Module 1 Summary: What is project management?
- Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, and tools to a project to deliver intended outcomes and produce value. It has many benefits, including managing budgets and timelines, improving productivity, addressing project risks, improving communication, and increasing customer satisfaction.
- Project management seeks to control the scope, schedule, financials, risk, quality, and resources of a project.
- Successful project management keeps projects within budget and on time, provides needed tools to the team, clarifies responsibilities, facilitates communication, manages delivery and risk, drives quality, and monitors and reports results.
- The three primary levers that project managers drive include time, quality, and resources.
- A project is an endeavor that is unique, temporary, completable, and measurable, while a program is a collection of projects that is large, long-term, general, and strategic projects. A portfolio is a collection of projects and programs that is ongoing and aligns with the organization’s strategic objectives.
- Common project management resources that can be used to learn more about project management include the Project Management Body of Knowledge, or PMBOK.
Module 2 Summary: Working as a Project Manager
- Potential stakeholders on a project include team members, executives, clients, and various other departments such as legal, sales, IT, operations, and HR in an organization.
- Project managers build and maintain positive working relationships with stakeholders by effectively identifying, analyzing, and proactively engaging with stakeholders from beginning to end.
- By working across teams, functions, and departments, project managers can align their goals with the project’s objectives. This allows the project team to adjust the project in response to changes and new developments.
- Waterfall, critical path, and critical chain methodologies use a linear, structured approach in which tasks take place in either mutually exclusive phases or sequences. Agile is focused on iterative development and constant improvement. Lean is focused on continual production flow, and Six Sigma is data-focused and manufacturing-driven.
- Recent trends in project management include the use of artificial intelligence, project management software, data analytics, remote teams, and a global workforce, hybrid project management methodologies, and an emphasis on soft skills.
- The advantages of traditional project management over modern project management are that it is predictable and stable. The advantages of modern project management are that it is flexible, responsive, and automated.
Module 3 Summary: What does be a project manager require?
- Soft skills are more intangible than technical skills and may include qualities such as personality or attitude. Soft skills are not as readily quantifiable or able to be taught as technical skills, but they can be developed and improved.
- Useful technical skills for project managers include project management methodologies and processes, business administration and management, and software and information technology.?
- Useful soft skills for project managers include research, analysis, written and oral communication, time management, decision-making, self-motivation, task-switching, and problem-solving.?
- Interpersonal and leadership skills allow project managers to work more effectively with team members and stakeholders. Skills such as communication, team building, and conflict management help project managers inspire a team to work towards a shared vision.?
- Project managers are responsible for project planning, execution, monitoring and reporting, post-project evaluation, and project closing. Project managers fulfill these responsibilities by performing tasks such as budgeting, assessing risk, evaluating key performance indicators, and many more.
- A typical day in the life of a project manager usually involves communications and calendars. They often attend a daily standup meeting and other meetings such as a sprint review, sprint retrospective, or project status meetings.?
- Many soft and technical skills found in other positions such as time management, writing well, good verbal communication, and leadership transfer well to project management.
Module 4 Summary: Careers in Project Management
- Project managers work across a variety of industries including construction, engineering, IT, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Each industry comes with its own requirements and types of projects.
- Because industries are becoming more project-based, project management-oriented employment is expected to increase consistently over the next ten years.
- In addition to the usual responsibilities of project management, responsibilities unique to IT project management include implementing IT strategy, managing IT resources, and communicating with IT managers, employees, and clients. Required technical skills also include familiarity with IT concepts and software development methodologies.
- There are different ways to become a project manager. Certain industries or positions require a degree, as well as certain certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified associate in project management (CAPM), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI ACP), and Agile/Scrum. Higher-level positions typically require a certain number of years of experience.
- Generally, project management professionals will move from lower-level positions to more senior or executive ones. Entry-level positions include project coordinator and project manager, while mid-level positions include senior project manager, program manager, or portfolio manager. After that, senior executive level roles in project management include titles such as a director of project management or chief operating officer.
