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APMG Course

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Overview

This two day event consolidates and expands on effective project planning and control taught in the Foundation Course. Effective planning and control requires an understanding of a clear project definition, supported by a robust approach to planning the project. This, in turn requires the selection and use of appropriate scheduling techniques which are supported by rigorous monitoring for effective proactive control. A sound basis for effective record keeping will facilitate the understanding of lessons learned which supports continuous improvement, thus adding value to organisational aspirations and objectives.

Audience

  • Exam(s) included
  • 12-month subscription to Project Manager Today

Outline

  • DEFINITION (DE)
  • Delegates are introduced to the world of projects and capital expenditure. The following key areas are covered:
  • Factors to consider to ensure the WI and SOW are fit for purpose
  • Key elements needed for effective project planning
  • The need for effective stakeholder management
  • PLANNING (PL)
  • The following areas will be discussed:
  • Determine activities, outputs and roles involved in the development and maintenance of the plans required throughout the life of the project
  • Determine when top-down, bottom-up and rolling-wave approaches to planning should be adopted and the outputs of each
  • Interpret 'S' curves and identify planning strategies to work out how best to deliver the project
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) and apply the guidance to its creation
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and apply the guidance to its creation
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's WBS Dictionary and apply the guidance to its creation
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's Organisational Breakdown Structure (OBS) and apply the guidance to its creation
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) and RACI Matrix and apply the guidance to their creation
  • Identify appropriate project information for inclusion in the project's Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) and Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) and apply the guidance to their creation
  • Identify the project interfaces that need to be monitored and controlled during the life of the project, together with their scope
  • Determine the appropriate approaches for producing project estimates
  • Whether specific activities associated with the development and maintenance of the plans required throughout the life of the project have been applied appropriately, with reasons
  • Whether a chosen delivery strategy for the project is appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether a chosen planning strategy for the project is likely to be effective, with reasons
  • Whether the project's Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) is fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether the project's WBS Dictionary is fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether the project's Organisational Breakdown Structure (OBS) is fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether the project's Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) and Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) are fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether the project interfaces that need to be monitored and
  • Whether selected estimate techniques/methodologies for the project are appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether the use of activities associated with the handover and closeout of the project are likely to be appropriate, with reasons
  • SCHEDULING (SC)
  • Advantages and disadvantages of Target Schedules
  • Steps in the process of resourcing the schedule
  • Need to manage project interfaces and the activities necessary to implement the four key stages of dependency management:
  • 1. Identification
  • 2. Coding
  • 3. Integration and impact analysis (incl. internal and external integration)
  • 4. Impact resolution
  • Identify and apply the activities involved in the development and maintenance of the project schedule
  • Identify the types and required densities (levels) of the schedule(s) required by the project and the types of information that may be included in those schedules
  • Determine which elements of schedule design should be included in the project schedule a how they should be used
  • MONITOR AND CONTROL (MC)
  • The use of Earned Value Techniques (EVT) and the advantages/limitations of Earned Value Analysis
  • Outputs of a project level change control process including the information required (incl. Change Requests, Change Log, Change
  • Orders and Change Reporting Requirements)
  • Purpose of Risk Management together with the ways of drawing down risk budget
  • Purpose and key elements of Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA), together with:
  • 1. Its reliance on Monte Carlo analysis
  • 2. The two elements of QSRA
  • 3. Process – stages and their characteristics
  • 4. Outputs (Probability Charts and Tornado Charts)
