The following courses are in development for 2015.
Module #1 - Project Management Fundamentals
The Project Management Fundamentals module is based upon the framework of the Project Management Institute’s fifth guide to project management.
The Project Management Fundamentals module is based upon the framework of the Project Management Institute’s fifth guide to project management.
Class 1
PMI process or knowledge area: Project & Project Management Defined, Project context and life cycle explained
In-class work: Scenario - you are planning to change the landscaping around the location where you or a friend lives. In groups of 2 or 3 create a presentation on how you would approach this like a project. Describe the processes you would go through and the activities you would use.
Class 2
PMI process or knowledge area: Project context & the role of a Project Manager. Introduction to PMI’s Project Management Knowledge Areas, the Process Groups and the course structure.
1) Landscaping project presentations
2) Final assignment introduced: Create a Project Management Plan for a project of your choice. Create a project management plan which applies the project management principles and practices we will learn in this class.
Class 3
PMI process or knowledge area: Initiating Process Group (introduction); Develop Project Charter, Identify Stakeholders
In-class work:
1) Complete the landscaping project presentations
2) Students will choose a project which will be the basis of the work for the remainder of the course.
3) Begin work on the Project Charter
Class 4
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning Process Group (introduction); Develop Project Management Plan, Plan Project Scope Management, Collect requirements, Define Scope and Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
In-class work:
1) Students will present their project ideas
2) Complete a stakeholder register
Class 5
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Schedule Management, Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, Estimate Activity Durations, Develop Schedule
Software: wbstool.com
In-class work:
1) Students will present their project ideas
2) Students will begin presentations of their Project Charters
3) Students will begin creating their Project Charters
Class 6
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Cost Management, Estimate Costs and Determine Budget
Software: weebly.com
In-class work:
1) The last of the project ideas to be presented
2) Students will begin creating a website for their projects. This site is where students will upload their class work beginning with their statement of work (SOW) and project charter.
Class 7
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Quality Management, Plan Human Resource Management and Plan Communications Management
In-class work: Students will continue with the WBS and present these to the class. Begin creating the Activity list and activity attributes documentation.
Class 8
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Risk Management, Identify Risks, Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis, Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis, Plan Risk Responses
Software: gantter.com (similar to MS Project)
In-class work:
1) Export WBS material to Gantter and begin to create project schedule
2) Estimate activity durations
3) Project/course update and status report project
Class 9
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Procurement Management, Plan Stakeholder Management
Executing Process Group (introduction); Direct and Manage Project Work
In-class work: Final project (which encompasses all of the previous work as well)
Class 10
PMI process or knowledge area: Executing; Perform Quality Assurance, Acquire, Develop and Manage Project Team.
In-class work: Final project
Class 11
PMI process or knowledge area: Acquire Project Team
In-class work: Personality and teamwork assessments, Final project
Class 12
PMI process; Knowledge area: Develop and Manage Project Team.
In-class work: Management style assessments, Final project
Class 13
PMI process or knowledge area: Executing; Manage Communications, Conduct Procurements and Manage Stakeholder Engagement
In-class work: Final project
Class 14
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling Process Group (introduction); Monitor and Control Project Work and Perform Integrated Change Control
In-class work: Final project
Class 15
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling; Validate and Control Scope, Control Schedule, Control Costs and Control Quality
In-class work: Final project
Class 16
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling; Control Communications, Control Risks, Control Procurements and Control Stakeholder Engagement
In-class work: Final Presentations
Class 17
PMI process or knowledge area: Closing Process Group (introduction); Close Project or Phase and Close Procurement
Review: Contracts & ITTO
In-class work: Final Presentations
PMI process or knowledge area: Project & Project Management Defined, Project context and life cycle explained
In-class work: Scenario - you are planning to change the landscaping around the location where you or a friend lives. In groups of 2 or 3 create a presentation on how you would approach this like a project. Describe the processes you would go through and the activities you would use.
Class 2
PMI process or knowledge area: Project context & the role of a Project Manager. Introduction to PMI’s Project Management Knowledge Areas, the Process Groups and the course structure.
- Knowledge Areas: Start-up and integration, Scope, Schedule, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk, Procurement and Stakeholder Management
- Process Groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling and Closing
1) Landscaping project presentations
2) Final assignment introduced: Create a Project Management Plan for a project of your choice. Create a project management plan which applies the project management principles and practices we will learn in this class.
Class 3
PMI process or knowledge area: Initiating Process Group (introduction); Develop Project Charter, Identify Stakeholders
In-class work:
1) Complete the landscaping project presentations
2) Students will choose a project which will be the basis of the work for the remainder of the course.
3) Begin work on the Project Charter
Class 4
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning Process Group (introduction); Develop Project Management Plan, Plan Project Scope Management, Collect requirements, Define Scope and Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
In-class work:
1) Students will present their project ideas
2) Complete a stakeholder register
Class 5
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Schedule Management, Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Resources, Estimate Activity Durations, Develop Schedule
Software: wbstool.com
In-class work:
1) Students will present their project ideas
2) Students will begin presentations of their Project Charters
3) Students will begin creating their Project Charters
Class 6
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Cost Management, Estimate Costs and Determine Budget
Software: weebly.com
In-class work:
1) The last of the project ideas to be presented
2) Students will begin creating a website for their projects. This site is where students will upload their class work beginning with their statement of work (SOW) and project charter.
Class 7
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Quality Management, Plan Human Resource Management and Plan Communications Management
In-class work: Students will continue with the WBS and present these to the class. Begin creating the Activity list and activity attributes documentation.
