In a recent blog we looked at an introduction to project management and at the Off Peak Training approach to studying for the Project Management Institute’s exam.
Today we’re going to go into this a little bit deeper and look at what is project management. This forms section B02 of our 35 hour online PMP training course. This course is specifically designed to help trainees go through the processes leading up to sitting the PMI’s PMP exam.
Module B02 looks into what is a project and defines the criterion which need to be met under the PMI guidelines. A project is a temporary endeavor to create a unique deliverable. Using the term “temporary endeavor” means a project is planned with an end and, more importantly – an end date – in mind.
Since each deliverable is unique, each project is also unique, even those which deal with a similar proposal, which means each requires a unique approach in overall management style. Projects are chosen to help an organization fulfill its key strategic objectives.
In our module we look at how to distinguish between projects which are temporary and unique, and those which are continuous operations with repeat actions. If we use the creation of a new online training course as our project, we can go through the steps required in setting it up as our example of what determines a unique project over a continual deliverable.
All the planning, effort and control involved in creating the new course is considered a project. Once that is complete, our new training course (or a product or other deliverable) can be considered complete. The project lifecycle has now ended but the project may now have entered a new lifecycle which may not have a specified end date and will require maintenance as part of that.
Creating the course may be considered a project while maintaining the course once delivered is considered ongoing operations. As this module focuses on project management and not operations management, now is a good time to differentiate between the two.
* Words like create, develop, implement all suggest project management as all will conclude with a unique deliverable.
* Words like support or maintain or ongoing all suggest operations-orientated work, since the task can be followed without a predictable ending.
Also included in the module is an explanation of how to manage a project, including details on the limitations which must be balanced to successfully complete it. These are commonly referred to as the triple-constraint of project management – project scope, time and cost.
The module also explains how to understand these constraints and how to effectively manage them to bring a project to completion and gives the trainee project manager the tools to work out which of the three constraints is most important to each individual project.
Off Peak Training offers a wide range of flexible delivery methods, including on-site training, weekday and weekend training, as well as a full suite of web based, self-paced training.
Our course helps professionals acquire and strengthen technical skills and expertise necessary to prepare students for their exams. It includes:
* 35 hours of project management training to ready you for the PMP exam
* Presentation videos, quizzes and interactive lessons
* Colorful course materials to make learning the 47 project management process easy and logical
* 3 full mock exams to ensure the student is fully prepared for the real one
* Unlimited 24/7 access to Off Peak Training online
* A flexible method of both learning and of payment
It costs $29 per month and can be paid for as and when you choose to study. There is no huge up-front cost to register for the whole 35 hours at once, you can pay monthly as and when it is convenient and cancel at any time.