Information Systems Project Management — A 5-Day Course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Synopsis

To be successful, project managers must consider the processes and people issues, as well as being able to plan and control tasks. There are special problems associated with managing project teams and communicating effectively with all those involved with the project. This course addresses all these key aspects of project management. Training methods used include presentations, discussions, video films, exercises and extensive casework.

The course contains a significant amount of evening work in order to provide maximum practical experience.

Course Objectives

After completing this course the student will be able to:

• Clearly understand and utilise the skills required to manage information systems projects successfully
• Identify their role and responsibilities as Project Managers
• Define a firm foundation for project success
• Produce a project cost justification
• Consider various development approaches, eg. package software and Rapid Development
• Manage project risk
• Use planning and control techniques to manage projects in a multi-project environment
• Use a model of role behaviour in working groups to analyse individual roles and improve group effectiveness
• Understand the particular problems of managing project teams
• Produce plans to reduce the impact of change on the customer's organisation and improve the chances of successful implementation

Intended Audience

This Information Systems Project Management Course is designed for Project managers, project leaders, team leaders and other staff with responsibility for information systems projects.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have experience of:

The basic techniques of project planning and control or to have attended either, Project Planning and Control using Microsoft Project or Project Management Techniques.

Residential courses

This course is available with a residential option of 4 nights accommodation for an extra £480 on top of the course fee - £2275 in total.

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Outline Course Contents

Managing projects

• The project management life-cycle
• Project work structure
• Project management roles and responsibilities

Strategy and objectives

• The relationship between project goals and objectives and business aims
• Scoping the project
• Prioritising projects

Project initiation and justification

• Project definition
• IS Development options including package software and Rapid Development
• Project justification and cost/benefit analysis

Risk management

• Identification of risk to the project
• Analysis of risk
• Actions to reduce risk
• Monitoring and controlling risk

Project planning

• Products, activities and dependencies
• Estimating effort and duration
• Contingency allowances
• Project costing
• Management decision points
• Team skills management

Understanding teams

• Team role specifications
• Improving team performance
• Project control

Quality in a project environment

• Change control and configuration management
• Progress and cost control
• Managing issues
• Taking corrective action
• Managing project teams

The project team and matrix management

• Management style and communication
• Motivation
• Managing change

Reaction to change

• Dealing with resistance
• Implementing change successfully
• Project completion and review

Successful completion and handover

• Learning from experience
• The post-implementation review