Project Management Certification

Getting Started
PM: the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and technique to meet the project
requirements and archive the desired outcome.
- Fundamentals
- Goals, objectives, deliverables
- Risk Management
- Team dynamics
- Methodologies (agile, scrum, waterfall)
- Data-driven decision making

Project plans & timelines

Budget management
People

Tools:
- Kanban
- Asana

Course 1: What is Project Management?

Project: series of tasks that need to be completed to reach desired outcome.
- unique endeavor including sets of unique deliverables
- temporary pursuit > defining beginning and an end

Desired outcome: collaboration and careful planning that keeps the project on track and on
budget.

WHAT is project management?

- PM: the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and technique to meet the project
requirements and archive the desired outcome.

WHY is project management?

- Valuable to business because it helps to ensure that project delivers the expected
outcomes.
HOW is project management is projected to sucess?
- Carefully planned out the tasks and tracked or managed
Examples:
- Organize: organize training session to the faculty to get them better acquainted with
tech, policies, and procedures.
- Budget: Techs/equipment needed to facilitate
- Maintain strong communication to stakeholders

What does a project manager do?

- Planning and organizing
o Gathering requirements from teammates or customers (what exactly project’s
trying to accomplish) > kickoff meeting or send a survey.
o Creating project plans
 Set the tone of the project
 Keeps on pace and alligned
 Helps move tasks along
- Managing task
o Manage task for the team
o Communicates key milestones
- Budgeting and controlling cost and other factors

 Make sure the prohect can be completed on time and on budget

 Bringing value in company, such as
o Creating new services for customers
o Modifying old services

From certificate to career success

Industries:
- Manufacturing and construction
- Information services & publishing
- Management and professional services
- Finance and insurance
- Utilities
 - Oil and gas

 Operation/project/program assistant/manager/coordinator

Project management job categories and common roles

Introductory-level project management roles
- Junior Project Manager: Performs all aspects of being a project manager alongside a
more experienced professional.
- Project Administrator: Assists the rest of the project team with administrative tasks.
- Project/Program Assistant: Supports team members working on a project and offers
administrative support. May perform research or create training documents along with
other jobs as assigned by program leaders.
- Project/Program Coordinator: Participates in hands-on project work and
administrative tasks. Works under a project manager to make sure projects are
completed on time and within budget.
- Project Support Specialist: Works alongside a project manager and team members to
oversee assigned projects. May also be responsible for training and developing
employees to perform designated tasks.

Traditional project management roles

Once you have gained some experience in introductory-level positions, you can explore
traditional project management roles, such as:
- Project Manager: Responsible for the initiating, planning, executing, monitoring,
and closing of a project. Includes industry-specific titles like IT project manager,
construction project manager, or engineering project manager, which utilize skills that
are transferable among industries.
- Project Analyst: Moves a project along by sharing information, providing support
through data analysis, and contributing to strategy and performance.
- Project Leader/Director: Drives core decision-making and sets the direction for the
project. Usually knowledgeable about the product or deliverable.
- Project Controller: Primarily responsible for project planning. You are likely to see
this job title in industries like engineering and construction.
- Technical Project Manager: Conducts project planning and management for
identified goals within a company. Ensures that projects are completed to the
requirements within a defined time frame and budget.
- Project Management Office (PMO) Analyst: Manages the progress of complex
projects to ensure timely execution and completion.

Program and portfolio management roles

- Program managers: Manage a group of projects that are related or similar to one
another and handle the coordination of these projects. They facilitate effective
 communication between individual project managers and provide support where
necessary. They also help create and manage long-term goals for their organization.
- Portfolio managers: Responsible for managing a group of related programs
within the same organization. They coordinate various programs in order to ensure
they are on track and that the organization is meeting its strategic initiatives. Portfolio
managers look at all projects and programs within the organization and prioritize
work as necessary.
Operational management roles
- Operations Analyst: Manages and coordinates research, investigates workflows,
creates business procedures, and recommends changes to improve the project and
company.
- Operations Manager: Oversees strategic decision-making and rolls out plans of
action based on financial, schedule, and resource reporting.
- Chief Operating Officer: Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative
and operational functions of a business.

