Project Management Certificate Program

Xavier Leadership Center’s Project Management Certificate Program consists of attending the 6 days of training plus submitting assignments unique to each of the 3 modules.  The assignments together constitute a complete project.  The participants learn concepts in class, practice these concepts in workshops using a project case study, and then reinforcing the concepts with the assignments.

An emphasis is placed on projects being processes with gates or quality check points imbedded within these processes.  Not all projects are the same — they range from capital assets projects where the end point is known to IT and development projects where the end point is somewhat vague. Various life cycles are presented such as agile, Six Sigma, and the generic define, plan, execute and close out. 

Module I:  Understanding the Project Process

Being a member of a project team requires a complete understanding of the project process, and the terminology and roles inherent to it.  What is a project?  How are projects organized?  How do I manager risks?  What are the roles and expected deliverables?  How do I control quality?

The answers to these questions can be found in the two-day Project Overview and Definition program of our Project Management Series.  By attending this program, participants will learn how to define a project in terms of business need, project objectives, project deliverables and risk.  Participants will also be given a typical project life cycle, and coaching in developing a project life cycle of their own.

You Will Learn:

• To define a project
• How projects are organized
• How to identify risks associated with projects
• The roles and responsibilities in the project management process
• To define and understand a project’s expected deliverables
• How to control quality
• How to charter a project team

Module II:  Project Planning and Scheduling

Planning and scheduling are critical aspects of the project management process.  Keeping the project focused, on budget, and on time is necessary in order to achieve successful completion.  Project planning and scheduling are complete ways of keeping things moving in the desired direction and at the desired pace.

This two-day seminar on Project Planning and Scheduling will focus on planning the project before “rushing off” to completion.  It will teach participants how to develop a budget breakdown system, an activity-based schedule, and how to cover cost contingencies.

You Will Learn:

• To understand and use a budget breakdown system
• The steps to successful activity-based scheduling
• To cover cost contingencies
• To create a milestone schedule
• To estimate required resources using three different techniques
• How to staff up and staff down resources during a project

Module III:  Project Execution and Control

Execution and control are the final stages of the project management process.  It is at this point in the process that the project team can see and evaluate the results of their work.  But the task of managing the project is still not complete.

This final two-day program on Project Execution and Control presents tools and techniques used in monitoring project execution.  It will show participants how to determine where or if adjustments in the project execution must be made.  It will also focus on the areas of progress tracking, updating the project plan, managing changes, and calculating earned value.

You Will Learn:

• To manage changing requirements
• Methods used to track project progress
• To effectively update the project plan
• The different aspects of project reporting
• To define “scope creep”
• How to calculate earned value
• The role of the Project Manager during project execution

The Project Management Certificate Program is appropriate for supervisors, managers or team members who are responsible for the successful completion of  projects.  This program will also prepare participants to sit for the PMP Exam.  Participation in this program qualifies for Professional Development Units (PDU’s) for Project Management Professionals (PMP)®.  Xavier Leadership Center is a Registered Education Provider for PMI®.

Successfully deliver your projects on time, on budget and according to specifications by:

• Developing an applied understanding of the principles, process and tools of project management and how to leverage them in your real world environment
• Understanding the needs and requirements of key stakeholders to effectively define project scope and deliverables
• Learning how to utilize the project management process and tools to control elements of the project, such as cost, scope and scheduling
• Effectively leveraging resources such as team members, project sponsor and project management tools
• Incorporating risk management and contingency planning into your project

In this 6-day, hands-on program you will understand and apply:

The Project Process

• defining and organizing a project in terms of business needs
• identifying and mitigating the risks associated with a project
• recognizing and assigning roles and responsibilities for the process
• identifying and shaping project deliverables
• chartering a project team
• controlling quality throughout the process

Project Planning and Scheduling

• identifying the steps to an activity-based schedule and create a milestone schedule
• developing and use a budget breakdown system
• covering cost contingencies
• estimating required resources using three situational techniques
• increasing and decreasing staff resources during a project

Project Execution and Control

• defining the role of project manager during execution
• using a variety of methods to track project progress
• updating your project plan to adjust to changing requirements
• selecting and implementing appropriate reporting methods
• managing scope creep
• calculating earned value