INTRODUCTION

IT professionals, whether in a corporate environment or IT service organisation, increasingly operate outside traditional boundaries defined by technical skills.  Successful project managers must grasp enterprise-wide business issues, consult with users in a variety of functions and work effectively in cross-functional teams.  With tight pressure to cut costs and yet implement technology quickly, IT project managers are under severe pressure to complete projects on time, on budget, and at the promised quality.

This course delves into the unique challenges of managing IT projects and offers a roadmap for success.  It is designed to familiarize and establish a thorough foundation for delegates new to project management in IT as well as enhance already acquired skills of professionals working in the following areas:

• Systems Analyst
• Technical Resource Manager
• Project Manager
• Project Development Manager
• CRM/Call Center Manager
• Software Development Liaison
• Program Manager
• Project Leader
• Team Leader
• Senior Project Manager

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course objective is to define the IT-specific challenges of project management, and methods to avoid common drawbacks.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Perform discovery and analysis to determine the true nature of the problem or opportunity, ascertain its relevance and feasibility, and identify associated risks.
• Establish the high-level timetable and budget for the project.
• Create the project planning documents, including the Scope Statement, Project Charter, and Statement of Work.
• Create the documents that lay the foundation for the project.
• Conduct the management planning activities that result in the development of the project plan, used to control the execution process of the project.
• Determine the ideal team composition, recruit, negotiate for, and assign team members.
• Define a strategy for monitoring the project iteratively, calculate schedule and budget variances, manage the critical path, team, and vendor relationships, and monitor quality metrics.
• Identify variances and outline corrective action, negotiate changes, and identify the proper course of action to avoid scope creep.
• Execute the project transfer steps, including documentation, transfer process, sign-off, final project report, and a project team lessons-learned debriefing.

The course consists of a number of well-structured modules related to IT project management as well as specific software skills based on the practical construction and implementation of projects.  The course not only focuses on project management fundamentals, mechanisms and supportive technologies but also includes functional guidance in the work environment. 

COURSE STRUCTURE

Module 1

Project Management Overview

• Project Management Overview
• Project Constraints
• Project Phases
• Initiating Phase
• Planning Phase
• Executing Phase
• Controlling Phase
• Closing Phase

Module 2

Standard Project Documentation

• Project Concept Document
• Project Requirements Document
• Project Charter
• Project Scope Document
• Project Plan
• Closing Document
• Summary

Module 3

Refining of Project Scope Documentation

• Developing the Project Scope skeleton
• Determining Key Scope Elements
• Understanding the Famous Balance: Time/Quality/Budget
• Summary

Module 4

Finalizing the Project Scope and Presenting to Stakeholders

• Finalizing the Project Scope
• Methodologies to be followed
• The Project Book
• Communications
• Obtaining Management Buy-in
• Summary

Module 5

Requirements Analysis and Risk Assessment

• Analysing Project Requirements
• Analysing Program Requirements
• Analysing Business and Functional Requirements
• Understanding Risk Assessment
• Summary

Module 6

Creating a Project Plan

• Understanding the basics of a Project Management Plan
• Developing a Project Schedule
• Estimating costs
• Understanding Quality Management
• Summary

Module 7

Formulating a Project Team 

• Resolving disagreements between Project Team Members
• Managing Teams

Module 8

The Work Breakdown Structure and Organizing ad Finalising the Project Planning Phase

• Planning for Iteration
• Creating a Workable WBS
• Setting Milestones
• Finalizing Project Plan Components
• Developing the Project Plan Steps and Closing Out the Planning Phase

Module 9

Managing Budgets, Schedules and Estimates

• Managing the Project Budget
• Managing the Project Schedule
• Estimate-Tracking Basics

Module 10

Controlling the Project

• Tracking an Active Project
• Managing and Documenting Budget Overruns
• Managing Project Delays
• Managing Waffling Project Sponsors
• Managing Project Schedule Overruns

Module 11

Change Control

• Managing Scope Deviations
• Managing Change Control
• Managing Scope Creep
• Communicating Scope Change Impact
• Managing Project Schedule Overruns

Module 12

Managing Quality

• Understanding of How to Manage Quality
• Testing
• Turnover
• Helping to Meet or Exceed Expected Outcomes

Module 13

Project Closure

• Collecting Project Metrics
• Conducting a Review Process
• Preparing a Written Finalized Project Assessment Report
• Sign-Off