0109 - High Speed Project Management

Course Description

Course Details 
 
With accelerated schedules driving many technology projects today, the smart project manager must rapidly retool their skill set. This course offers a breakthrough model for dealing with the realities of managing projects at supersonic speeds. Learn to meet and win the challenges of truncated timelines, short-staffed project teams, skimpy budgets and crippling risks.   
 
How It Works 
 
This course is fully online, you require internet access and an email account. The course duration is 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week period to complete the final exam (online, open book). Lessons are released on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week, for a total of 12.   You are not required to be online at any specific time. In addition to the specific lesson content, there is a discussion board with each lesson and often there is an optional assignment to apply the learning. Following each lesson,   there is a short multiple choice quiz. Your score on these quizzes does not count towards the final mark but completing these helps solidify your learning as well as prepare you for the final exam. The final exam is an open-book, multiple choice exam   and you need to achieve a minimum of 65% on the final exam to pass the course. There is only one opportunity to pass the exam. A certificate of completion from WatSPEED is available within four weeks of successful completion of each course and can be accessed in your student portal. Many of the Ed2Go courses are eligible towards the various online certificates offered by WatSPEED. 

Syllabus

Lesson 1 - Manage at High Speed: Why the Rush?. What’s the big hurry? Don’t be kept in the dark about why you’re required to manage your project at such a fast pace. In this lesson, you’ll learn the reasons. Then you’ll be in the driver’s seat and ready to focus on running a successful project.

Lesson 2 - The Race Is On: Three Critical Factors. Three factors are always critical to the success of any project. In this lesson, we'll take a close look at each factor. You’ll also learn what speed indicators are and how to use them to stay on top of a fast-moving project.

Lesson 3 - Factor One: The Team Is Always First. In this lesson, we'll look at Factor 1: The team. The project team members are the keys to your success. You’ll learn techniques to motivate and keep a team focused while working at high speed.

Lesson 4 - Factor Two: Time Versus Money. This lesson is all about Factor 2: Time vs. Money. We’ll look at actual case studies to illustrate new ways of adjusting project speed and increasing overall productivity.

Lesson 5 - Factor Three: It's Always About Risk. This lesson addresses Factor 3: Risk. Managing risk at the speed of light is not for the fainthearted, but it can work to the advantage of the well-prepared manager. In this lesson, we'll explore the risks that are most prevalent and learn how to plan for them when and if they occur.

Lesson 6 - Fast-Track Planning: Steps 1 Through 5. In this lesson, you’ll learn the first five steps of fast-track planning. Quickly creating a comprehensive project plan is crucial to staying on target. We'll look at ways to abbreviate the process from developing a scope statement to finalizing the project team.

Lesson 7 - Fast-Track Planning: Steps 6 Through 10. Today’s lesson continues the planning process by addressing when and if you should use network diagrams and critical path analysis. You'll learn how to estimate time and costs that are in sync with an e-speed project. And we'll review the pros and cons of the critical chain management theory.

Lesson 8 - Fast-Track Planning: Steps 11 Through 13. We'll continue the planning process in this lesson. Here, you'll look at templates and real-world examples that will demonstrate how to speed up the development of plans for project procurement, quality management, and risk management.

Lesson 9 - Fast-Track Planning: Steps 14 Through 19. Today, we'll take a look at the final steps in the planning process. You’ll examine templates and real-life examples for rapid development of change control plans, communication and management plans, and the final project plan. You'll also learn the importance of obtaining plan approval sign-off and when and why to use a kickoff meeting.

Lesson 10 - Plan Execution: Full Acceleration. In this lesson, you’ll see that the project plan is finalized and primed to provide a roadmap and navigational aides for the e-speed project. You'll learn how to allocate time and effort to achieve the greatest advantages for the project. We'll pay special attention to applying the best practices for managing tasks, quality assurance, team development and verification, and progress meetings.

Lesson 11 - Project Control: The Power of Process. Projects developed at e-speed require strict processes for managing changes in performance, scope, quality, risk, schedule and cost. In this lesson, we’ll take a close look at the value of management toolkits that are simplified and easy to use.

Lesson 12 - Closeout: Cross the Finish Line. The project is not over until you cross the finish line and throw all the shutdown switches. This lesson is designed to walk you through the final seven steps to end the project on a positive and professional note.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Introduction to Project Management : Mandatory