Agile roles
- Scrum Master: Coordinates and guides the Scrum team. Knowledgeable in Agile
framework and Scrum and is able to teach others about the Scrum values and
principles. May also be listed as a Technical Program Manager or Technical Project
Manager.
- Product Owner: Drives the direction of product development and progress.

Exploring how a project manager adds value

The value of a project manager
Project managers: shepherd projects from start to finish and serve as guides for their team,
using their impeccable organizational and interpersonal skills every step of the way.
Add value to:
- Prioritization
o Break down large tasks into smaller steps
 - Delegation
o Matching task with individuals (right task on the right skills)
- Effective communication
o Transparent
o Keeping regular contact about progress (inside/outside the team)
o Help to identify areas where teammates need support

How project managers impact organizations

- Focusing on the customer
o Asking the customer questions
 Problem to solve
 Problem impact
 Desired outcome
- Building a great team
o Consider the skills needed for the project
- Fostering relationships and communication
o Set the tone
o Build relationship
- Managing the project
- Breaking down barriers
o Allow team to innovate
o Empower to share ideas
o Collaboration

Learning more about project manager roles and responsibilities

Key project manager roles and responsibilities
Responsibilities
- Planning and organizing
o Making use of productivity tools and creating procceses
o Create plans, timelines, schedules, and other forms of documentation to
track the project completion
- Budgeting and controlling costs
o Monitor and manage the budget
o Track issues and risks
o Manage quality
o Remove unforeseen barriers
- Managing tasks

Responsibilities that utilize interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills are the behaviors you use to interact with others, such as
communication, active listening, and leadership.
Teaching and Mentoring:
Project managers act as mentors, explaining expectations to avoid rework and confusion.
Sharing learned lessons helps the team make better choices and grow. Mentoring involves
supporting team members, helping them exceed personal potential.

Building Relationships:
Developing relationships with team members and stakeholders shows care beyond work
roles. Building rapport with customers, clients, and vendors is crucial. Understanding their
work style and personal lives fosters effective interaction and investment in project
success.

Controlling Change:
Projects evolve with stakeholder needs. Project managers must adapt while protecting the
team from constant change. Documenting initial expectations, clarifying changes, and
assessing budget/schedule impacts helps manage change effectively.

Empowering Your Team:

Empowering teams by trusting their skills and involving them in stakeholder interactions
fosters fresh ideas and passionate problem solvers. Delegating responsibilities and
incorporating team input into planning and execution lead to empowered teams.

Communicating Status and Concerns:

Effective communication is pivotal for project managers. Maintaining open
communication, building trust, and staying positive set the project's tone. Collaboration
with the team to find solutions is enhanced through transparent communication.

Working with cross-functional teams

Clarify Goals: Ensure team members understand roles, mutual support, and project
objectives. Clearly define goals, including budget, deadlines, and quality standards.
Encourage questions and maintain regular check-ins to ensure progress, alignment, and
quality work despite variations in departments and locations.

Get team members with the right skills: Form a balanced cross-functional team by
matching skills to project functions. Having the right skill sets is essential for success. Project
managers play a role in ensuring the team possesses the required expertise, and tools can aid
in identifying necessary skills.

Measure Progress: Maintain team motivation by measuring and communicating project

progress. Utilize various metrics like milestones, task completion, and meeting goals on
time and within budget. Regular communication with team members to assess progress and
offer support for any delays is crucial. Keep a record of achievements, setbacks, and updates
to ensure transparency and success.

