Project Management Level II: Execution, Controlling, & Closing

In this Intermediate/Advanced Project Management course, students delve deeper into project management concepts include task analysis, critical path method, planning, project timelines, and ongoing monitoring. Students will review the five phases of project management, examining the complexities of each stage. 

Students learn the required skills for executing, controlling, and closing projects, with emphasis placed on budgeting and managing risk. This course is designed to be an engaging, interactive workshop where participation is encouraged throughout. Students will receive a workbook that contains both practical knowledge along with a large variety of exercises to be completed during class.

By the end of this course, students will understand how to actively manage projects while they are being executed. Students may take this course as a stand-alone course, or in conjunction with Project Management: Initiation and Planning to be exposed to the complete project management experience. A discount is available for those who enroll in the 2-day Project Management Bootcamp.

Course Overview

Students begin by taking a closer look at the project team. How can a top team be assembled? How can talent best be developed? What characteristics must be looked for? These questions and many others are explored through small group brainstorming and facilitated discussion.

Next, the course takes a slightly more quantitative turn, as students transition into the Execution phase of Project Management. In this phase, students will be presented with brief project case studies and will be guided through the process of determining actual costs and the value of work performed through basic calculations and drawing graphs. This will culminate in the analysis of cost performance and estimation of costs at completion. 

Troubleshooting resources are then discussed, as students encounter mock situations where project resources are either overallocated or limited in quantities. Students will construct the appropriate tables and charts to visually solve these issues.

Risk Management is mapped into four categories: identification, assessment, planning, and monitoring. Students will work in teams to examine a sample project and evaluate the potential risk in that project.

What meetings should be held? Which reports should be created and who should receive them? What plans need to be drawn up? Students will practice creating efficient project meeting agendas, summarizing progress in the appropriate reports, and creating a plan for optimal communication.

Finally, the Closing phase will describe what should be done at the conclusion of the project. Such topics as collecting final payments, recognizing team members, and archiving project details will be covered, with students creating a sample post-project evaluation.

This one-day workshop concludes with a brief overview of Project Management software/apps, Project Management associations, and Project Management certifications.

This Class is For Students That:

• Understand the five phases of a project
• Know how to create a project proposal and business case
• Desire a more in-depth study of project management
• Need strategies and tools to work better with a project team