Project Management Fundamentals

Describe common project management approaches

Define project life cycle

Describe the key characteristics of a predictive approach

Describe the key characteristics of an adaptive approach

Describe the key characteristics of a hybrid approach

Compare and contrast predictive, adaptive, and hybrid approaches

Describe the role of ethics in project management

Describe project management ethics

Given a project scenario involving an ethical dilemma, identify an ethical solution

Identify basic leadership skills

Describe the role of motivation in leading others

Describe the role of listening in leadership

Identify basic conflict management strategies (withdraw/avoid, smoothing/ accommodating, compromise/reconcile, force/direct, collaborate/problem-solve)

Describe project communications

Describe the elements of effective communication

Given a scenario, identify an appropriate communication method to use

Describe the components of a status update

Starting the Project

Describe a project charter

Describe the purpose of a project charter

Describe the elements of a project charter (project purpose, objectives, milestones)

Differentiate between various stakeholder roles and responsibilities

Identify stakeholder roles and responsibilities in a project (sponsors, vendors, project manager, team members, managers, customers)

Explain the concept of authority, responsibility, and decision making

Explain the concept of authority, responsibility, and decision making

Planning the work

Describe the purpose of the project management plan

Describe the purpose of various components of a project management plan (budget, risk, schedule, scope)

Describe the interdependency of scope, schedule, and budget

Describe the concept of project scope

Define common terminology related to scope (scope statement, in scope, out of scope)

Describe the concept of a work breakdown structure (WBS)

Describe the concept of project scheduling

Define common terminology related to schedules (deliverables, tasks, dependencies, start and end dates)

Explain the impact of resource availability on schedules

Describe the concept of project budget

Define common terminology related to budgets (procurement, vendor, contracts)

Describe methods for budget development (historical comparison, bottom-up)

Completing the work

Monitor project scope, schedule, and budget

Describe the effects of unplanned changes to scope (scope creep, gold plating)

Explain why schedules are tracked

Explain why budgets are tracked

Given a scenario, determine steps to resolve variances in scope, schedule, or budget

Describe the concept of quality in project work

Describe the role of quality assurance in project development

Identify an appropriate response to quality issues

Describe the change management process

Explain the purpose of a change management process

Describe the basic steps in a change management process

Ending the project

Verify project completion

Explain the purpose of closing all contracts

Explain the purpose of project sponsor signoff

Describe project closing activities related to documentation

Explain the purpose of archiving project documents and processes

Describe the benefits of documenting lessons learned