Recognoze efforts: In cross-functional teams, diverse skills might receive unequal

recognition. Project managers must ensure every team member's efforts are valued. Building
relationships, providing support, and understanding individual differences fosters teamwork
and minimizes disparities among team members. Recognizing all contributions is vital
for team cohesion.
Acquiring the core skills of a successful project manager
The core skills of a project manager
Enabling decision making
o Provide relevan data and feedback
o Help team members feel empowered from the start of your project by making
the decision-making process collaborative
Communicating and escalating
Flexibility
o Flexible planning
 Assess external constraints. When planning your project, take
external events into account, such as national holidays and team
member vacations and sick leave. Leaving extra time in the schedule
for these inevitable events up front can help minimize the impact to
your project.
 Plan for risks and challenges. If you consider the risks that may
occur, you may be able to find solutions for them in advance. For
example, what if someone on your team gets sick or decides to quit?
Are you able to replace them within the company? If not, can you hire
an independent contractor? Come up with a list of people who may be
able to join your team if one of your team members becomes
unavailable. You can also assess risks by looking at historical data.
Review your past projects and examine the challenges you faced. Then
evaluate if similar challenges could occur in this project and prepare
accordingly. We will discuss risk management at length later in this
program.
 Calculate “float” in your schedule. Float, or slack, refers to the
amount of time you can wait to begin a task before it impacts the
project schedule and threatens the project outcome. Identifying float in
your schedule can help with resource management, scheduling, and
keeping your project on track. You will learn more about calculating
float in a later course, when we discuss creating a critical path for your
project tasks.
o Handling ambiguity
 Keep calm. In uncertain times, handling ambiguity with grace and
poise will help inspire the members of your team to do the same.
 Express empathy. As a project manager, it is important to try to
understand what your team is thinking and feeling, especially during
times of ambiguity. Let your team members know that you care about
the challenges they are facing and are there to support them.
 Communicate what you know clearly. Define the aspects of the
project that are confirmed and will not change. This helps your team
get a better sense of what to expect, regardless of any aspects of the
project that are still unknown or changing.
 Make decisions and stick to them. Try not to second-guess your
decisions in front of your team since this can lead to greater
 uncertainty. If you need to change course, clearly explain why you
have chosen to do so to your team.
 Trust the expertise of your team. Increase clarity by having everyone
on your team discuss what they already know or believe to be true
about components of your project, such as what is involved in specific
tasks or resources needed, based on their areas of expertise. Then,
discuss what you still don’t know and brainstorm ways to gather more
information.
Strong organizational skills
o Organizational tools available, such as:
 Planning and scheduling software (templates, workflows, calendars)
 Collaboration tools (email, collaboration software, dashboards)
 Documentation (files, plans, spreadsheets)
 Quality assurance tools (evaluations, productivity trackers, reports)

Becoming familiar with industry knowledge

- Tools
- Templates
- Project management styles

Leadership and team dynamics

Influencing without authority. Guide teammates to complete their assigned work without
acting as their direct managers
Key interpersonal skills
- Communication
o Checking in with teammates to understand how they’re progressing on the
task
o Providing clear feedback on the quality of a teammate’s work
- Negotiation
o Compromise on a new deadline
- Conflict mediation
o Setting up meeting with teammates
- Understanding motivation
o Figuring out how to pushes them to do their best work
o Learning how teammates prefer to receive feedback
o How teammates like to receive recognition

Understanding the project life cycle

Exploring the phases of the project life cycle
Project life cycle
- Initiate the project
 o Define project goals and deliverables
o Identify the budget and resources
o People involved
o Etc.
- Make a plan
- Execute and complete tasks
o Monitor progress
o Keep team motivated
o Remove obstacles that might come up
- Close the project

Initiating and planning

Initiate the project
- Define project goals
o Reasearch
- Determine resources, people, and other project details
o Resources include: prople, equipment, software programs, vendors, physical
space or location, etc.
o Consider the resources > record on project proposal
- Get project approval
Make a plan (critical) (to reduce risks)
- Create a budget
- Set a schedule
- Establish your team
- Determine roles and responsibilities
- Plan for risk and change
o Scheduling delays
o Budget changes
o Technology and software requirements
o Legal issues
o QC
o Access to resources
- Establish communications to your team