  • Purpose and steps of Monte Carlo analysis, including distribution types
  • Purpose and key elements of Quantitative Cost Risk Analysis (QCRA), together with:
  • 1. Process – stages and their characteristics
  • 2. Outputs (Cumulative Normal Distributions (S-curves) for cost impacts, Sensitivity (Tornado) Charts and QSRA Percentiles)
  • 3. Use of Sensitivity Analysis
  • Purpose and methods of Forensic Analysis:
  • 1. As-Planned vs. As-Built Method (AP v AB)
  • 2. Impacted As-Planned Method (IAP)
  • 3. Collapsed As-built Method (CAB) or AS-built But For (ABBF)
  • 4. Time Impact Analysis Method (TIA)
  • Requirements, Advantages, Disadvantages and where it can be used together with other relevant considerations
  • Be able to apply key concepts relating to the Monitoring and Control of a project within a given scenario. Specifically to identify and apply activities involved in the development and maintenance of the project baseline, together with the application of the rules
  • Determine the most appropriate methods of reporting the performance of the project and what project information should be included in the performance reports produced
  • Interpret the outputs of methods of reporting performance:
  • 1. Drop line method
  • 2. Activity Weeks method
  • 3. Milestone monitoring
  • 4. Cash Flow monitoring
  • 5. Resource monitoring
  • 6. Network Analysis and measurement of float usage
  • Interpret:
  • 1. Curves showing Planned Value, Actual Cost and Earned Value, Cost and Schedule Variance
  • 2. Cost and Schedule Variance Charts
  • 3. Bulls Eye Performance Charts
  • In order to determine the status of the project and identify the likely causes of the reported performance
  • Perform Earned Value calculations and determine the status of the project and identify the likely causes of the reported performance:
  • 1. Cost Variance (CV)
  • 2. Schedule Variance (SV)
  • 3. Schedule Performance Index (SPI) Cost Performance Index (CPI)
  • Use Earned Value data to produce project forecasts:
  • 1. Estimate At Completion (EAC)
  • 2. Estimate To Complete (ETC) Estimate Time To Complete (ETTC)
  • Determine the most appropriate Earned Value Technique (EVT) for application during the project
  • Identify and apply activities involved in the application of an appropriate short-term planning process for the project
  • Identify appropriate use and information for inclusion in the following:
  • 1. Change Request
  • 2. Change Log
  • 3. Monthly Change Report
  • Identify activities involved in the application of an appropriate change control process for the project
  • Risk Assessment, the use of the Risk Assessment Matrix, Risk Log and the planning and controlling of the funds for managing risk
  • Interpret the results of the project's Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA) as displayed on:
  • 1. Probability Charts
  • 2. Tornado Chart
  • 3. Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA) Chart Duration Uncertainty Tornado Chart
  • Interpret the results of the project's Quantitative Cost Risk Analysis (QCRA) and Cost Impact Severity Tornado Chart
  • Identify and apply methods Forensic Analysis and Delay and Disruption Analysis
  • Be able to identify, analyse and distinguish between the appropriate and inappropriate use of key concepts relating to the Monitoring and Control of a project within a given project scenario. Specifically to analyse:
  • 1. Whether specific activities undertaken to establish and maintain a Project Baseline are appropriate, with reasons
  • 2. Whether Performance Reports are fit for purpose, with reasons
  • Whether methods of reporting the project's performance are applied appropriately and whether their outputs are fit for purpose, with reasons:
  • Whether Earned Value information has been interpreted correctly: to determine the status of the project and the likely causes of the reported performance
  • Whether Earned Value calculations have been performed and interpreted correctly to determine the status of the project and identify the likely causes of the reported performance
  • Whether Earned Value data has been used appropriately to produce project forecasts
  • Whether the application of Earned Value Techniques (EVTs) to the project is appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether the use of specific activities undertaken during short-term, high density scheduling are appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether the following are fit for purpose, with reasons:
  • Whether the use of specific Change Management activities are appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether the Risk Assessment, the use of the Risk Assessment Matrix, Risk Log and planning and controlling of the funds for managing risk are appropriate, with reasons
  • Whether the results of Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA) as displayed on:
  • 3. Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA) Chart
  • 4. Duration Uncertainty Tornado Chart are appropriate and accurate.
  • Purpose and steps of Monte Carlo analysis, including distribution
  • Interpret the results of the project's Quantitative Cost Risk Analysis (QCRA) and the Cost Impact Severity Tornado Chart

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