Managing Projects Well

What they don't teach you about how to lead in Project Management school

Day 1	General Topic	Sub-Topics/Activities
Morning		Introductions and seminar orientation
	Definitions of Concepts	Definitions of concepts and project management principles
		What is a project? Thorough definitions, examples, what a project is and is not. Includes humorous examples and cartoons.
		Concepts of planning, organizing, and controlling Behavioral elements introduction Limits of tools, how to deal with things when things go wrong
		Manager and employee role Planning, organizing, delegating, leading, and controlling. Employee role of team player, exception reporting, estimating, anticipating, and walking in the other's shoes.
		QUALITY TOPICS
		1. Class exercise of moments of magic and misery in project quality, video example, sharing and presentations, analysis of outcomes (ownership based).
		2. Conflicts of scope, schedule, resources, and quality with self-discovery exercise.
		3. Definitions of a high quality project: why quality is free
		4. Cost of quality tutorial
		In-depth quality video and discussion
Lunch
Afternoon		QUALITY TOPICS (See above, continued)
	Planning, Est., & Control	Project technical areas

Scheduling: principles of a network diagram; terms, CPM, PERT, GANTT

Computation of early, late start; slack time; dummy tasks

Comprehensive scheduling example

Resource management, substitutions, and intentional delays of paths to save resources and money

How to estimate when the estimate and budget is done for you

"Crashing" a project at modest expense to address market needs and savings

Class exercise in computing a schedule

Tools and tool comparisons, Project controls and reporting

Day 2	General Topic	Sub-Topics/Activities
Morning (or day 1 evening)	Planning, Est., & Control	Project technical areas (See above, continued.)
		1. Work breakdown structures: levels of depth, assuring no items are missing, worksheets
		2. Estimating: estimating methodology, both raw and detailed; normalizing estimates among team members; who estimates; estimating worksheets, estimating exceptions and interruptions
		3. Written project plans
		4. Matrix and functional organizations
		5. Working with contractors
		6. Planning worksheets and special estimating tools
		7. Project controls
		8. Project risk

		9. Comprehensive case study example
		10. Case study exercise
	Managing Yourself	Time management appropriate to projects: strengths and needs - self assessment of levels of stress one signs up for and what to change about it
Lunch
Afternoon		Discussion and checklist of time wasters, concepts of time logging, when and where to use it. Typical time wasters - class brainstorming Urgency vs. importance linked to COQ model NLP Swish and Behavior Generator techniques to self-eradicate bad habits An in-depth structured "planning your day" technique that is anti-stress, even in difficult projects General planning of your day: Multi project interaction and non-project time Goals, opportunities, resources, activities, time table, and evaluation

Day 3	General Topic	Sub-Topics/Activities
Morning	Managing Yourself	Dynamics of change: The Numbers Game; a humorous change exercise, discussion of difficulties and methods of achieving change.
		Ideal, real, and expected self exercise: a comprehensive permanent self-assessment; what others get from your conversations; utilizing teams as a resource while respecting confidentiality.
		Stress management appropriate to projects: two preventative techniques: getting the monkey off your back (how to not take on too much), thinking you’ve done your best, and trying to controlling what you cannot or should not control.
		Two short corrective techniques for stress reduction: progressive relaxation comprehensive demo and discussion; and visualization
Lunch

Afternoon	Managing Others and Peers	One on one dynamics: building rapport discussion, team exercises, and review using message / metamessage comparison (NLP)
		Filter categories, significant others, and communication styles: how to present and match and communicate with your boss.
		Written communication: how to be clear using fog index, active verbs, non-nounal clauses, including demonstrations
		Working with groups: using patience and metaphors. Metaphor exercises, team exercises, videos, and critique

Day 4	General Topic	Sub-Topics/Activities
Morning	Managing Others and Peers	Working with groups: Using patience and metaphors. Metaphor exercises, team exercises, videos, and critique (See above - continued.)
		Constructive and destructive team dynamics and dysfunctional behaviors, recognition, and antidotes, including interaction
		Effective meetings and presentations, meeting video, brainstorming
		8-step small group problem solving process
		Handling criticism: feedback vs. criticism; how to "jump out of your skin" and not take it personally - an NLP technique; pattern interrupts; get curious, not furious
Lunch
Afternoon	Real World Techniques	Project requirements gathering: ambiguity classes, tests, and heuristics with demo Alternatives to closed-ended, direct questions Reducing vagueness using the Meta Model - an NLP technique

	Managing Others and Peers	Effective staffing and work: task significance, skill variety, task identity, responsibility, and feedback (Herzberg model); how to make project work interesting for your subordinates.
	Real World Techniques	Re-entry How to prepare others for your new approaches
		Agency action plans, using the Weblog
		Seminar summary and graduation
		Conclusion of Managing Projects Well