Workshop on Understanding Project Economics and Politics: (Handling Complex Projects and Reporting Relationships)

Program Overview:

A successful project manager is one who is proficient in using a variety of approaches during periods of high-pressure to ensure that the team remains motivated and engaged, ultimately driving the project forward. Successful managers understand that balancing project economics and project politics are essentials to project success. This course will provide participants with project economics training and political leadership skills needed to excel in both key facets of project management.

For Whom:

This program is designed for senior corporate managers, operation managers, experienced project managers and managers of project management offices (PMOs)

Learning Objectives:

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

• relate all projects to financial, strategic and operational goals of all stakeholders
• select the right project using advanced project selection model;
• understand and use organizational politics to ensure your projects are supported by senior management, clients and stakeholders;
• control project risk throughout the phases of the project life cycle;
• respond early to the impact of project changes;
• communicate effectively with team members, including ongoing performance feedback
• use action planning to keep your project on track; and
• ensure your projects are adopted by management by showing positive impact on business profits.

Course Outline:

Day 1: Understanding the Underlying Political and Economics Drivers for Business Success

• Introduction to business, economic and strategic requirements
• Managing expectations: Management, Sponsors, and Stakeholders’ expectations
• Developing a framework for improved project control 

Day 2: Project Evaluation and Selection

• Project selection and planning fundamentals
• The different types of project selection processes
• Creating a sound business case

Day 3: Group Discussion on Project Estimation

• Sharing of current project estimating problems
• Analysis under high uncertainty
• Chief sources of uncertainty and risk
• What you can do about uncertainty and risk

Day 4: The Executive / Management Role in Achieving a

Positive Outcome

• Creating project proposals
  • Four distinct issues and key elements
• Managing through the project life cycle
  • The six performance domains
  • Controlling the project at each

domain level

• Project integration
  • The project manager’s job

Day 5: Managing Project Politics

• The “politician” politics in action
• Players to contend with
• Being a better politician
• Common political pitfalls
• A guide to action

Training Methodology

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