Class 8
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Risk Management, Identify Risks, Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis, Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis, Plan Risk Responses
Software: gantter.com (similar to MS Project)
In-class work:
1) Export WBS material to Gantter and begin to create project schedule
2) Estimate activity durations
3) Project/course update and status report project
Class 9
PMI process or knowledge area: Planning; Plan Procurement Management, Plan Stakeholder Management
Executing Process Group (introduction); Direct and Manage Project Work
In-class work: Final project (which encompasses all of the previous work as well)
Class 10
PMI process or knowledge area: Executing; Perform Quality Assurance, Acquire, Develop and Manage Project Team.
In-class work: Final project
Class 11
PMI process or knowledge area: Acquire Project Team
In-class work: Personality and teamwork assessments, Final project
Class 12
PMI process; Knowledge area: Develop and Manage Project Team.
In-class work: Management style assessments, Final project
Class 13
PMI process or knowledge area: Executing; Manage Communications, Conduct Procurements and Manage Stakeholder Engagement
In-class work: Final project
Class 14
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling Process Group (introduction); Monitor and Control Project Work and Perform Integrated Change Control
In-class work: Final project
Class 15
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling; Validate and Control Scope, Control Schedule, Control Costs and Control Quality
In-class work: Final project
Class 16
PMI process or knowledge area: Monitoring & Controlling; Control Communications, Control Risks, Control Procurements and Control Stakeholder Engagement
In-class work: Final Presentations
Class 17
PMI process or knowledge area: Closing Process Group (introduction); Close Project or Phase and Close Procurement
Review: Contracts & ITTO
In-class work: Final Presentations
Module #2 - Project Management Applied & Business Communications
Project Management Applied is the second of 2 project management modules offered by CIES. In this class we will be looking at case studies and theory to better understand the wider issues of project management. Students are required to prepare a major presentation on a topic of their choice as well complete daily assignments. Unless otherwise stated the days topic will be supported with case study analysis.
Class 1 - Project Management Skills
We will look at and discuss leader-sensitive projects and five characteristics of an effective project leader. In class students will be asked to prepare a plan a project consisting of a move of a family from another country to Canada using text and/or diagrams outlining the process in project management terms.
Class 2 - Project Complexity 01
What defines a complex project? We look at the Darnall-Preston Complexity Index and how it relates to projects.
Today the student thesis project introduced. Students are required to create a presentation on a specific topic relating to project management. They will present their topics in class on day three and the final presentations will be given on the last 2 days of the course.
Class 3 - Project Complexity and Human Factors
Today we look at the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), as well as other theories of perception and decisions making. The goal is to develop a better understanding of personality types and human resource management. Students will present their thesis topics today.
Class 4 - Managing Complexity
We will look at the implications for managing risk, schedule, budget and the capabilities and tools needed for managing of complex projects. With the understanding gained in the first 4 classes we will spend some time on a larger case study analysis: Boeing’s Dreamliner aircraft.
Class 5 - Predictive & Adaptive Project Management 01
Predictive project management is the traditional approach of managing the implementation of a project according to its schedule. An adaptive approach is used for fast track projects and those subjected to a high rate of change and uncertainty.
We will continue with the case study from last class.
Class 6 - Predictive & Adaptive Project Management 02
We will continue with the study of adaptive project management and consider Wysocki's adaptive framework as it relates to Agile and Scrum project management techniques.
Class 7 - Project Control
We begin with a review of project control topics discussed in Module 1 and expand on this to better gather, manage and analyse data to generate useful information and insight.
Class 8 - Procurement Management
In this class we will look at best practice guides and case studies surrounding procurement strategies and policy. The topics of business continuity planning (BCM), complex procurement, cost reduction, key performance indicators (KPI’s), category management and whole life costing will be covered.
Class 9 - Project Performance Improvement
In this class we consider tools and theories required to develop a person’s reflective capability in a project setting. We will look at different methods which try to explain the human and organizational factors which contribute to project success and/or failure. Students will apply these practices to past projects in the form of a class presentation.
Class 10 - Systems Thinking
This topic introduces the concepts of systems (internal and external dependencies) as they relate to project management issues. We will look at various approaches used to understand the interrelationships between project elements to gain a better understanding of ways to maintain project stability and to deal with external factors affecting projects.
Class 11 - Adopting Project Organization
This topic looks at how PMI’s project management methodologies, and others, are being adapted for use in other organizations which are not typically considered project driven. Students will study and present real-life examples which demonstrate how they are being adapted.
Class 12 - Business Communications 01 - Negotiation
In this and the next class will look at dispute resolution processes and conflict management theories. We will study strategies and tactics to develop negotiation skills and consider the importance of interpersonal skills to each of these. Case studies will be used as the basis of instruction.
Class 13 - Business Communications 02 - Conflict Management
A continuation of class 8; in this class we will turn to mediation and arbitration and their application in dealing with conflict.
Class 14 - Business Communications 03 - Presentation
In this class we will focus on verbal and visual communications as well as resume writing. Students learn how to communicate clearly and persuasively and how (and why) to tailor communications to different audiences.
Class 15 - Business Communications 04 - Resume
In this class we will look at writing a resume as an effective marketing tool. We will also consider how the quality of our communications (face to face, virtual, verbal/non verbal) affects the message. Software and design considerations will be introduced as a means to create compelling presentations.
Class 16 - Final presentations
Class 17 - Final presentations