Key Takeaways from This Course
This course provided a comprehensive introduction to project management. You learned what project management is, its benefits, and the constraints it helps manage. You also learned the role played by project managers and how recent trends, such as remote work, have shaped modern project management.
The course covered opportunities for different careers within project management and discussed jobs across different industries and experience levels, as well as the various technical and soft skills required for project management work.
In particular, key takeaways from this course include that:???
- Project management applies knowledge, skills, and tools to projects to produce value, manage budgets and timelines, improve productivity, address risks, and increase customer satisfaction.
- Successful project management controls project scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, resources, and maintains positive working relationships with stakeholders.
- A project is unique, temporary, completable, and measurable, while a program is a collection of large, long-term, general, and strategic projects. A portfolio is an ongoing collection of projects and programs aligned with an organization's strategic objectives.
- Project managers drive time, quality, and resources and use Waterfall, Critical Path, Critical Chain, Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies.
- Recent project management trends include the use of AI, project management software, data analytics, remote teams, hybrid methodologies, and an emphasis on soft skills.
- Practical technical skills for project managers include knowledge of project management methodologies, business administration, and software and information technology.
- Valuable soft skills for project managers include communication, time management, problem-solving, interpersonal and leadership skills, and self-motivation.
- Project managers are responsible for project planning, execution, monitoring and reporting, post-project evaluation, and project closing.
- Project management employment in the construction, engineering, IT, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing industries
- Is expected to increase consistently over the next ten years across the construction, engineering, IT, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing industries.
- IT project managers have unique responsibilities, such as implementing IT strategy, managing IT resources, and communicating with IT managers, employees, and clients.
- Becoming a project manager may require a degree, specific certifications, and years of experience, with entry-level, mid-level, and senior executive roles available, including project coordinator, project manager, senior project manager, program manager, portfolio manager, director of project management, and chief operating officer.
Key Project Management Resources
The Project Management Institute (PMI)
- PMI is a not-for-profit professional association that writes publications, proposes guidelines and best practices, organizes and hosts educational events and conferences, gives training, and offers professional certifications.
- PMI offers the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, the PMI Risk Management Professions (PMI-RMP), the Disciplined Agile Coach (DAC), and the Program Management Professional (PGMP) certifications, along with others. On the PMI site, you can also get recommendations for what certifications to take based on your experience.
The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide – 7th edition
- Published by the PMI, The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide – 7th edition provides a set of twelve project management principles structured around eight performance domains. The twelve principles are identified and outlined in this PDF
. These principles are widely taught in many Project Management Courses.
PMP Exam Prep 2022 and 2023 Study Guide
- This study guide gives you practice test questions and a similar test layout to prepare you for the PMP exam. It offers valuable tips, strategies, and a complete review of the Project Management Body of Knowledge test sections.
- A fair number of jobs with PMP listings require you to have a PMP certification, which requires you to take the PMP exam. A PMP study guide is not necessary to take the test, but it can help.
- This book by Simon Hayward (2021) provides advice on how to lead teams using Agile methodologies to quickly adapt and respond to shifting organizational priorities. It analyzes several industry case studies to apply expert leadership strategies. The book also illustrates how leaders can stabilize their teams during uncertainty and change.
Introduction to Agile Development and Scrum
- This course offered by IBM on the Coursera platform teaches concepts such as adaptive planning, iterative development, test-driven development, and continuous improvement. In this hands-on course, you apply the spring planning process, write user stories, track user stories with a Kanban board, create burndown charts, and use metrics to enhance productivity and promote client satisfaction.
The Lean Enterprise Institute and Blog
- The Lean Enterprise Institute is a non-profit research-based organization that promotes lean thinking and practices. They provide educational experiences and learning materials, foster partnerships, and host conferences focused on lean principles.
- They also have an excellent blog about how to apply the Lean methodology in different business environments. There you can also find Lean trends and success stories.
