Course description

Understanding a project's schedule requirements and the time-phasing of project tasks is the backbone of effective project management. This course, compliant with the Project Management Institute’s (PMI’s®) current Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) focuses on the importance of developing an accurate, enforceable project schedule.

Who should attend

This course is primarily designed for project managers, team leaders, and professionals who need in-depth knowledge of how to adequately develop a schedule in today's competitive environment. Individuals taking this course should have at least two years of experience working on project teams.

What you will achieve

• The ability to identify the schedule requirements of any project
• The ability to develop an accurate project schedule that accounts for all project activities, resources needed to complete project activities, and availability of the resources
• The confidence to evaluate and communicate project trade-offs clearly to project sponsors, and the ability to forecast whether a project can be delivered on time and within budget

What you will learn

• How to decompose WBS work packages into activities
• How to sequence activities
• How to estimate resource requirements for project activities
• How to construct a project schedule network diagram using precedence diagramming method (PDM)
• How to estimate durations for project activities
• How to perform project schedule calculations
• How to identify the critical path
• How to resolve conflict due to over allocated resources
• How to use critical chain method to modify the schedule to account for limited resources
• How to analyze the schedule for possible compression
• How to understand the relationship between risk and schedule, including how to use schedule contingency

Features of CEG eLearning:

Course content is broken down into Modules and Topics. Participants explore the content using a variety of interactive methods, including:

• roll-overs which uncover more detailed information on particular terms
• pop-ups which allow participants to explore diagrams, templates, and processes in more depth
• an avatar, or animated mentor, who offers additional content that expands the topics on selected pages
• knowledge checks that give participants a chance to review important points
• practice exercises that present challenges and opportunities using a case study (Participants practice applying the content learned using real-world tools and techniques to solve the case study problems.)
• graded quizzes identify topics participants have mastered and those they might need to study more
• a graded final exam validates the knowledge gained and skills mastered for the time committed

In addition to individual interactivity, CEG also offers a learning community and social learning tools that allow participants to share with each other and gain a broader understanding from a variety of perspectives. Participants can take advantage of lively discussion boards and instructor-led chat sessions.

Course Outline

1. Module 1: Introduction to Project Time Management
1. Topics
1. Overview of Project Time Management
2. The Project Schedule
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
4. Practice Exercise
5. Quiz
2. Module 2: Define Activities
1. Topics
1. Overview of the Define Activities Process
2. Inputs to the Define Activities Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Define Activities Process
4. Outputs from the Define Activities Process
2. Reading Assignment , PMBOK® Guide
3. Practice Exercise
4. Quiz
3. Module 3: Sequence Activities
1. Topics
1. Overview of the Sequence Activities Process
2. Inputs to the Sequence Activities Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Sequence Activities Process
4. Outputs from the Sequence Activities Process
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
3. Practice Exercise
4. Quiz
4. Module 4: Estimate Activity Resources
1. Topics
1. Overview of the Estimate Activity Resources Process
2. Inputs to the Estimate Activity Resources Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Estimate Activity Resources Process
4. Outputs from the Estimate Activity Resources Process
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
3. Practice Exercise
4. Quiz
5. Module 5: Estimate Activity Durations
1. Topics
1. Overview of the Estimate Activity Durations Process
2. Inputs to the Estimate Activity Durations Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Estimate Activity Durations Process
4. Outputs from the Estimate Activity Durations Process
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
3. Practice Exercise
4. Quiz
6. Module 6: Develop Schedule
1. Topics
1. Overview of the Develop Schedule Process
2. Inputs to the Develop Schedule Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Develop Schedule Process
4. Outputs from the Develop Schedule Process
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
3. Practice Exercises
4. Quiz
7. Module 7: Control Schedule
1. Topics
1. Overview of Control Schedule Process
2. Inputs to the Control Schedule Process
3. Tools and Techniques for the Control Schedule Process
4. Outputs from the Control Schedule Process
2. Reading Assignment, PMBOK® Guide
4. Practice Exercise
5. Quiz
8. Final Exam