This Module consists of the Units shown below.

Unit 1: Projects, Project Management and Project Teams

1.       Projects and Project Management Concepts

2.       Project Roles and Responsibilities

3.       Building High-performance teams

The adoption of formal project management practices has proven itself as yielding tangible business benefits in the form of delivery to budget, to time, to specification and, perhaps most importantly, customer-satisfaction.

This unit introduces the key concepts of project management and looks at the nature of projects. The roles and responsibilities of the Project Manager and individuals in the project team are examined. We also look at the factors that nurture high-performance project teams

Unit Objective

When you have completed this unit you should be able to:

• Distinguish between types of projects and the responsibilities of those involved.
• Apply principles of leading and managing teams.
• Analyse project manager skills as well as roles and responsibilities of team members.

 Unit 2: Approaches to Projects

1. The Project Life-cycle, Planning and Establishing Scope
2. Project Approaches and Methodologies
3. PRINCE2 Project Framework

We examine a typical project life-cycle and consider the key Project Management processes involved at each phase, emphasising the importance of managing the triple constraints of requirements, schedule and cost.

We then highlight the fact that the approach or methodology adopted in managing the life-cycle on one project is not always appropriate on another. The chosen methodology should suit the particular characteristics of the project and the experience of those managing the project. We examine a few example methodologies that reflect the diversity in approach. We also look at the PRINCE2 project framework; a framework that is frequently mandated on government projects and large complex private sector projects.

Unit Objectives

When you have completed this unit you should be able to:

• Describe the project life-cycle and identify the key project management processes involved in each phase.
• Assess and evaluate project scope.
• Critically evaluate different approaches to projects, including process models and prototyping.

Unit 3: Managing Progress

1.       Project Control

2.       Managing Changes

3.       Project Acceptance and Closure

During project execution the Project Manager's focus must be to constantly monitor and evaluate progress in order to tightly control the triple constraints of requirements, schedule & cost baseline. We examine what is involved in project control and look in detail at the change management process; the chief weapon that the Project Manager has in defending the project baselines.

Managing the progress of a project is not concluded until the customer has formally accepted the project and the project has been brought to closure. We examine the administrative activities that have to be concluded before the project is closed. Activities ranging from project acceptance to capturing lessons learnt.

Unit Objectives

When you have completed this unit you should be able to:

• Explain how to manage project progress, analysing the role of project monitoring, evaluation and closure.
• Detail the change management process.

Unit 4: Financial and Contract Management

1.       Financial Management

2.       Contract Management

Financial management is a critical discipline in the management of projects. In this unit we look at techniques that give Project Managers valuable insight and control over the financial aspects of the project; techniques such as earned value analysis.

When an external organisation undertakes a client project, the client and performing organisation are in a buyer-seller relationship and the terms and conditions of the contract becomes the legal basis of the project undertaking.

In the second part of this unit  we focus on the key contractual and legal issues surrounding project management. Issues ranging from tendering and procurement planning, types of contract and contract administration.

Unit Objectives

When you have completed this unit you should be able to:

• Assess how project managers can use financial techniques to meet established project financial goals by monitoring against plan and taking corrective action.
• Respond to the key legal issues surrounding project management and tendering.