Mastering the practical skills and techniques every project manager needs to achieve organizational synergy and improved performance

From planning, scheduling and controlling IS/IT projects...to managing critical interfaces with users and vendors...to maintenance...you'll discover solutions

Discover how to optimize IT development and delivery processes to bring projects online more effectively, timely and on budget.

Who should attend: New and experienced Managers

• Directors of IT

• Managers of IT

• Project Managers

• Team Leaders

• Programmers / Analysts

• Systems Analysts

• Project office staff

Objectives

• Learn proven scheduling techniques to maintain control of your projects

• Timely delivery of quality systems

• Plan for the unexpected

• Budget more effectively

• Manage to minimize conflict

• Assess PM software tools

Course Outline

Criteria of a Well-Defined IT Project

Defining Scope

·    Prioritize using "gap analysis"

·    Time-cost-scope tradeoffs

Project Leadership

·    The PM as an effective communicator, motivator and problem solver

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

·    WBS: from high-level strategy to detailed work packages

·       Matching project objectives and methods

Project Scheduling: Network Logic and Dependency Analysis

·       Network diagram, precedence diagram, arrow diagram

·       Defining the project's critical path, free float and total float

Estimating Uncertainty in IT Projects

·       Creating realistic estimates

The Integrated Project Plan

·       Gantt Chart, network diagram or spreadsheet?

·       Project cost or budget plan?

·       Project management software examples

Project Control and Reporting

·       Five sources of change to project scope

·       How to conduct a net impact assessment

·       Reporting project status and formats

Accomplishing Project Closure