Applying Project Management to Service Delivery

Purpose

To build capacity and capability to effectively Manage Projects.

Course Objectives

• Promote a greater understanding of the key components of Project Management

• Build and transfer ability, skills and techniques (competence) to manage projects

• Enhance capacity to successfully manage projects
  

Critical Outcomes / Benifits

• A thorough and consistent understanding of the key components of project management.

• Ability, skills and techniques (competence) to manage projects, with particular emphasis on organizing, planning and controlling

• Projects with realistic objectives being delivered on time and to the budget
  

Competencies Developed

Knowledge gained

• Definition of projects and project management

• The PRINCE 2 project management methodology

Skills developed

• Setting realistic objectives

• Scoping a project

• Risk Management

• Establishing the Project Organisation

• Project Planning Techniques

• Monitoring and Controlling

• Project Appraisal

• Quality Control

• Change Control

Principles and Values Promoted

• Disciplined management with a focus on delivery of results

• Team working, empowerment

• Transparency and realism

Training and Development Methology

• Presentation / Lecture

• Facilitated Discussions

• Individual and Group Work

• Case Studies

• Practical Exercises
  

Assessment Process

• Individual and syndicate exercises during the course

• Peer review and feedback

• Action planning by participants

• Follow up visits on request
  

Assessment Criteria

A demonstrated ability to:

• Establish objectives, scope a project, design an organizational structure, plan and control

Target Group

• Managers and line functionaries appointed as project managers or project planners or personnel earmarked to undertake the project management role(s). Individuals with the relevant entry skills levels and the interest in the project management discipline are welcome, too.

Footnote: There is also a two day Project Director’s course which covers similar ground but from a different perspective. The Project Manager’s course is designed for those producing the plans and managing the projects in a day-to-day context. The Project Director’s course is designed for those with overall responsibility / ownership of the project and resources being deployed. The directors are sometimes referred to as Project Board members or Project Sponsors.

Duration

Five days

Programme

Day I

Introduction to Projects and Project Management

• Plenary Exercise – What is a project?

• Difference between projects and ongoing work

• Buzz group exercise – Why do projects fail? (Cause not effect)

• Project Lifecycle

• Projects versus Programmes

• When/where to use projects

• Essential components of Project Management

PRINCE & other Methodologies

Objectives

• Getting started

  • Starting a project

• Introduction to Case Study and Scoping Exercise
  
  
• Scoping exercise: Read brief and scope the “<NAME>” project
  
  
• Feedback
  
  
• The PID (Project Initiation Document)
  
  
• Identifying and Managing Risk
  
  
• Identification, Probability, Impact, Countermeasures, Contingencies and responsibility

Case Study exercise: Compile Risk Log of Project

Day 2

Organisation

• Project Organisation and Staffing

• Getting the right project management structure

• Directing, Managing, Supporting and Assuring

• Team Working

• Stakeholders / Consultation – How / Who

Case Study exercise: Organisation

Planning

• Planning Principles

• Why plan

• Levels and types of plan

Planning - Product Based Planning

• Product Breakdown Structures

• Case Study

• Feedback

• Product Description

Case Study Exercise: Product Description (To be QR_ed – (Quality Reviewed) by lecturers)

Day 3

• Product Flow Diagrams (PFD)

• Case Study Exercise (PFD)

Planning - Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

• Brief input on dependency networks

• Case Study – Draw dependency for “<NAME>” Project

• Critical Path Analysis (CPA) and Estimating

• Continued – Including desk exercises

• Case Study exercise: Estimating and CPA

• Brief Demo of MS Project (depending on the time availability and the audience interest)

Case Study Exercise: Technical Plan

Day 4

• Project Stages (Phases)

• Case Study Exercise: Finishing the Plan – Stages, Resource Plan and Graphical Summary

Controls

• Management Controls – as a break during Case Study Exercises

• Complete Case Study Exercises

• Project Appraisal: The full Business Case

• Worked Example of Business Case.

• Change Control

• Quality Management

Day 5

• Quality Review Technique

• Quality Review Exercises – Prepare for review meetings

• Procurement and sub-contractors relationships

• QRs 1 and 2 – in parallel

• QRs 3 and 4 – in parallel

• Plenary feedback

• Action Planning

• Assessments