This workshop gives seasoned project managers the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully manage increasingly complex project issues to meet desired goals and objectives. Assuming a mastery of project planning, this workshop extends skills to the remaining project management processes covering areas such as avoiding mistakes when executing and controlling a project, dealing with evolving stakeholder expectations, using trend analysis to measure project performance and improving project outcomes.

Objectives

Identify key stakeholders, assess project feasibility, and solicit authorization.

Communicate weekly tasks that are scheduled for completion with a focus on critical tasks.

Update plan components, manage team and stakeholder expectations, and communicate progress and status consistently and predictably.

Manage cost, scope, time, risk, quality, and project change according to a set of processes.

Influence future project activities to meet project goals.

Use project metrics and process documentation to learn how to manage projects better.

Analyze projects and the project management process continually.

Detailed Outline

1. Introduction
   • Welcome to Advanced Project Management
   • Workshop Logistics
   • Workshop Materials
   • How to Get the Most Out of this Workshop
2. Project Selection and Initiation
   • Initiating Projects
   • When Do Projects Start? Defining the Project Life Cycle
   • Tips for Defining the Start of a Project
   • Considerations for Initiating Projects
   • Strategic Planning
   • Prioritizing Projects
   • Selecting Projects
   • Key Elements of the Initiating Process
   • Guidelines for Project Initiation
3. Project Execution Methodology
   • Project Execution Methodology
   • Starting Project Work
   • The Value of a Good Start
   • Ensuring a Successful Start to Project Work
   • What Planning Outputs are Needed, and How Good Must They Be?
   • Stakeholder Commitment and Team Resources
   • Inhibitors to Future Success and How to Deal with Them
   • Estimates that Don’t “Work”
   • Non-Participating Stakeholders
   • Vague or Uncommitted Resources
   • Other Inhibitors to Getting Work Done
   • The Process for Commencing Project Work
   • Communicating the Start of Project Work
   • Coordinating the Start of Project Work
   • Key Learning Points
   • Getting Work Done
   • Facilitating Project Work
   • Communicating Work Expectations (Work Authorization)
   • Managing Issues and Action Items
   • Key Learning Points
   • Progress, Status, and Forecasting
   • Capturing Progress
   • Updating the Schedule
   • Forecasting – Predicting Future Project Work
4. Project Variance and Control
   • A Framework for Performance Reporting
   • Understanding Different Types of Metrics
   • How Metrics Interact
   • Measuring Projects and Generating Metrics Reports
   • Interpreting Project Metrics
   • Baseline Metrics
   • Earned Value Management
   • Earned Value Management Variance Analysis
   • Earned Value Management Forecasting Variance
   • Earned Value Management To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI)
   • Understanding the Causes of Variance
   • Defining Project Variance
   • Understanding Different Types of Project Variance
   • Root Contributors to Variance
   • Methods for Identifying Root Contributors
   • Taking Corrective Action to Overcome Variance
   • Definition/Intention of Corrective Action
   • Understanding Points of Leverage
   • Managing Change, Quality, and Risk
   • Responding to the Dynamic Nature of Projects
   • Using Process to Create Transparency
   • Control Processes for Project Change
   • Quality Control
   • Quality Assurance
   • Risk Monitoring and Control Process
5. Project Closure and Learning
   • The Closing Process
   • The Challenge of Project Closure
   • When and How to Learn from Projects
   • Initial Sizing
   • Detailed Estimating
   • Unforeseen Events
   • Project Closure Reporting and Archiving Processes
   • Step 1 — Obtain Formal Acceptance
   • Step 2 — Shut Down the Work Engine
   • Step 3 — Analyze Metrics, Baseline, and Change Data
   • Step 4 — Evaluate Processes and Documentation
   • Step 5 — Documenting Project Events and Circumstances
   • Step 6 — Generating Lessons Learned
   • Step 7 — Finalize and Share the Project Closure Report
   • Step 8 — Celebrating the End of the Project
   • Step 9 — Archive the Project Records
   • Step 10 — Conduct Follow-Up Surveys as Negotiated
6. Summary and Conclusion
   • Where we’ve Been
   • Where to Go Next
7. Appendix A – Managing Projects Better with Process
   • Intent and Ownership of Processes
   • Process as a Tool for Success in Project Management
   • Differentiating Between Project Management and Product Development
   • Overviews of Methodologies
   • Value of a Project Management Methodology
   • Using a Methodology
   • Creating a Methodology
8. Appendix B – “Special Situations” (That Happen All the Time)
   • Managing Several Projects Simultaneously
   • Priority
   • Process
   • Workflow
   • Taking Over Ongoing Projects
   • Establishing Credibility and Project Visibility
   • Inventory the Project to Find Leverage Points
   • “Threading” Your Methodology to an Ongoing Project
   • Stakeholder Change
   • What is a Stakeholder Change?
   • Assessing the Impact of Stakeholder Change on Your Project
   • Responding to Stakeholder Change
   • Scaling Project Management to Meet the Project Needs
   • Factors in Scaling Project Management
   • Identifying and Protecting the Core Project Management Processes