Execute and closing

Executing and complete tasks
- Manage the progress
- Communicate
- Make adjustment
Closing
- Ensure all tasks have been completed
o Paid invoice
o Resources are returned and accounted for
o Project documentation has been submitted
- Confirm acceptance of the project outcome
- Reflect on lessons learned (retroscpective)
o retrospective is a chance to note best practices and learn how to manage your
project more effectively next time
- Communicate results with stakeholders
- Celebrate completing the project
- Move on from the project

Summary of the project phases

Project life cycle is the path for your project from start to finish

Initiate the project

- Who are the stakeholders?
- What is the client’s or customer’s goals?
- What is the purpose and mission of the project?
- What are the measurable objectives for the team?
- What is the project trying to improve?
- When does this project need to be completed?
- What skills and resources will the project require?
- What will the project cost? What are the benefits
Make a plan
- Create a detailed project plan. What are the major milestones? What tasks or
deliverables make up each milestone?
- Build out the schedule so you can properly manage the resources, budget, materials,
and timeline. Here, you will create an itemized budget.
Execute the project
- Monitor your project team as they complete project tasks.
- Break down any barriers that would slow or stop the team from completing tasks.
- Help keep the team aware of schedule and deliverable expectations.
 - Address weaknesses in your process or examine places where your team may need
additional training to meet the project’s goals.
- Adapt to changes in the project as they arise.
Close the project
- Identify that your team has completed all of the requested outcomes.
- Release your team so they can support other projects within the company.
- Take time with your team to celebrate your successes!
- Pass off all remaining deliverables and get stakeholder approval.
- Document the lessons you and your team learned during the project.
- Reflect on ways to improve in the future.

Introduction to project management methodologies

Project management methodology: a set of guiding principles and processes for owning a
project though its life cycle

2 types:
- Linear: previous phase or task has to be completed before the next can start
o Building a house
o Stick to the agreement
- Iterative: some of the phases and tasks will overlap or happen at the same time that
other tasks are being worked on. (flexibility and anticipate changes)

Waterfall and Agile

Waterfall
- Large amount of budget/limited budget
- One phase needs to be completed before next phase run
- Need risk management and practices

Agile
- Being able to move quickly and easily
- Willing to change and adapt
- Done in pieces
- Phases overlap and tasks are completed in iterations which in Scrum are called Sprints
o Scrum is form of agile
Waterfall Agile
Project manager's role Project manager serves as an Agile project manager (or Scrum
active leader by prioritizing and Master) acts primarily as a
assigning tasks to team members. facilitator, removing any barriers
 the team faces. Team shares more
responsibility in managing their
own work.  
Scope Project deliverables and plans are Planning happens in shorter
well-established and documented iterations and focuses on
in the early stages of initiating and delivering value quickly.
planning. Changes go through a Subsequent iterations are adjusted
formal change request process. in response to feedback or
unforeseen issues.
Schedule Follows a mostly linear path Time is organized into phases
through the initiating, planning, called Sprints. Each Sprint has a
executing, and closing phases of defined duration, with a set list of
the project.   deliverables planned at the start of
the Sprint.
Cost Costs are kept under control by Costs and schedule could change
careful estimation up front and with each iteration.
close monitoring throughout the
life cycle of the project.
Quality Project manager makes plans and Team solicits ongoing stakeholder
clearly defines criteria to measure input and user feedback by testing
quality at the beginning of the products in the field and regularly
project. implementing improvements.
Communication Project manager continually Team is customer-focused, with
communicates progress toward consistent communication
milestones and other key between users and the project
indicators to stakeholders, team.
ensuring that the project is on
track to meet the customer’s
expectations.
Stakeholders Project manager continually Team frequently provides
manages and monitors stakeholder deliverables to stakeholders
engagement to ensure the project throughout the project. Progress
is on track. toward milestones is dependent
upon stakeholder feedback.

