Crow Development - PM Training

We offer four Project Management training workshops. Each on can be customized to meet the needs of individual client organizations.

Half-day Management Overview

One-day Project Planning Workshop

Two-day Project Management Workshop

Three-day Project Management Workshop

Two-day Project Management Workshop

Introduction

-    Definition of projects.
-    Why projects are undertaken.
-    The characteristics of projects.
-    The "Triple Constraint" of time, resources, and output.
-    Characteristics of effective project leaders.
-    Key players in the world of projects: project team, customers, sponsors, stakeholders.

Project Pre-Work

- Researching the need for the project: Why this project? Why now?
- Defining Needs and Wants.

Exercise: A seven-step needs-analysis process applied to each project. Steps include:
-    Define the problem.
-    Determine Needs (required) and Wants (desirable) and prioritize Wants.
-    Determine the desired outcome of the project based on Needs and Wants.
-    Develop options and alternative approaches.
-    Compare options to Needs and Wants.
-    Assess overall risks.
-    Select an option.

- Developing the project goal.

Exercise: Developing a goal statement for each project.

- Determining commitment and support needed for the project.

Exercise: Developing a list of stakeholders and evaluating their commitment to the successful completion of the project.

- Determining the skills needed for the project.

Exercise: Completing a Skills and Influence Matrix for each project, linking needed skills with individuals who are current or potential team members.

- Assembling the project team.

Exercise: Developing strategies for obtaining the services of needed team members.

Project Planning

- Introduction to project planning and the Post-It® Planning Process.
- Framing the project.

Exercise: Defining project phases.

- Planning major tasks.

Exercise: Developing high-level project tasks and key decision points.

- Testing for validity.

Exercise: Review the plan and adjust at the highest levels.

- Detailing tasks.

Exercise: Adding detail and sub-tasks to high-level tasks; adding additional high-level tasks; reviewing the plan and adjusting the task sequence.

- Connecting people to tasks.

Exercise: Identifying four levels of connection between team members and tasks: Responsible, Help, Tell, Ask.

- Scheduling the project.

Exercise: Developing estimates of Task Time and Duration for each task and sub-task.

- Identifying the Critical Path.

Exercise: Determining the Critical Path through the project (both critical tasks and schedule).

- Additional planning tools.
- Transfer planning.

Exercise: Develop first draft of the plan to deliver the final output of each project; scheduling mid-point and final reviews of the transfer plan.

- Contingency planning.

Exercise: Identifying potential risk points in each project and developing contingency plans for each.

Project Implementation

- Project kickoff.

Exercise: Developing content of the kickoff meeting including both information and "cheerleading".

-    The cycle of project management; Monitor, measure, problem-solve, report.
-    Status reporting and management reviews.
-    Project team meetings, tools and techniques.
-    Change control.
-    Problem-solving process and tools.

Project Closure

- Documentation and training.

Exercise: Defining documentation and training needs for the project outputs.

- Timing the transfer and implementation of project output.
- On-going support.

Exercise: Developing a first draft of support needs.

-    Completing the transfer.
-    Project close-out.
-    Post-project evaluation.
-    Closing ceremonies.

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Three-day Project Management Workshop

This program is an interactive workshop covering the complete project planning and management process. It is designed to provide hands-on practice with the tools and techniques of project management in a real-world setting. Participants use real-world examples of projects from their own experience for the in-class exercises. In addition, several topics involving the people skills needed to successfully lead projects within an organization are added to the basic tools and techniques.