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Project Consultancy

The aim of the consultancy is to help clients to carry forward the lessons from the training course through into the work place, taking into consideration the organisation’s business, structure and culture. The following examples are typical of what we have provided:

The Project Management Training

This course offers a structured methodology, and the generic skills required to plan and control a project A high proportion of the time will be spent in practical work, both individual and in teams.

Course Content

Session 1: Introduction
The course begins with introductions by delegates and tutor, followed by some administrative details and a short course overview.

Session 2: Project Environment
The definition and attributes of Projects in general are discussed, together with issues arising from project lifecycle. Organisational structures for projects are explored in the context of a functionally based parent organisation. The roles and responsibilities of the Project Manager, and other individuals and groups are discussed, both in a general sense and also with reference the clients own situation.

Session 3: Launching the Project
The seeds of failure are often sown at an early stage of the project. The session offers a simple but effective process which defines, to the satisfaction of the Organisation, Project Team and Stakeholders, all the criteria needed to achieve a prompt and committed start.

Session 4: Structuring the Project
Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) represent graphically all the tasks to be achieved and outcomes to be delivered. They are introduced, and their development demonstrated. The WBS is elaborated until individual Work Packages are identified. This is the level at which the work is defined, scheduled, estimated and performed. These are then defined and planned in a structured format.
Practical Exercise: Delegates work in teams to develop a WBS.

Session 5: Scheduling the Project
This session introduces the concept of dependencies between tasks, the development of a PERT network and the use of milestones, lag/lead, float, critical and sub-critical paths. Delegates work on a case study and calculate overall project schedule, and how to use these plans to manage the project rather than to follow them unquestioningly. The role of Project Management Software is discussed.
Practical Exercise: From the Case Study briefing notes, delegates work individually to develop Schedule in PERT Network and Gantt chart format.

Session 6: Monitoring and Controlling the Project
Why we need to measure progress and how this is done. Delegates are introduced to a basic monitoring cycle, and a two stage process for reviewing and solving problems.
Practical Exercise: Teams identify the Key Performance Indicators on which the health of the project is assessed, and suggest suitable formats for representing report data in diagrammatic form.

Session 7: The Project Team Leadership
This is a varied session focussing on the project manager's role, both within the core team as leader, and externally as figurehead and point of contact. Belbin Types discussed as a way identifying suitable people for key roles. The strategic focus of the Project Manager is explained and represented as a six way matrix. The management of project Stakeholders is covered and a useful support tool for tracking this is introduced.
Practical Exercise: Delegates work in teams to identify and manage the stakeholders of a real project selected by the client.

Session 8: Risk Management
Delegates are led through the process of how to identify, assess and deal with risk, using a simple but effective Risk Management Process model. Risk reduction, contingency plans, clumps, cascades and secondary risks are covered together with the development of a Risk Register.
Practical Exercise: Delegates work in teams on the projects used in the previous session, to practice each stage of the Risk Management process.

Session 9: Course Closure and Evaluation
A course de-brief and feedback session, allowing delegates to generate action plans, comment on the 2 days and highlight areas of particular value.

This 2 day course is suitable for professional staff at intermediate and senior levels involved in managing projects. It will also be appropriate for those who will be structuring a project organisation and directing one or more initiatives on behalf of the parent business. It provides the basic skills and techniques to enable delegates take part in a project, or be Project Manager. It is also compatible with most ''off the shelf'' project methodologies such as PRINCE.

The course is hard work but constructive and enjoyable. On completion, each delegate is given a CD ROM Project Manual containing notes of each session covered, amounting to some 120 pages of text and diagrams.