This course will give you an understanding of key actions, regardless of methodology, that make the difference between success and failure. It isn’t usual to find information on activities that enhance methodologies in introductory courses.

The objective of project management is to deliver projects that meet the critical success factors to an agreed budget and timescale. When you complete this course, you will have the knowledge to accomplish this. 

The standard topics typically found in introduction to project management courses include:

• The role of a project manager.
• The skills and characteristics you need to be a successful project manager.
• A career as a project manager.
• How to plan projects.
• Budget management.
• Dependencies and constraints.
• Risk management.
• How to manage testing activities.
• Cutover planning and management.

To enhance your learning, it’s important that insights and examples from projects and programmes bring these topics to life. 

In addition to the standard topics above, you will gain invaluable insights that are the key to delivering successful projects. At the end of the course you will have the knowledge to:

• Prepare documentation, including the project initiation document, the project plan, the dress rehearsal document and the cutover runbook.
• View projects holistically and add additional activities as required to ensure successful delivery.
• Complete the project initiation phase professionally.
• Understand estimating principles and the reasons so many projects encounter issues with this.
• Reflect realistic resource information in your plans.
• Be able to agree on critical success factors with stakeholders and understand how to report progress. 
• Be able to plan and manage small-scale IT projects. (Support from a senior project manager may be required according to the complexity of the project.)
• Proactively manage risks using a simple, but effective, tool. 
• Manage the project budget.
• Manage data quality activities.
• Understand the importance of quality assurance and how to include this activity in your project plans.
• Be able to plan and run dress rehearsals. (Along with professional project initiation, dress rehearsals are the most critical activity for ensuring a successful project.)
• Manage and communicate with stakeholders.
• Prepare Go/No Go documentation and manage the Go/No Go meetings.
• Manage cutover to BAU.
• Handover to post-go-live support.

The Pathway IT Introduction to Project Management™ course offers an essential introduction to project management, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, and stakeholder communication. Real-world projects and case studies provide practical experience. By the end, you'll have a strong grasp of project management principles, preparing you for career advancement.

This is available as a self-study course or instructor-led. (Half-day on Fridays at Milton Keynes or at your office.)