Project Management for Dummies
- This book by Stanley E. Portny (any edition, but newer versions will have more pertinent information and be more closely related to the modern-day PMP exam) introduces the core principles of successful project management.
- The book teaches you about organizing, estimating, and scheduling projects efficiently and discusses how to motivate any team to gain maximum productivity. It’s a valuable resource that gives you all the math equations, concepts, and conflicts you may see as a PMP and shows you how to apply them before applying for the PMP exam. It also points you in the right direction to help you find more resources in case you need additional help.
- The back of the book has more further resources that you can use to help you not only become a project manager but also improve your project management skills once you’ve become a project manager.
- This course, presented by the University System of Georgia, introduces you to the foundational knowledge of Six Sigma and Lean principles, roles, and responsibilities. You will also be introduced to tools and metrics that are critical to Six Sigma.
- Lean Six Sigma and Project ManagementLean Six Sigma and Project Management
This informative article discusses what Six Sigma is, what project management is, and how the two can be applied to achieve successful projects. It also discusses the similarities and differences between Six Sigma and project management.?
Transferable Project Management Skills
Project management and similar skills found in other careers.
Project managers oversee all aspects of a project, from start to finish. They manage the budget and resources, organize the team, and provide feedback at every process stage. They ensure deadlines are met and the final product is of high quality. Being a project manager comes with tremendous pressure because a project manager is responsible for the success and failure of a project. The best project managers should possess the soft and technical skills to address the responsibilities associated with their position.
Many of these skills and characteristics are transferrable from other jobs. By the time you finish reading this article, you will know how to compare positions that overlap with project management and which roles could easily transfer into project management.
Roles with skills that transfer to project management.
- A data analyst may be good with organization and math; both are vital skills for project managers because they need to keep an organized schedule to keep the project on plan and budget their allocated resources to stay within their quota.
- A project coordinator is like a project manager; it is common to find a project coordinator assisting a project manager in their projects. Both roles involve coordinating, organizing, writing documentation, and having the ability to manage time wisely.
- A technical writer is someone who writes content about technical subjects. Like project managers, they must be good with grammar, writing documentation, analyzing, and researching because these skills are also used in many everyday tasks of a project manager.
- A contract manager is a professional who handles a company's legal documents and contracts. They weigh the pros and cons of new contracts and negotiate to ensure their company gets everything they need to get the job done. Contract managers must be good at negotiation and risk management. Project managers must also be able to weigh the pros and cons of different budget and resource strategies and negotiate with stakeholders to come to the best possible outcome for the entire group. Project managers must also be able to manage risk.
- A budget analyst must think critically and be able to analyze data to solve a problem or find an answer. A budget analyst's role typically includes reviewing budgets and providing guidance on how to manage the company's budget. Project managers must also think critically and look at all factors to determine the appropriate course of action. Some project managers will also handle project budgets, so they must be able to look at the budget and determine how to move forward. For example, if materials for the project are more expensive than originally planned, they may need to find another vendor, renegotiate a contract, or reallocate budget resources.
- An event planner must take many moving pieces and align them to ensure an event goes smoothly. They have to consider the stakeholder's budget, the scheduling of events, and ensure everyone and everything coordinates. Event planners make great project managers because events are very similar to projects.
- A quality control inspector monitors the standards of manufactured products. They must be meticulous in catching any product mistakes before leaving the facility. They must also be good at documentation to improve quality control with each new batch of products. A project manager must be equally meticulous to ensure catching mistakes in a project before sending it to a client or going live. Project managers are also responsible for documenting processes to ensure continuous improvement.
Skills that transfer to project management
As you have seen, other careers with skills that transfer well to project management include event planners, technical writers, data analysts, and operations managers. But many soft and technical skills found in other positions also transfer well to project management, such as
- time management.
- written communication
- verbal communication
- budgeting
- foundational computer skills
- time management.
- leadership
Therefore, many other roles can provide you with skills you can apply in a project management role. So long as you possess (or are willing to learn) the soft and technical skills to address the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities associated with a project management role, you can be a successful project manager.