Lean and Six Sigma

Lean principle is the removal of waste within an operation. By optimizing process steps and
eliminating waste, only value is added at each phase of production.
Types of waste are often attributed to issues such as:
- Lack of proper documentation
- Lack of process standards
- Not understanding the customers’ needs
- Lack of effective communication
- Lack of process control
- Inefficient process design
- Failures of management
Lean 5S quality tools:
1. Sort: Remove all items not needed for current production operations and leave only
the bare essentials.
2. Set in order: Arrange needed items so that they are easy to use. Label items so that
anyone can find them or put them away.
 3. Shine: Keep everything in the correct place. Clean your workspace every day.
4. Standardize: Perform the process in the same way every time.
5. Sustain: Make a habit of maintaining correct procedures and instill this discipline in
your team.
The Kanban scheduling system, or Kanban board, is a visualization tool that enables you to
optimize the flow of your team’s work. It gives the team a visual display to identify what
needs to be done and when. The Kanban board uses cards that are moved from left to right to
show progress and help your team coordinate the work.

Six Sigma is a methodology used to reduce variations by ensuring that quality processes
are followed every time.
The seven key principles of Six Sigma are:
1. Always focus on the customer.
2. Identify and understand how the work gets done. Understand how work really
happens.
3. Make your processes flow smoothly.
4. Reduce waste and concentrate on value.
5. Stop defects by removing variation.
6. Involve and collaborate with your team.
7. Approach improvement activity in a systematic way.
Common in project that have goals:
- Save money
- Improve quality
- Move quickly through process
- Team collaboration
- Positive work environment
5 phases on “lean six sigma” approach (process improvement)
1. Define
a. Similar to initiation phase
b. What to measure
2. Measure
a. Focus on data > company reports (weekly, monthly)
b. Locate the problem
c. What affected the problem
d. What to analyze
3. Analyze
a. Identify gaps and issues
b. Data analysis > strong understanding
c. What to improve
4. Improve
a. Present findings and making improvement
b. What to control
 5. Control
a. Learning from the work
b. Monitoring

Popular project management approaches

1. Waterfall is a traditional, linear methodology where tasks and phases progress
sequentially, with clear quality criteria defined at the project's outset, and the
project manager responsible for task assignment.
2. Agile is characterized by collaborative, iterative work with frequent testing and
improvements. It allows for concurrent phases and shared team responsibility, with
frameworks like Scrum and Kanban aligning with the Agile philosophy.
3. Scrum is an Agile framework focused on complex projects, emphasizing
collaboration, accountability, and iterative Sprints led by a Scrum Master and
executed by cross-functional teams.
4. Kanban, employed in both Agile and Lean approaches, uses visual tools like Kanban
boards to provide real-time feedback on work in progress, helping manage tasks by
categorizing them as "To do," "In progress," or "Done."
5. Lean aims to eliminate waste, improve quality, and streamline processes through
principles like 5S and a Kanban scheduling system, focusing on doing more with less.
6. Six Sigma focuses on reducing process variations by ensuring consistent quality
through the DMAIC approach: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.
7. Lean Six Sigma combines Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, ideal for cost-saving,
quality improvement, and complex problem-solving, incorporating 5S
organization, DMAIC, and Kanban boards to achieve these goals.

Organizational structure and culture

Organizational culture
The importance of organizational culture
1. Identity: Organizational culture defines a company's identity, encompassing its
business conduct both internally and externally. It aligns with the company's values
and can be likened to its personality. Understanding a company's mission and values
is crucial as they reveal why it exists and provide insight into its beliefs and
behavior.
2. People: A strong and positive organizational culture plays a vital role in retaining top
employees. When individuals feel valued, engaged, and challenged, they are more
likely to contribute their best efforts and strive for success. Such a culture not only
retains talent but also attracts exceptional individuals. Conversely, a toxic culture can
repel employees. To assess an organization's culture, interacting with current
employees and observing their attire, expressions, and behavior can be informative.
3. Processes: Organizational culture has a direct impact on a company's processes and,
subsequently, its productivity. This culture permeates the organization, influencing
how employees carry out their tasks. For instance, a company valuing feedback and
employee involvement will incorporate these principles into its processes, providing
 ample opportunities for employee input. This approach allows employees to feel
heard, aligning with the company's culture.

