• Project management: principles; role of the project manager e.g. management of change, understanding of project management system elements and their integration, management of multiple projects; project environment and the impact of external influences on projects; identification of the major project phases (initiate, plan, execute, monitor/control, evaluate/close) and why they are required, understanding of the work in each phase; the nature of work in the lifecycles of projects in various industries.
• The product breakdown structure (PBS) and the work breakdown structure (WBS), project execution strategy and the organisation breakdown structure (OBS) e.g. preparation of organisational charts, task responsibility matrix, statement of work (SOW) for project tasks.
• Relationship between schedules, OBS and WBS, network techniques, resourcing techniques, computer-based scheduling and resourcing packages, project progress measurement and reporting techniques, staff-hours earned value and progress ‘S’ curves, critical path analysis and reporting, milestone trending. Cost control: cost breakdown structure e.g. types of project estimate, resources needed, estimating techniques, estimating accuracy, contingency and estimation, bid estimates, whole-life cost estimates, sources of information, cost information sensitivity, computer-based estimating.
• The why, what, how, when, where and by whom of project management e.g. contract terms, document distribution schedules, procurement, establishing the baseline for the project.
• Critical path method, PERT/CPA modelling, quality control and analysis, Total Quality Management (TQM), quality chain, milestone charting
• Team structures:
Hierarchical, virtual, functional team, matrix management.
• Roles and responsibilities of project manager:•Managing team and stakeholders, change management, project environment, understanding life cycle of projects, setting schedule, budget and timing, developing the project plan, managing project risks, interfaces with other projects, conflict resolution including role of project manager and sponsor, constructive vs. destructive conflicts, compromise, skill complementarities, goal congruence.
• Long term and short-term sources of funding.
• Share Capital or Equity Shares, Preference Capital or Preference Shares, Trade Credit, Preference Capital or Preference Shares, Bonds, Factoring Services, Retained Earnings or Internal Accruals, Lease Finance, Bill Discounting etc., Bonds, Hire Purchase Finance, Advances received from customers, Term Loans from Financial Institutes, Government, and Commercial Banks, Medium Term Loans from Financial Institutes, Government, and Commercial Banks, Short Term Loans like Working Capital Loans from Commercial Banks, Venture Funding, Fixed Deposits (<1 Year),Asset Securitization, Receivables and Payables
• International Financing by way of Euro Issue, Foreign Currency Loans, ADR, GDR etc.
• Project methodology: Traditional approach, critical change approach, event change approach or proprietary/ formalised approaches, for example PRINCE, AGILE.
• Feasibility: Risk Management; identifying risk, impact analysis, risk management/planning, review cost-benefit and risk equation for projects. Consider other issues impacting on project e.g. issues of globalisation (advantages and disadvantages of cross-country/culture projects).
• Communication plan:
o Identify the Audience: To WHOM do we need to communicate?
o Determine Goals and Objectives: WHY communicate?
o Develop Key Messages: WHAT do we need to communicate?
o Develop Tactical Plan: HOW will we communicate, to whom and when?
o Identify Measures of Evaluation: HOW will we know if we are successful?
• Mendelow’s Matrix, Expectations, Consistency, Productivity, Outcome
• Factors:
o Cultural Diversity.
o Misunderstanding of Message.
o Emotional Difference.
o Past Experiences.
o Educational and Intellectual Difference.
o Group Affiliations.
o Positional Differences among the Personnel.
o Functional Relationship between Sender and Receiver.
• Project creep, gaps in the scope or accountability of the project, changing dependencies (other projects, business conditions etc.), delays, planning errors, skills or other resource deficits.
• Financial constraints, lack of decision making, lack of ownership for the project, communication failures, ‘meaningless’ plan without buy-in, changes to project team, priority changes within the organisation, Project monitoring.
• Status and plan documentation and regular monitoring meetings, performance management against targets, defining responsibilities and accountability, communications, traceability, audit trails, formalised frameworks and stages, contingency planning.
• Relationship between schedules, OBS and WBS, network techniques, resourcing techniques, computer-based scheduling and resourcing packages, project progress measurement and reporting techniques, staff-hours earned value and progress ‘S’ curves, critical path analysis and reporting, milestone trending. Cost control: cost breakdown structure e.g. types of project estimate, resources needed, estimating techniques, estimating accuracy, contingency and estimation, bid estimates, whole-life cost estimates, sources of information, cost information sensitivity, computer-based estimating.
• Analysis of results and planned procedures; use of appropriate evaluation techniques; application of project evaluation and review techniques (PERT); opportunities for further studies and developments, use of appropriate techniques to justify project progress and outcomes in terms of the original agreed project specification