Project Management Diploma

Project Management Diploma

Project Management skills prepare the student for taking up a career in the profession of Project Management.

The course will be of specific interest to those wishing to graduate into Project Management and those requiring a more generalist knowledge of the subject matter before embarking on more niche focused training. The course will provide a good foundation for those seeking postgraduate studies i.e. MSc in Project Management.

This course provides a foundation in Project Management. It will appeal to those Information Systems professionals who are moving into Project Management positions. It will equally be of interest to those with more specialist project management requirements but need first to obtain a foundation in the subject matter.

In the United Kingdom and Europe there is a strong move towards establishing PRINCE2 as a standard in structured project management. This course embraces elements of PRINCE2 but generally provides a wider foundation in Project Management across a much broader spectrum. Materials can be studied online or students have the option to print the documents once, there is also the option to have the materials delivered for an additional charge.

Course Contents

Module 1 - Introduction to Project Management

This unit will provide the student with the foundations of Project Management. It will examine how Project Management is structured into the three important elements of Planning, Organization and Control. We will consider the structured approach to Project Management and the concepts of the APM Body of Knowledge, the latter of which has been produced to establish quality standards within the profession. An early introduction to the benefits of using PRINCE2 ; perhaps the most widely accepted structured Project Management method in the UK and Europe.

This course will have an IT bias and as such look at the applied use of Project Management in Information Technology Projects. This means full lifecycle systems implementations covering the following application types:

Infrastructure Projects
Software Engineering
Business Process Re-Engineering
Enterprise Management Systems
Bespoke Systems build ( Programming)
E-Commerce Systems
Desktop Systems
Package Implementations

Module 2 - Project Management Methods

This section will explore the different structured approaches to implementing project management. This will be contrasted to using unstructured methods. The emphasis on proving the importance of using a structured approach i.e. PRINCE2. Not everybody advocates the use of adopting a structured approach. We explore how the better methods have conquered that problem by providing scaled down versions for small business applications. Equally, adopting an interface to Programme Management techniques where there is a requirement to manage an integrated portfolio of projects.

Module 3 - Project Planning

This unit will explore the techniques for completing the Project Planning requirements within Project Management. We will explore the use of software planning tools, in particular Microsoft Project 2003. The following areas will be covered:

Project Scheduling
The Gantt Chart
The Pert Chart
The RAP Chart
Product Flow Diagrams
Product Breakdown Structures
Quality Products
Technical Products
Aspects of Resource Contouring
Baseline Plans
Managing Risk
Managing Change
Use of Milestones
Planning Reports

Module 4 - Project Organization

Project Organisation considers how resources are utilized on the project. This will be explored in association with the structured approach. The unit will focus on the following areas:

Establishing a Project Board
The Role of the Project Board
The Role of the Project Manager
The Role of the Stage Manager
The Project Organization Chart
The Project Assurance Team
The Project Support Office
The Change Management Function
The Risk Management Function
Configuration Management
The use of the intranet e-enablement

Module 5 - Project Control

Examination of Project Controls with emphasis on the PRINCE2 structured method approach.

Project Briefs
Project Initiation Documents
End Stage Assessments
Mid Stage Assessments
Project Closure
Checkpoint Meeting
Project Board Meetings
Monthly Highlight Reports
Configuration Control
Change Control
Quality Control
Control of Issues and Risks
Control of Costs and Budgets
Essential Management Reports

Module 6 - Tools and Techniques

A look inside the engine room of project management and the tools and techniques for successful exploitation of the method.

Estimating Techniques
Reporting Project Progress
Project Control Log
Controlling Steering Committees
Managing 3rd Parties and key interfaces
Project Dependencies
Critical Path Analysis
PM Methods

Module 7 - Project Management Reports

The Management reporting aspect. The type of reports that need to be produced in the management of a successful project :

Project Board Reports - Monthly Highlight Reports
Weekly Project Control Reports
Financial Control Reports
Change Management Reports
Risk Management Reports
Planning Deviation Reports
Quality Reports
End of Stage Reports
Project Closure Reports
Lessons Learned Report
Configuration Control Reports

Module 8 - Project Estimating Techniques

An examination of project estimating techniques and how this relates to both planning and control

Methods of Estimating
Techniques of Estimating
Using software applications

Module 9 - Managing Project Change

How Change Management works with emphasis on the PRINCE2 approach

Change Management techniques
Off Specification situations
Exception Conditions
Interface to planning
Interface to risk management
Recognizing change situations
Managing change conditions - people and change
Dealing with Organizational change

Module 10 - Global Project Management

A review of how the profession is responding to change and the demands placed upon it by the global business transformation taking place.

Demands of the global economy in Project Management
Conducting Project Management in the Global Economy
Project Management skills in the digital age
Body of Knowledge for a new century
Standards and business ethics
Business English - the universal language A look at the international Project Management profession