Managing Projects Well 

Day 1

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

Sub-Topics/Activities

Morning (or day 1 evening)

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

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

Sub-Topics/Activities

Morning

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

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

Sub-Topics/Activities

Morning

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

Right brain techniques to identify project elements

Brainstorming, Brain writing, Wiggle charts (exercises)

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

Day 5

Sub-Topics/Activities

Morning

Effective staffing and work: task significance, skill variety, task identity, responsibility, and feedback (Herzberg model); how to make project work interesting for your subordinates.

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