Free Mini PMP Course Summary

This article took me 13 hours to write??! So grab a ? of coffee or tea and read it carefully!

Here is a summary of the Free #MiniPMP Course/Gift of Ramadan 1445-2024 by Mr. Ahmed Ben Hamouda, PMP?, SCT?, SAFe?

To make it easy to read and engaging, the key learnings and takeaways from this 4-week course will be divided into 7 relevant questions.

Let's start by defining key terms like project and project management, and for whom exactly project management is intended.

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create unique products, services, or results.

Project Management is the application of a set of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project objectives.

Project management is beneficial for EVERYONE, not just professionals like project managers or engineers. These skills can be applied to all aspects of life, as every task or goal can be viewed as a “project” or an “operation.” For instance, building a hotel is a project, while its daily management is an operation. Thus, project management can enhance organization, efficiency, and productivity in various areas of life.

1?? What occurs before the initiation of a project?

Before starting a project, conducting a Business Case Study is a crucial step. It includes a feasibility study and explains why the opportunity is worth pursuing. This process shouldn't take too much time (ideally, a maximum of 3 months).

To review the Business Case Study, we use a Decision Matrix. This matrix is a table that assesses ideas based on competency, cost, viability, desirability, and alignment with strategic goals. It helps in deciding whether to give the green or red light for the project.

2?? What are the constraints that any project may face?

Projects cannot be without constraints. It's like "Tom & Jerry". The PMI (Project Management Institute) has defined the constraints in the Iron Triangle (triple constraints), which is composed of:

• Scope: features and functionalities
• Cost: resources and budget
• Time: schedule

In this Iron Triangle, if we change one parameter, the other two will automatically change and adapt. For example, if we add more features in the scope, then the cost will increase and mainly the time schedule will change, and vice versa. Also, we can find other types of constraints called competing constraints like quality, risk, and resources.

3?? What are the 5 phases in traditional projects?

Waterfall traditional Project Management, also known as the Predictive method, outlines a fixed full project management from the beginning. Changes are neither easy nor very welcome, and the deliverables are delivered at the end of the project. This traditional project follows five phases:

1. Initiating Phase: Develop project charter and identify stakeholders processes
2. Planning Phase: Starts with developing a project management plan and ends with planning stakeholder engagement. All 10 knowledge areas could be found here.
3. Executing Phase: Directing and managing projects, and managing quality
4. Monitoring & Controlling Phase: Monitoring and controlling project work, and monitoring stakeholder engagement
5. Closing Phase: Close project or phase after the acceptance of deliverables

4?? How can Agile methodology be implemented in a traditional project?

Agile project management, also known as the Adaptive method, is an approach that deals with the reality of continuous change or which incorporates discovery and learning throughout the project life cycle must be utilized instead.

In simple words, Agile is an iterative approach to work that helps teams deliver value faster and with fewer headaches.

And the new way of integrating the Agile methodology into traditional projects is the ???????????? ?????????????? ???????????????????? approach.

Hybrid approach is used when project consist of mixed requirements (fixed and dynamic elements), depends on activities, with multiple deliveries focused on customer value and we use it when the stakeholders are interested in trying new methods and when we have projects with multiple types of activities.

Hybrid approach can be implemented through:

• An ?????????? ?????????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ?? ???????????????????? ?????????????? (or the opposite)
• A combined Agile and Predictive approach used simultaneously
• A largely predictive approach with Agile components
• A largely Agile approach with a Predictive component

5?? What is the most effective leadership style in Project Management?

Now moving to leadership styles in Project Management, ?????????????? ???????????????????? is a term that you will hear a lot and many choose it as their favorite one, which focuses on improving the skills and performance of the team, removing any progress impediments that the team may face, and promoting the well-being within a project.

But actually there is no best leadership style; it depends on the project, the team, and many other factors… The most effective leadership style is to be a situational leader, where depending on the situation, you adapt your leadership style to either use the servant, transactional, autocratic, or many more other leadership styles.

6?? What are the top three techniques for team collaboration?

• ??????????????: when all team members do all pieces of the task together (simultaneously)
• ??????????????: When two team members do the work together, with complementary skill-sets and same time zones.
• ????????????????: When every single member does one to many pieces of the task until it's done

7?? How should risks that could potentially lead to project failure be managed?

If you want a more than 80% success rate of your project, you simply need to master the CSR:

• Communication management
• Stakeholders management
• Risk management (the favorite knowledge area for Mr. Ahmed ??)

A risk is: An uncertain event or condition, that if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project's objective.

And here are the 4 HABITS of risk management process teams need to develop:

1. Identify risks: hold a weekly team meeting in order to identify risks. If the risk has a positive effect then it's called an opportunity if it has negative effect then it's a threat.
2. Assess risks: Assess the impact and probability of each risk occurring. (Qualitative analysis)
3. Treat risks: Determine if an "Action Plan" is needed to treat the risks
4. Monitor & report risks: Weekly monitoring and reporting risks.

Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Ahmed Ben Hamouda, PMP?, SCT?, SAFe? for this enriching course, and to the entire team at Ben Hamouda Consulting consulting for their invaluable support. ??

And to you, dear reader, WOW, you've read it till the end! ??

Leave a comment down below and let us know how you could implement these Project Management takeaways in your professional or personal life.