About This Program
What You Will Learn
After this program participants will be able to:
- Understand the five main stages of the project management process and how they interact
- Be able to use eight key project management documents to develop a project management plan
- Discuss how constraints lead to project management trade-offs between time, cost and scope
- Identify and mitigate project risks (technological, operational, financial)
- Understand the challenges of leading and managing technical project teams
- Use the basic tools of project budgets and financial control
- Understand how ethical considerations and stakeholder engagement influence the project.
Program Details
Prerequisites
Basic Project Management Experience
Format
Online/ Virtual Classroom
Managing projects is a core competency for engineers
While project management skills have always been an essential part of large-scale civil engineering projects, these skills are now increasingly required as part of a daily work routine. For example in designing new products, implementing new delivery systems or integrating new technologies into an organization. For engineers, strong project management skills will allow them to enhance their performance, improve communications between teams and increase positive impact. In the past, most project management courses have been designed for dedicated project managers working on large-scale projects over several years, this course is different, it’s built for engineers in all sorts of roles and sectors.
Who Should Attend?
If you are an engineer or technology professional who currently has some existing project management responsibilities or will soon assume these responsibilities, then this course is designed for you!
This course is curated for individuals with limited project management education who may be leading their own engineering practices, technology ventures, working in engineering consulting or a large company or organization looking to develop new products or introduce new technologies to improve performance.
Why Us?
- Content is shared in a dynamic and engaging environment, with practical examples used to illustrate each aspect of the program.
- At each stage of the project, participants are required to work in groups, use the tools discussed and share challenges and benefits of deployment.
- The program is practical, expert guests with real life experience will share their insights and lessons learned.
- Participants will have basic training that will allow them to subsequently complete a PMI certification, if desired.
- Participants will be required to develop a detailed project plan (and associated documents) for a real life project that they, or another participant, are currently working on (or have worked on) to link the theory of the course, with the practice of implementation.
Module 1 – Program Introduction (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
This introductory module will focus on an overview of Project Management, why it is useful and how it has evolved, featuring experienced engineering project managers from a variety of industries. It will introduce topics based on traditional waterfall methodologies, contrasting them with the increasingly relevant agile approach, and introduce many of the topics being covered in subsequent modules. While most of the material and examples will be directly relevant for engineers, there are three sections of note: (Module 4) the challenges of managing projects in a technology environment, (Module 6) the challenges of implementing and communicating projects to a broad range of stakeholders and (Module 8) the increasing role of societal implications and ethical considerations in engineering projects and how to address them. The first module will also include an overview of expectations for the program.
Module 2 – Program Management Foundation (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
With or without direct project management experience, attendees will gain a unique perspective on how projects are created, managed, and executed. This module will address the five core stages of the project management process: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring/Control and Closure and the relationship between them. It will also introduce each of the critical documents created in the project management process: Stakeholder Analysis, Project Charter, Budget, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Role and Responsibility Assignment, Project Communications Plan, Risk Matrix and Project Schedule, identifying how each is used in practice with detailed instructions as to how they will be used in this course. We will look at the three critical elements to every project during the start-up phase and the development of the business case that is developed before the project is even started. We will address the common project management obstacles we face in the engineering field and build a foundation for the modules the follow. There will also be a brief review of online engineering management tools, to help you decide which to use, or how to use your existing system project management system better.
Module 3 – Planning, Scheduling and Control in Engineering Projects (2 days) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will present a complete foundation in the successful planning and implementation of both simple and complex technical projects. We will look at how to form a project team, scope projects and manage within a matrix environment. Activities will include developing a detailed and high-level project plan, creating activity-based network diagrams and working with the critical path. Particular attention will be paid to the role of waterfall methodologies and the opportunities and challenges of agile. The different challenges facing short informal projects and large-scale, multi-year complex projects will be compared and contrasted with guidance on how to choose the appropriate one for your project. This module will introduce the course project (which must be completed to attain the certificate of completion).
Module 4 – The Human-Side of Project Management in an Engineering Environment (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
There are unique challenges to managing people in an engineering project, in many cases due to the nature of the project itself. We discuss teamwork, how to align team objectives, allocate responsibilities, and manage performance. We also help define roles in the project and provide insights into how the different individual creative problem styles of team members can be harnessed to improve project outcomes. Critical attention is paid to communication and how the project management tools (especially online shared information) can enhance team performance and improve project outcomes. In addition, we will provide a brief overview of the challenges of change management for those involved in and affected by the implementation of a project.
Module 5 –Managing Risk in Engineering and Technical Projects (2 days) (9 am – 5 pm)
There are many risks in an engineering and technical project that increase the complexity of the risks normally associated with traditional project management. This module will present risk identification and analysis tools that can be used to mitigate technology, implementation, operational, supply chain and financial risks, by developing risk mitigation strategies, and contingency planning. Specific attention is paid to the development of a project risk management framework, informal and formal risk response planning and embedding risk management into the project plan, while the importance of monitoring for risk will also be discussed, using a team-based approach, and real-life examples.
