project team
This volume focuses on problems concerning human resources that arise throughout the evolution of a project. You will understand the importance of the communication process and you will familiarize yourselves with its requirements and necessities. We will highlight the importance of teamwork during a project and we will study what are the vital interpersonal skills a project manager must possess: leadership, the ability to talk to the customers, sponsors and other groups connected to the project, team forming and team motivation.

5-6. Project execution/Configuration management
This double volume presents the basic assignments a project manager must undertake during the course of a project, in order to make sure that the quality levels and the client satisfaction are maintained, if the time and cost constraints are respected. You will see how monitoring and control activities help to avoid slips. You will learn to use progress measuring techniques in relation with the existing plan (like added value) and how configuration management can be applied to maintain and insure quality.

7. Standards, methodologies and project reflections
We will present the role of analysis and reviews done during a project. In a global economy, the standards and methodologies become important aspects of project management. You will be provided with a general view on two standard methods, BS 6079 and PRINCE 2. BS 6079 is the British standard for project management and PRINCE is a project management method sponsored by the UK Government.

- Taxes and Sign-ups

CODECS offers the Project Management course monthly.

Registration for the August training series must be done until 15 August.

Taxes

MZT865 – Project Management - 1249 Euro / student + VAT for payment in full. The payment can be done in 2 rates, the total value being 1 299 Euro / student + VAT.

It is necessary to use a specialized software too (MS-Project) in the realization of the additional training documentation. If you do not have the software, you can buy the MS-project software (academic license) for 160 Euro + VAT.

Registration possibilities

• filling out the registration documents;
• the full payment or the first rate of the course / courses until the registration end-date.

How can I register?

• The contract (two copies) and the Registration File are printed; both are available on the CODECS webpage;
• The file and contract are filled in and signed (if the payment is done by a legal entity, the contract is stamped);
• The documents are then registered at CODECS (pay attention to the registration end-date);
• If you have questions on registration forms fill-out, please contact us at 021 252 51 82/3/4 or at the e-mail: sales@codecs.ro

C. Training Corporate

With an experience of over 10 years in developing dedicated training, CODECS has the capability of elaborating, starting from the specific client requests, training programs that will address all the clients’ needs. These trainings allow the clients’ personnel to successfully address problems from the current competitive environment.

With a 3-10 days duration, elaborated according to the client’s specific activity field, the corporate programs contain the initial diagnosis, the personalized training program (according to the obtained results), actual training (having a very pronounced interactive character and covering both theoretical and practical aspects through exercises, case studies, role-plays), the program evaluation and the follow-up.

The Corporate training programs we provide are a differentiating market element, CODECS being the only adult education provider capable of offering such a product, integrated in the clients’ organizational context.

Our programs are characterized by:

Flexibility:
• Course duration period: we can supply the program either during a working week or during week-ends, according to the clients’ propositions. We are flexible in order to adapt the training agenda according to the schedule proposed by the client.
• Location: the training program can be held in any client proposed location, as long as all the optimum training conditions can be assured (a room adequate for the number of trainees, projection screen, video projector, flipchart). In the situation in which these logistical elements are unavailable, CODECS can supply them.

Professionalism:
• The personnel involved in the program process is highly experienced, having both management and project management knowledge and a wide experience in training adults.
• The idea content of each course is based on the experience acquired by cooperating with other organizational clients; the content is constantly improved and optimized.

Quality:
• The British know-how that constitutes the main knowledge resource for CODECS, and thus, for the creation of this program, insures a high quality level, level doubled by the highly qualified trainers, professionally certified in Project Management at international standards.

- Training Corporate Course Content

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES:

MAIN PROGRAM SCOPE:

The development of an organizational culture based on PROJECTS that will improve the company’s managerial performance and market competitiveness.

The training program proposed by our company is developed around the following OBJECTIVES:
1. Understanding the role of PROJECT MANAGER by the trainees in the context of a PROJECT MANAGEMENT orientated organizational structure.
2. Acquiring modern knowledge, methods and tools to obtain a better performance in project management.
3. Understanding the firm’s departments by the complex SERVICES they offer to their clients; understanding these services in a PROJECT context.
4. Abilities formation for project managers and members of the project team.

The training’s specific objectives are:
• Defining the project notion in the organizational context
• Identifying projects organizational structure
• Activities planning and efficient use of resources
• Identifying and evaluation risks during project development
• Efficient reporting within project activities
• Project situation follow-up and control
• Team work in projects

MONITORED BEHAVIORS:
• Realizing the importance of the PROJECT MANAGER ROLE
• The formation of specific abilities vital to team work
• Exercising roles inside the team (assumed or required)
• Developing relations between teams and team members
• Communication in projects
• Identifying potential neuralgic points in the way the team acts and acting towards their removal
• Developing the capability to apply in practice the various conceptual models regarding project management, budget creation, team work, utilization of various techniques and tools specific to the project management field
• Understanding the way in which participants can contribute, following this training, to increasing their performance in project management.

