Fundamentals of Project Management

A warm welcome to the Fundamentals of Project Management course by Uplatz.

Project Management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.

In other words, Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.

A project is a unique, transient endeavor, undertaken to achieve planned objectives, which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes or benefits. A project is usually deemed to be a success if it achieves the objectives according to their acceptance criteria, within an agreed timescale and budget. Time, cost and quality are the building blocks of every project.

• Time: scheduling is a collection of techniques used to develop and present schedules that show when work will be performed.
• Cost: how are necessary funds acquired and finances managed?
• Quality: how will fitness for purpose of the deliverables and management processes be assured?

Project management processes are broadly classified into five groups:

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing

Project management knowledge draws on ten areas:

1. Integration
2. Scope
3. Time
4. Cost
5. Quality
6. Procurement
7. Human resources
8. Communications
9. Risk management
10. Stakeholder management

Product Management is a process of identifying, developing, and marketing products or services that meet the needs and preferences of customers while aligning with the overall strategy of a business. A product manager is responsible for overseeing the entire product life cycle, from idea generation to product launch and beyond.

The main responsibilities of a product manager include:

1. Conducting market research to identify customer needs, preferences, and trends.
2. Developing product strategies and roadmaps that align with the overall business strategy.
3. Working closely with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, marketing, and sales to develop and launch products.
4. Defining product requirements and features, and creating product specifications and documentation.
5. Conducting user testing and feedback analysis to improve product features and usability.
6. Developing pricing and positioning strategies that maximize revenue and market share.
7. Analyzing product performance metrics and making data-driven decisions to improve product performance.
8. Staying up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies.

Successful product managers are able to balance the needs of customers, stakeholders, and the business while creating products that solve real-world problems and create value for all parties involved. They possess a combination of technical, business, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively, think creatively, and lead teams.

Uplatz provides this deep-dive course on Project Management Fundamentals. This project management training provides you with the fundamental knowledge and skills to successfully lead a project from beginning to end. Learn to leverage key project management concepts, implement effective project management processes, and develop leadership skills needed for successfully planning, managing, and delivering projects of any size and scope.

Course Objective

• Lead a project from beginning to end
• Setup a project for success
• Turn a project objective into action steps
• Manage stakeholders
• Prepare a project plan
• Create a project schedule
• Identify and manage risk
• Motivate and lead your project team
• Execute the plan and keep it on track
• Deliver and transition the project solution(s)
• Close out the project and capture lessons learned

Project Management Fundamentals course curriculum

1. Introduction

• Introduction
• Changes introduced in 6th Edition
• Maintaining your certification

2. Foundation Elements

• Foundation Elements
• Projects
• The Importance of Project Management
• Relationship of Project, Program, Portfolio Management
• Components of the PMBOK Guide
• Tailoring
• Project Management Business Documents

3. Environments in which Projects Operate

• Environments in which Projects Operate
• Enterprise Environmental Factors
• Organizational Process Assets
• Organizational Systems

4. The Role of a Project Manager

• The Role of the Project manager
• Project manager competencies
• Leadership vs Management

5. Project Integration Management

• Project Integration Management
• Develop Project Charter
• Develop Project Management Plan
• Direct and Manage Project Work
• Manage Project Knowledge
• Monitor and Control Project Work
• Perform Integrated Change Control
• Close Project or Phase

6. Project Scope Management

• Project Scope Management
• Plan Scope Management
• Collect Requirements
• Define Scope
• Create WBS
• Validate Scope
• Control Scope

7. Project Schedule Management

• Project Schedule Management
• Plan Schedule Management
• Define Activities
• Sequence Activities
• Estimate Activity Duration
• Develop Schedule
• Control Schedule

8. Project Cost Management

• Project Cost Management
• Plan Cost Management
• Estimate Costs
• Determine Budget
• Control Costs

9. Project Quality Management

• Project Quality Management
• Plan Quality Management
• Manage Quality
• Control Quality

10. Project Resource Management

• Project Resource Management
• Plan Resource Management
• Estimate Activity Resources
• Acquire Resources
• Develop Team
• Manage Team
• Control Resources

11. Project Communication Management

• Project Communication Management
• Plan Communication Management
• Manage Communication
• Monitor Communication

12. Project Risk Management

• Project Risk Management
• Plan Risk Management
• Identify Risks
• Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
• Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
• Plan Risk Responses
• Implement Risk Responses
• Monitor Risks

13. Project Procurement Management

• Project Procurement Management
• Plan Procurement Management
• Conduct Procurement
• Control Procurement

14. Project Stakeholder Management

• Project Stakeholder Engagement Management
• Identify Stakeholders
• Plan Stakeholder Engagements
• Manage Stakeholder Engagement
• Monitor Stakeholder Engagement

15. Ethical and Professional Conduct

• Ethics and Professional Conduct
• Responsibility
• Respect
• Fairness
• Honesty

Prepare for Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification

This PMP Fundamentals course by Uplatz is your first step towards understanding the basics of Project Management and proceed on the PMP Certification journey.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an internationally-recognized project management qualification, developed by the PMI. Many global organizations choose the PMI as a means to achieve a worldwide project management standard – with individuals accredited to a qualification recognized in most countries. Having a PMP certification, demonstrates breadth of knowledge and can increase your earning potential.

The PMP certification can improve your chances of getting a job, increase your earning potential and increase your networking and job opportunities.

Why do we use Project Management?

Project management is aimed at producing an end product that will effect some change for the benefit of the organisation that instigated the project. It is the initiation, planning and control of a range of tasks required to deliver this end product. Projects that require formal management are those that:

• produce something new or altered, tangible or intangible
• have a finite timespan – a definite start and end
• are likely to be complex in terms of work or groups involved
• require the management of change
• require the management of risks

Benefits of Project Management include:

• providing a greater likelihood of achieving the desired result
• ensuring efficient and best value use of resources
• satisfying the differing needs of the project’s stakeholders

When do we use Project Management?

Projects are separate from business-as-usual activities and occur when an organisation wants to deliver a solution to set requirements within an agreed budget and timeframe. Projects require a team of people to come together temporarily to focus on specific project objectives. As a result, effective teamwork is central to successful projects.

Projects require a team of people to come together temporarily to focus on specific project objectives. As a result, effective teamwork is central to successful projects. Project management is concerned with managing discrete packages of work to achieve specific objectives. The way the work is managed depends upon a wide variety of factors.

The scale, significance and complexity of the work are obvious factors: relocating a small office and organising the Olympics share many basic principles, but offer very different managerial challenges. Objectives may be expressed in terms of:

• outputs
• outcomes
• benefits
• strategic objectives

Who uses Project Management?

Project Management is used across all industries, sectors, and organizations. From project team members who use basic project management in their daily tasks, to Project Managers who apply a more formal and systematic governance and end-to-end management of projects, to Directors, CEOs, and the leadership apply project management to effectively and efficiently execute projects to achieve business goals.