Module 6 – The Complex Role of Project Management (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will embed multiple facets of the challenges of engineering project management and include several guests who will share their experiences, and answer specific participant questions. Topics will include insights into the project life-cycle in engineering and the increasing role of project management in the workplace. Participants will be able to choose between a half-day where the focus is on project management in new product development, which includes a better understanding of the role of design thinking and iterating the stages of product development to embed user feedback into product design (where possible). The other option will be the role of project management in innovation, especially when introducing new technologies into an organization and focus on user acceptance and communication. Given the increased ethical issues being raised by the development and deployment of new technologies, we will also discuss the ethical considerations around project implementation, especially as specific projects impact: inclusivity, sustainability and equity.
Module 7 – Our Project Environment and Implementing Your Projects (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will invite guests to share real-life case studies and lessons learned. It will both give participants the opportunities to share their own projects, get feedback from both experts and participants and allow us to discuss the challenges of implementation, especially in their current environment. The final class will focus on how project managers get work done, in both formal and informal teams.
This introductory module will focus on an overview of Project Management, why it is useful and how it has evolved, featuring experienced engineering project managers from a variety of industries. It will introduce topics based on traditional waterfall methodologies, contrasting them with the increasingly relevant agile approach, and introduce many of the topics being covered in subsequent modules. While most of the material and examples will be directly relevant for engineers, there are three sections of note: (Module 4) the challenges of managing projects in a technology environment, (Module 6) the challenges of implementing and communicating projects to a broad range of stakeholders and (Module 8) the increasing role of societal implications and ethical considerations in engineering projects and how to address them. The first module will also include an overview of expectations for the program.
Module 2 – Program Management Foundation (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
With or without direct project management experience, attendees will gain a unique perspective on how projects are created, managed, and executed. This module will address the five core stages of the project management process: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring/Control and Closure and the relationship between them. It will also introduce each of the critical documents created in the project management process: Stakeholder Analysis, Project Charter, Budget, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Role and Responsibility Assignment, Project Communications Plan, Risk Matrix and Project Schedule, identifying how each is used in practice with detailed instructions as to how they will be used in this course. We will look at the three critical elements to every project during the start-up phase and the development of the business case that is developed before the project is even started. We will address the common project management obstacles we face in the engineering field and build a foundation for the modules the follow. There will also be a brief review of online engineering management tools, to help you decide which to use, or how to use your existing system project management system better.
Module 3 – Planning, Scheduling and Control in Engineering Projects (2 days) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will present a complete foundation in the successful planning and implementation of both simple and complex technical projects. We will look at how to form a project team, scope projects and manage within a matrix environment. Activities will include developing a detailed and high-level project plan, creating activity-based network diagrams and working with the critical path. Particular attention will be paid to the role of waterfall methodologies and the opportunities and challenges of agile. The different challenges facing short informal projects and large-scale, multi-year complex projects will be compared and contrasted with guidance on how to choose the appropriate one for your project. This module will introduce the course project (which must be completed to attain the certificate of completion).
Module 4 – The Human-Side of Project Management in an Engineering Environment (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
There are unique challenges to managing people in an engineering project, in many cases due to the nature of the project itself. We discuss teamwork, how to align team objectives, allocate responsibilities, and manage performance. We also help define roles in the project and provide insights into how the different individual creative problem styles of team members can be harnessed to improve project outcomes. Critical attention is paid to communication and how the project management tools (especially online shared information) can enhance team performance and improve project outcomes. In addition, we will provide a brief overview of the challenges of change management for those involved in and affected by the implementation of a project.
Module 5 –Managing Risk in Engineering and Technical Projects (2 days) (9 am – 5 pm)
There are many risks in an engineering and technical project that increase the complexity of the risks normally associated with traditional project management. This module will present risk identification and analysis tools that can be used to mitigate technology, implementation, operational, supply chain and financial risks, by developing risk mitigation strategies, and contingency planning. Specific attention is paid to the development of a project risk management framework, informal and formal risk response planning and embedding risk management into the project plan, while the importance of monitoring for risk will also be discussed, using a team-based approach, and real-life examples.
Module 6 – The Complex Role of Project Management (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will embed multiple facets of the challenges of engineering project management and include several guests who will share their experiences, and answer specific participant questions. Topics will include insights into the project life-cycle in engineering and the increasing role of project management in the workplace. Participants will be able to choose between a half-day where the focus is on project management in new product development, which includes a better understanding of the role of design thinking and iterating the stages of product development to embed user feedback into product design (where possible). The other option will be the role of project management in innovation, especially when introducing new technologies into an organization and focus on user acceptance and communication. Given the increased ethical issues being raised by the development and deployment of new technologies, we will also discuss the ethical considerations around project implementation, especially as specific projects impact: inclusivity, sustainability and equity.
Module 7 – Our Project Environment and Implementing Your Projects (1 day) (9 am – 5 pm)
This module will invite guests to share real-life case studies and lessons learned. It will both give participants the opportunities to share their own projects, get feedback from both experts and participants and allow us to discuss the challenges of implementation, especially in their current environment. The final class will focus on how project managers get work done, in both formal and informal teams.
Faculty