As a project manager, it's crucial to understand your company's culture, as it can

significantly impact how you approach and manage projects. Key cultural elements that
directly influence project management include communication, decision-making processes,
established rituals, historical management approaches, and core values. To gain insight into a
company's culture and its relevance to your role as a project manager, consider the following
steps:
1. Ask Questions
a. Atmosphere
b. Policies
c. Processes
d. Values
2. Listen to people’s stories
3. Take note of company rituals
4. Understand your impact
5. Sharpen your community skills

Change management
Change Management: the process of delivering your completed project and getting people
to adopt it.
- Ensure project completed successfully
A project manager’s role in change management
Ensure your project’s success by embracing changes as they come and by convincing the
wider audience, whether that is the end user or members of the organization, to embrace
changes, too. When you implement a careful approach to change management, you can
address issues that might occur in the later stages of your project.
Integrating project management and change management
As a project manager, you can think of change management as necessary for the successful
outcome of your project. Both change management and project management aim to increase
the likelihood of project success. They also incorporate tools and processes to accomplish
that goal. The most effective way to achieve a project goal is to integrate project management
and change management, and it is your responsibility as a project manager to do so.
- How will the organization react to change?
- Which influencers can affect change?
- What are the best means of communication?
- What change management practices will lead to the successful implementation of my
project?
 1. Be proactive. Proactive and inclusive change management planning can help keep any
potentially impacted stakeholders aware of the upcoming changes.
a. Incorporate change management into your project management steps. For
example, you can schedule time during team meetings or create a feedback
document to ensure that your team members know there is a place to voice
their suggestions and concerns.
b. You can also plan steps towards the end of your project to introduce the
deliverable to stakeholders in the form of demonstrations, question and answer
forums, or marketing videos. You can factor all of these decisions into your
plan so that any potential changes are less likely to impact your timeline. If
these steps have not been built into your plan, you can escalate and stress the
importance of a change management plan to your stakeholders.
2. Communicate about upcoming changes. Communication should occur regularly
among impacted stakeholders, the change management team, and the project team.
Check in and communicate throughout the project about how the changes will provide
a better experience for end users of the project deliverables. In this way, you support
the process by providing everyone with the information they need to feel prepared to
adjust to changes once the project is ready to launch. 

3. Follow a consistent process. Following a clear change management process helps

maintain consistency each time there is a change. The change management process
should be established and documented early on in your project to guide how the
project will handle change. Your organization may also have an overarching change
management plan that can be adopted for your project. This may include when the
promotion of the change should happen, when training should occur, when the launch
or release will occur, and corresponding steps for each phase of the process. 

4. Practice empathy. Changes are inevitable, but we are often resistant to them. By
being empathetic to the challenges and anxiety change can bring, you can support the
process in subtle ways. 

5. Use tools. Incorporating tools to assist in the adoption of a change can be very
helpful. Here are a few examples you can use on your next project:

a. Feedback mechanisms, such as surveys, can capture input from stakeholders.

b. Flowcharts can visualize the project's development process.
c. Culture mapping can illustrate the company's culture and how the company's
values, norms, and employees behavior may be affected by the change.

