Overview/Description
Imagine trying to control the unexpected and unpredictable through processes in such a way that you meet the cost, quality, and time expectations of all invested parties in order to accomplish a temporary endeavor. This is the mission of project management. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No.
All industries employ project managers to implement processes as a way to control business. In fact, the field of project management is rapidly expanding, as more companies become project-based organizations. However, not all organizations and industries manage projects well. Some continue to waste time, money, and resources even after establishing procedures and protocols. A 1995 Standish Group survey showed that only 16 percent of software development projects finished on time and under budget, 31 percent were canceled, and the remaining 53 percent overran by an average of 189 percent on cost and 222 percent on schedule. This predicament is a source of frustration for many organizations. It's not impossible to fulfill the mission of project management. Some companies are even good at it. With standards and best practices to follow and the know-how to incorporate these, organizations can offer "world class" project management.
In this course, learners will be given an overview of the project management discipline. They'll be introduced to best practices outlined in the 2004 revised Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) Guide published by the Project Management Institute (PMI®). Specifically, learners will be introduced to the characteristics of a project, learn to distinguish between projects and operations, and define progressive elaboration. They'll identify key project management concepts and terms, be introduced to the PMBOK® Knowledge Areas, and be given information about the variables that can influence project outcomes. This course provides a foundational knowledge base reflecting the most up-to-date project management information so learners can effectively put principles to work at their own organizations. This course will assist in preparing the learner for the PMBOK® certification exam.
This course is aligned with "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBOK® Guide) - Third Edition, published by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Inc., 2004. Copyright and all rights reserved. Material from this publication has been reproduced with the permission of PMI®.