Project Management - Scheduling & Cost Control
Course Description
This training course is based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) to managing projects. (PMI® is the author and owner of the PMBOK® Guide titled “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge”). This is a global standard of best practice which covers most aspects of managing a project. However, this particular course focuses on the detail of planning and controlling the project.
Course Duration
3 days
Course Objectives
On completion of this course delegates will have clear practical approaches to producing effective project plans, and to using those plans to steer the project through to a successful conclusion. Using effective tools the project manager
will be able to produce comprehensive schedules, with meaningful estimates and sensible resource assignments. The project manager will then be able to use the plans to control both the time and costs of the project.
will be able to produce comprehensive schedules, with meaningful estimates and sensible resource assignments. The project manager will then be able to use the plans to control both the time and costs of the project.
Course Content
Course Introduction
Administration, Objectives; the project lifecycle, and the planning cycle; inputs to the planning process; the TCQ triangle
Establishing the Task List
A reminder of work breakdown structures and their uses; definition of ‘milestone’; milestone planning
Estimating Effort and Cost
Top-down modelling techniques; bottom-up techniques, using the WBS
Resources
Assigning resources to tasks; converting estimates of effort into durations; availability; multiple resources;
communicating via Matrices; types of resource cost
Scheduling
Establishing dependencies; Critical Path Analysis; types of precedence relationships; precedence networks; the Gantt
Chart; creating baselines; cost curves
Project Control
Measuring progress; variances; managing issues and requests for change; reporting and presenting progress
information
Earned Value Management
Specific techniques for controlling cost, and forecasting potential outcomes
Project Closure
Scope verification; administrative closeout; filing; archiving; dealing with outstanding issues
Exercises
There are a series of exercises on this course, to illustrate the main learning points. These exercises are based on one
case-study scenario, which progresses through all of the project lifecycle, enabling delegates to apply all of the techniques at the appropriate times.
Administration, Objectives; the project lifecycle, and the planning cycle; inputs to the planning process; the TCQ triangle
Establishing the Task List
A reminder of work breakdown structures and their uses; definition of ‘milestone’; milestone planning
Estimating Effort and Cost
Top-down modelling techniques; bottom-up techniques, using the WBS
Resources
Assigning resources to tasks; converting estimates of effort into durations; availability; multiple resources;
communicating via Matrices; types of resource cost
Scheduling
Establishing dependencies; Critical Path Analysis; types of precedence relationships; precedence networks; the Gantt
Chart; creating baselines; cost curves
Project Control
Measuring progress; variances; managing issues and requests for change; reporting and presenting progress
information
Earned Value Management
Specific techniques for controlling cost, and forecasting potential outcomes
Project Closure
Scope verification; administrative closeout; filing; archiving; dealing with outstanding issues
Exercises
There are a series of exercises on this course, to illustrate the main learning points. These exercises are based on one
case-study scenario, which progresses through all of the project lifecycle, enabling delegates to apply all of the techniques at the appropriate times.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for project managers who must bring about a successful outcome in an uncertain and changing business and technical environment.
Pre-requisites
None.
Further information
This course is designed to focus only on the detailed scheduling and cost control aspects of managing projects. Attendees will be issued with a detailed certificate valid for 22 PDU’s (Professional Development Units) required to achieve PMI® (Project Management Institute®) certification.