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Advanced Project Management

We’ve updated our Advanced Project Management Course to include a project simulation component. This course picks up where other traditional project management courses leave off by allowing participants to practice monitoring a project using SimulTrain®, software that provides a simulation for the planning and executing phases of a project. During execution, participants are placed in common situations that generate stress and require timely decisions that affect not only project performance but team motivation.

In addition to the simulation, participants will engage in additional topics to develop competencies required to control projects and expand their knowledge and skills using more advanced project management tools and techniques.

If you manage projects every day and need advanced skills, this course is the second step for continued development for any project manager. For maximum course benefit, we strongly recommend that you attend the Developing Project Management Skills or an equivalent course and have at least one-year practical project management experience. Participants should review project management principles prior to attending this course.

This course is a key foundation course for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification. Participants receive the Project Management Institute, A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013, as well as other classroom materials.

Topics include:

  • “Real” Project and Resource Management: leading and engaging stakeholders, motivating team members, making decisions, allocating resources
  • Controlling the Big Picture: performance measurement using Earned Value Management, Schmidt charting, schedule control, rolling wave development process
  • Getting to the Next Level: project management maturity model, project management methodologies, critical chain schedule development, continuous improvement, Six Sigma, managing multiple projects and inherited projects.
  • Risk Management: risk management processes, attitudes towards risk, risk analysis techniques and tools, planning responses

Detailed Outline

Module 1: Planning and Executing the Project

  • Basic planning concepts
  • Introduction to the simulation
  • Simulating a project using SimulTrain – Phase 1
  • Completing the plan
  • Working the plan
  • Simulation debrief and reporting
  • Capturing lessons learned
  • Preparation for the next session

Module 2: Re-planning and Continuing Project Execution

  • Review phase one of the simulation
  • Additional planning concepts
  • Overview of the second simulation phase
  • Simulating a project using SimulTrain – Phase 2
  • Revising the plan
  • Continue to work the plan
  • Simulation debrief and reporting
  • More lessons learned
  • Module 3: Controlling the Big Picture
  • Comparing product and project lifecycles
  • Project Performance Measurement using earned value management
  • Schmidt Charting
  • Schedule Control
  • Rolling Wave Development

Module 4: Getting to the Next Level

  • Project Management Maturity Model
  • Building and effective project management plan
  • Critical Chain schedule development
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma
  • Capacity Planning
  • Managing Multiple Projects
  • Inherited Projects
  • Your Next Steps

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