Corporate and project governance

Corporate governance
- Set of standards and practices that direct and control its actions.
- Framework by which an organization achieves its goals and objectives
- Way to balance the requirements of the various corporate entities, such as
stakeholders, management, and customers.
- Provides clearly defined roles and responsibilities during change
 - Enables the people within the organization to have a precise understanding of who
makes decisions and of the relationship between those managing and participating in
the change management process
Project governance
- Ensures that an organization’s projects are aligned to the organization’s larger
objectives, are delivered efficiently, and are sustainable
o Considering the long- and short-term interests of your organization
o Making thoughtful decisions about which projects to take on and avoiding
projects if you do not have sufficient resources
o Providing timely, relevant, and reliable information to the board of directors
and other major stakeholders
o Eliciting the input and buy-in of senior managers since they are the decision-
makers
o During the initiation phase, prioritizing clear, reachable, and sustainable goals
in order to reduce confusion and conflict
o During the planning phase, assigning ownership and accountability to an
experienced team to deliver, monitor, and control the process
o During the execution phase, learning from mistakes and adapting to new or
improved knowledge
1. Corporate governance can help support project governance, as it provides oversight
on compliance and mitigating risk and offers guidance and direction for project
managers
2. Good corporate governance can also help project managers secure resources, get
issues addressed, avoid delays in decision-making, get buy-in from stakeholders,
and achieve visibility for projects on the executive level.

How to uncover job opportunities

Understand your target role
- Minimum must-have requirements to skills that might help you stand out from the
crowd, you can begin by researching and analyzing job descriptions across different
organizations
Analyze job listings
Gather information from multiple job listings:
- Pull up ten job descriptions for your target role. Make sure the roles you select
come from different companies, share similar titles, and are roles you would actually
apply for. In each job description, you should be able to identify a section listing
requirements for the role. 
- Combine all the job requirements. To do this, create a new Google document and
copy over all the required responsibilities from all ten job descriptions. 
- Order requirements based on appearance frequency. Put the most frequently
appearing requirements at the top of your list.
You may also have questions:
- Why do requirements differ across job descriptions?  One of the most common
reasons for this has to do with overly general job titles, or job titles that don’t
necessarily communicate the specific scope of a given role at a particular company.
We recommend the process outlined above—to help ensure you’re targeting the exact
roles that are right for you—and that you understand the requirements for those exact
roles.
- Why are some requirements higher on my list than I thought they would be,
while others I expected to see barely show up at all?  If you’re surprised by your
results, you may need to spend more time learning what the role really entails, as you
may have some preconceptions about the role that require adjusting. You might also
need to do additional research to ensure you’re targeting the right roles in your job
search. 
- How do I know if I’m really right for my target role? It’s perfectly normal to
experience self-doubt at this stage of the process. Remember, this is a new career for
you. You’re not expected to know everything about the role, and it’s likely that your
existing skills and experience won’t line up perfectly. The more you learn about the
role, the better you’ll understand what’s required for success, and the more you’ll
know about how to prepare yourself for that success.

Create your professional inventory

- Technical (hard) skills. These are skills relating to a specific task or situation such as
programming, technical writing, project management, and more.
- Non-technical (interpersonal) skills. These are the skills that enable people to
navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their
goals. They include skills like communication, leadership, team management, and
more.
- Personal qualities. These are positive attributes and personality traits such as being
honest, having a good sense of humor, and being dependable. You can also include
your professional interests on this list.
- Education. This includes any post-secondary education, certifications, or independent
classes completed online or offline.

Match your profile to the job requirements

Course 2
Why is project initiation essential?
- Stakeholders like senior leaders at a company will initiate a project to address a
specific need for the business. For example, perhaps the company would like to roll
out a new product, improve employee well being, or reduce costs in a certain
department.
- responsibility as the project manager to help identify the project goals, resources, and
other details based on initial discussions with the project stakeholders.
- The initiation phase is a crucial time for asking stakeholders the right questions,
performing research, determining resources, and clearly documenting the key
 components of a project. Doing this will help you solidify the scope, or the boundary,
of the project.
Determine the benefits of the project
- What value will this project create?
- How much money could this project save our organization?
- How much money will it bring in from exixting customers?
- How much time will be saved?
- How will the user experience be improved?
Determine the cost of the project
- How much time will people have to spend on this project?
- What will be the one-time costs?
- Are there any ongoing costs?
- What about long-term costs?
Benefit of project should outway the cost

