Managing IT Projects Effectively

Program Overview:

The overall aim of this course is to provide participants with the knowledge and the skills needed to successfully manage an Information Technology (IT) project from inception to closure. Participants in this interactive course will learn all the critical tools and techniques required to play a leading role as an IT project manager such as analyzing the requirements, preparing project plans, developing project budgets, leading the project team and evaluating the overall performance.

For Whom:

Project managers and senior IT professionals who seek to manage small to large size IT projects or to broaden their knowledge in the key project management functions. This course is designed to complement the technical knowledge of IT professionals involved in an IT project with the necessary project management skills.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• manage information technology projects using different project management methodologies;
• evaluate the business case of it projects to ensure feasibility and proper justifications;
• relate project requirements and objectives to stakeholders’ needs in a clear and compelling manner;
• explain fundamental project planning activities and processes and set realistic measurable objectives in terms of time and cost using proven project planning techniques;
• manage it projects that implement agile methodologies and identify the differences between traditional and agile projects;
• identify the role of the project manager during the design and the implementation phases of the project; and
• outline all the activities during the execution phase of a project and establish an effective control process to ensure execution in line with the project plans.

Course Outline:

Day 1: Overview of IT project management

• Defining project management terminologies
• Skills needed by IT project manager
• System development life cycle
• Waterfall model
• Incremental model
• Basic iterative model
• Agile development model
• IT project manager roles and responsibilities

Day 2: Project concept

• Assessing business needs and opportunities
• Developing project concept
• Developing business case
• Identifying stakeholders
• Establishing conceptual solutions
• Project charter

Day 3: Project requirements

• Gathering and defining requirements
• Functional and non-functional requirements
• Requirements gathering techniques
• Analyzing and prioritizing requirements
• Documenting requirements
• Project design:
• Developing preliminary design
• Performing gap analysis
• Prototyping IT solution
• Preparing technical specifications documentation
• Solution alternatives

Day 4 Project planning    

• Building work breakdown structure
• Estimating project duration and resources
• Activity sequencing
• Network diagram
• Critical path analysis
• Schedule planning
• Gantt charts
• Milestone charts
• Resource planning
• Agile project planning
• Adaptive planning
• User story (product) backlog
• Relative sizing and story points
• Product roadmap
• Release and iteration planning

Day 5: Project implementation and closeout

• Managing project team
• Managing schedule
• Managing cost
• Earned value analysis
• Change management
• Delivery and transitioning
• Project closeout

Training Methodology

Lectures, discussions, exercises, and case studies will be used to reinforce these teaching/learning methods.