RESULTS:
The study of this training program will allow the participants to be able to:
• Realize their own involvement in a project
• Improve own, activities and collaborators’ time management
• Analyze the current situation and problems
• Specify the objectives, the actions and the results
• Adopt the best approach to collaborating with the involved groups
• Identify the available resources
• Prioritize the current activities
• Create a project team
• Negotiate and communicate
• Manifest leader abilities
• Identify fast methods of integration into a project team
• Analyze project risks and plan risk minimizing activities
• Identify the critical road and follow-up on the execution of activities the road contains
• Follow-up and control project activities and costs

STRUCTURE, CONTENT AND DURATION:

According to the information supplied and your specific needs, the proposed program can offer you:

Module I – Project initiation
• Strategic planning. Objectives and strategies
• Feasibility study
• Financial feasibility: evaluation methods – PayBack, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return
• Project life; project phases
• Project constraints
• Project success factors
• Project charter

Module II – Project organization
• Work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Statement of work (SOW)
• Product Breakdown Structure (PBS)
• Cost and duration estimation

Module III – Project planning

• Main activities identification
• Establishing necessary resources
• Activities planning
  • Phases, reference stages
  • planning techniques
    • the Gantt diagram
    • network techniques: arrow networks, node networks
  • Project duration reduction techniques
• Identifying the critical road through graphic methods
• Resources and resource planning
• Project plan: content, realization

Module IV – Risk management

• Project risk management
  • risk identification techniques
  • risk quantitative and qualitative analysis
  • evaluation scales
  • evaluation methods: the Impact-Probability matrix
  • risk management strategies
  • risk management plan
  • risk control and follow-up

Module V – Team and communication management

• Project team formation
• Team organization – the usual team structure
• Task distribution: responsibility matrix (RACI)
• Team leadership. Project manager interpersonal skills:
  • influencing
  • delegation
  • negotiation
  • team spirit
• Motivational theories. Maintaining team motivation
• Communication management
• "The actors" – organizations and participants: stakeholders
• 4-way management
• Communication plan

Module VI – Project execution

• Cost monitoring and control: Earned Value
  • cost deviation
  • cost performance index
  • finalization cost evaluation
• Time monitoring and control
  • respecting the work graph
  • graph update
  • reference event follow-up
  • deviation calculation
  • avoiding time lags
• Progress reports
• Control loop, progress analyzing meetings, reporting
• Controlling change: configuration management
  • configuration diagram
  • change control committee
  • change control system
• Project audit

Module VII – Project finalization
• Formal project closure – administrative closure
• The future of project personnel
• Delivery and maintenance insurance
• Documentation
• Contract closure
• Financial accounting
• Project analysis
• Project result maintenance
• Final report: lessons learned

Module VIII – Project management office (PMO)
• The need for PMOs.
• The role of PMOs in organizations.
• Program – definition, characteristics, examples.
• Portfolio – from organizational strategy to project implementation
• Project Portfolio management

Module IX – Follow-up
The follow-up session will take place at a 4-6 week interval after the course’s completion.
• A 1-day workshop for practical evaluation of the impact and for result adjustment. Working on the data provided by the Action Plan; simulations and role-play.
• The utilization of the Action Plan found in the training material – work frame for follow-up implementation.

COURSE PACKAGE:

• Theoretical training material (150 pages)
• The brochure “The guide to project management terms”
• A set of 15 extra bibliographical materials (70 pages): form examples (templates), notion explanation
• A 21 case-study set (60 pages)
• An 11 self-evaluation tests set (project management knowledge, the Belbin test, sensory preference evaluation)
• The course synthesis in electronic format (PowerPoint presentation) – 86 pages

THE STRUCTURE OF 1 TRAINING DAY:

Session 1: 9.00 – 10.30
Coffee break: 15'
Session 2: 10.45 – 12.15
Lunch break: 1+1/2 h
Session 3: 13.45 – 15.15
Coffee break: 15'
Session 4: 15.30 – 17.00

FORMATION METHODS USED:

LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE – The training program is orientated towards result generation in day-to-day practice.

The training program is structured in order to cover 30-40% of informational level and 60-70% practical level (case studies).

The assimilation of knowledge and the development of skills will be insured through:
• Interactive face-to-face training by using exercises, case studies, own company analysis;
• The modular structure of the training allows a precise monitoring of recapitulation and conceptual– LEARNING POINTS.

The formation methods used during the training will be backed up by the trainees’ performance evaluation and monitoring system – used before and after the training.

KNOWLEDGE / ABILITIES EVALUATION. TRAINEE PERFORMANCE TRACKING

Knowledge / abilities evaluation is composed of:

• tests for verifying knowledge throughout the training
  • at the end of each module, the trainees will undertake a short test, to verify their acquired knowledge level
• written papers evaluation
  • during the training the trainees will have to complete 3 written papers, covering a project’s life cycle. The projects will be chosen from the current activity. The papers will be evaluated by trainers, which will provide written feedback.
  • final test
  • at the end of the training, the trainees will undertake a 2-hour written exam.

COURSE EVALUATION METHODS

The evaluation of the course's evolution will have the following sources:
• The trainees’ feedback at the end of the program – feedback form.
• The data resulted from the application of knowledge evaluation tests.
• The data resulted from the observation of behavior displayed during role-play and simulations – feedback form.
• The training report: the trainer’s feedback at the end of the program. The trainers will elaborate a report in which they will present the course evolution, conclusions and recommendations resulted from the course.