MODULE 1: BASICS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Overview

The basics of project management module reiterates Steps 1 and 3 of ETP's structured project management methodology. This module also briefly discusses key project management topics.

Objectives

The participant will understand that a project must have:

• A clear goal.

• Only one identified leader.

Preparation

Review the contents of this module. Be familiar with the terms in Appendix 4 and be able to explain what each term is and how it is used when managing projects.

Presentation

MS Project is a tool that you can use to help with the structured project management methodology.

ACTIVITY

If the participants have not done this exercise before in a Structured Project Management Course, have them do the following:

EXERCISE 1.1 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC

In your notepad:

• List the name of your project

• List the goal of your project

• List the project manager

• List the success factors

Dialog

Remind the participants of Step 1, visualize the goal. Reiterate the four parameters of a project from the First Law of Project Management (note the success factors that define a successful project).

Also remind them of Step 3, there must be one leader. The project manager will be the one responsible for preparing or supervising the preparation of the MS Project Plan. The project manager will need to understand all the elements of the MS Project Plan so that he can come up with the options for going forward with the project.

Finally, explain to the participants that MS Project has been developed using specific terms which represent the various data in the database that each MS Project file uses. Have them turn to Appendix 4 and go through each term, explaining how it is represented in MS Project (i.e. draw a picture of what it looks like, show and tell).