Key components of project initiation

Project scope
- Process to define the work that needs to happen to complete the project
Project deliverables
- Products and services that you will create for your customer, client, or project sponsor
o Product features
o Functionalities
o Documentation
o Process
o Etc.
- Helps to reach project goals
- Tangible or intangible
Success criteria
- Standards by which you measure how successful of a project was in reaching its goals
Stakeholders
- People who both have interest in, and are affected by the completion of the project
- Have agreement
Resources
- Budget
- People
- Material
Document the project charter
 - Is the document that contains all the detail of the project
o Project summary
o Goals
o Deliverables
o Scope
o Benefits and costs
- Allows to get organized, set up a framework for what needs to be done
- Communicate details to others
Review document with key stakeholders for approval > planning stage
Performing a cost-benefit analysis
cost-benefit analysis is the process of adding up the expected value of a project—the
benefits—and comparing them to the dollar costs
- Minimize risks and maximize gains for projects and organizations
- Communicate clearly with stakeholders and executives and keep your project on track
- Reduce waste and invest their resources responsibly.
Costs
 Direct costs
 Indirect costs
 Intangible costs
 Opportunity costs
 Costs of potential risks
Benefits
 Direct
 Indirect
 Total benefits
 Net benefits

Guiding questions for a cost-benefit analysis:

To determine the benefits of a project, you might ask:
- What value will this project create?
- How much money could this project save our organization?
- How much money will it bring in from existing customers?
- How much time will it save?
- How will it improve the customer experience?
And to determine the costs of a project, consider questions such as:
- How much time will people have to spend on this project?
- What are the one-time costs?
- Are there any ongoing costs?
 - What about long-term costs?
You might also consider questions about intangible benefits. These are gains that are not
quantifiable, such as:
- Customer satisfaction. Will the project increase customer retention, causing them to
spend more on the company’s products or services?
- Employee satisfaction. Is the project likely to improve employee morale, reducing
turnover?
- Employee productivity. Will the project reduce employee’s overtime hours, saving
the company money?
- Brand perception. Is the project likely to improve the company’s brand perception
and recognition, attracting more customers or providing a competitive advantage?

Calculating costs and benefits

G = financial gain expected

C = Cost of investment

Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Quick Guide with Examples and Templates - ProjectManager

Free Business Requirements Document Template for Word (projectmanager.com)

How to set SMART goals

- Specific (numbers)
o What do I want to accomplish?
o Why is this a goal?
o Who is involved?
o Where should the goal be delivered?
o To what degree?
- Measurable
o How much?
o How many?
o How will I know when it’s accomplished?
o Use Matrix (ex. revenue)
o Use Benchmark
- Attainable (dapat dicapai)
o Can it reasonably be reached? (based on the matrix)
o How can it be accomplished?
- Relevant
 o Does the goal make sense?
o Is the goal worthwhile (bermanfaat)?
o Is it the right time?
- Time-bound (ada batas waktu)
o Has a deadline or clear time frame

Determining a project's scope

Project’s scope = project boundaries
In the situation we just described, here are some questions you might ask your manager in
order to get the information you need to define the scope of the project:
Stakeholders
 How did you arrive at the decision to update the dining space?
 Did the request originate from the restaurant owner, customers, or other stakeholders?
 Who will approve the scope for the project?
Goals
 What is the reason for updating the dining space?
 What isn't working in the current dining space?
 What is the end goal of this project?
Deliverables
 Which dining space is being updated?
 What exactly needs to be updated?
 Does the dining space need a remodel?
Resources
 What materials, equipment, and people will be needed?
 Will we need to hire contractors?
 Will we need to attain a floor plan and building permits?
Budget
 What is the budget for this project? Is it fixed or flexible?
Schedule
 How much time do we have to complete the project?
 When does the project need to be completed?
Flexibility
 How much flexibility is there?
 What is the highest priority: hitting the deadline, sticking to the budget, or making
sure the result meets all the quality targets?