Project Management Fundamentals: 40 minute Outline of the Project Management Process

Project Management Fundamentals is a short project management course that will introduce you to the absolute essentials of the four stages of Project Management.

It collects four short videos I have also published on YouTube.

1. Project Definition
Does your Project have a Firm Foundation from Day 1?
How to Define your Project to Assure the Success You Want
The essential elements of your project definition. Without these in place, you cannot start to plan your project with any confidence.
Mike's Easy Definition One-page Template: See how I build up my one-page template to create an easy and robust project definition.

2. Project Planning
What are the Ten Things You Need to Build into Your Project Plan?
How to Create a Robust Project Plan that covers All the Essentials
The essential elements of your project plan. There are so many planning tools, but here are the ten most valuable.
Sound Project Planning is what will set your Project up for a successful delivery stage. But there are so many Project Planning tools. You need to know what the most important ones are, and when to choose them. Your Project will succeed when you plan effectively. Choose the right tools, so you can consider and solve the right problems. In this video, I will show you the ten most valuable Project Planning tools and what each one does.
So you can focus your efforts on the right plans for your Project.

3. Project Delivery
Are You Really In Control of Your Project?
How to Maintain the Correct rhythm for the Project delivery Heartbeat
The ten things you need to focus on throughout the Project Delivery stage. If you don't, you cannot hope to remain in control of your Project, and deliver successfully.
Once you get to the delivery stage of your Project you can start to relax... and let all your hard work in planning bear fruit. Of course, that's not entirely the case. If you don't keep on top of things, your Project will slip and slide. The delivery stage has a natural rhythm... a 'heartbeat' if you like.
And it's your job to keep that heartbeat going steadily. What are the ten essential activities for you, as a Project Manager, so you can stay fully in control of your Project?

4. Project Closure
What are the Essential Disciplines for Closing Your Project?
How to Close your Project when You Know its over, but it Never seems to End
The seven essential tasks for closing your project down. Often, you know your project is over, but it never seems to end. That's why you need to know these seven.
Okay, so you have delivered your Project. But that is not the end.
Now you need to close your Project in an orderly manner. If you have ever managed a project before, you may be familiar with the 'dripping tap' syndrome. No matter what you do, you can't seem to completely close your Project. This section sets out the seven essential steps, so you know how to close your Project properly.

[Onlinepmcourses]

This video collates a four video series into one single intro to PM - a mini-course all on its own!

[ytpah]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:33 🎯 The goal of a project is crucial and should be crafted to inspire the team and stakeholders.
01:53 💼 Project objectives set constraints on how the project will be delivered, including time, cost, and quality considerations.
02:36 📋 The scope defines all the tasks and activities required for project success, while exclusions specify what will not be part of the project.
04:54 📦 Identify all the deliverables or products your project will produce, representing the tangible results.
06:05 🌐 Dependencies and constraints dictate planning choices, considering external factors that impact the project.
07:11 ⚠️ Risks are uncertainties, and issues are certainties that can affect the project's outcome; identify and address both.
08:36 🤔 Note uncertainties and assumptions; assumptions should be validated, and uncertainties should be clarified as you move forward.
09:59 👥 Identify key stakeholders, those with significant impact, and plan your project around their needs, preferences, and priorities.
10:53 🏢 Identify key project team roles, even if you can't name all team members, and consider the necessary skills for success.
11:41 📄 In a project plan, include the scope of work using a work breakdown structure (WBS) to break down activities into manageable parts.
13:02 📜 Document all deliverables and their specifications, ensuring they meet quality and regulatory standards.
14:10 ⏰ Use milestones to represent key project points, decisions, or external events on the project schedule.
14:41 💰 Create a project budget, possibly using a cost breakdown structure, to allocate costs to work breakdown structure elements.
15:24 🔍 Implement quality assurance and quality control processes to ensure deliverables meet specified standards.
16:21 📅 Develop a project schedule, combining milestones and activities, often represented using Gantt charts.
17:06 👤 Allocate resources to project activities using an organization breakdown structure (OBS) or a RACI chart.
18:48 🗣️ Create a stakeholder communication plan detailing who receives what communications, when, and in what format.
19:45 📝 Establish governance roles and responsibilities, ensuring transparent decision-making processes.
20:53 📊 Use a risk register to manage and track risks throughout the project, taking action as needed.
23:06 🔄 Implement a monitor and control cycle to continuously monitor project progress, intervene when necessary, and keep the project on track.
23:35 📊 Regularly report project progress and issues for transparency, governance, and decision-making.
25:12 🔄 Continuously manage risks and issues, updating the risk register and addressing emerging challenges.
26:46 🤝 Conduct regular team meetings to share knowledge, address issues, and maintain team engagement.
27:51 😃 Maintain team morale through meetings, communication, recognition, and support.
28:19 🧐 Harvest lessons learned throughout the project and adapt team meetings as the project progresses to meet evolving needs.
28:58 🔄 Frequent lessons learned meetings are essential to acknowledge and understand project problems early and share positive discoveries across the team.
29:53 🔑 Continuous stakeholder engagement is crucial during project delivery to maintain enthusiasm, address concerns, and leverage their knowledge.
30:50 🔄 Implement a strong change control process to manage requests for change effectively and adapt to evolving project circumstances.
32:14 📝 Practice the "Next Bend" process by periodically taking time to think ahead and anticipate upcoming project challenges or opportunities.
34:55 🤝 Handover and sign-off of deliverables mark the beginning of the project closing stage, ensuring the client's requirements are met.
36:21 💡 Conduct lessons learned reviews with the entire project team to institutionalize good practices and correct poor ones.
38:00 🌟 Provide individualized feedback to team members to offer praise, recognition, and guidance for career development.
39:12 🗂️ Address all outstanding project admin tasks, including invoicing, to ensure the project is truly completed.
40:24 🎉 Always celebrate project completion to boost team morale and confidence, even with simple and budget-friendly activities.
41:47 ✅ Create and sign off a project closure memo to officially acknowledge the project's completion with client or sponsor approval.

[meorthejob]

THIS WAS EXCELLENT! I'm starting to realize I've been managing projects all my life, but I've been doing it poorly. As I watched, I immediately had insights into how my current projects can be improved. Thank you so much for making this available. I really appreciate it.

[craigrobertsonmsc.]

I hope my lecturer from Uni has watched this (& took copious notes), it might just put him in the picture.

[aissabendjedda]

Please I'm having trouble understanding point five " Closing Your Project, which is Clear the Admin"

[jefflu]

Really appreciated your great insight on PM, ❤🎉 by the way, do you have plans to launch PRINCE2 webinar

[RzzgarIzzat]

Well done doctor thank you for this great video could you please record recommend me which video talk about all project management in one hour

[ruikuanli]

Just wow, this video series is really an eye opener for me as a newbie in the project management world. Really appreciate your effort in making this video.

[tommasoferlalodigiani]

Doctor thank, you very much for your effort and outstanding work.
I had a question, the Workstream leader can be considered equivalent to the Integration manager?
Thanks for your kind answer

[Astronomynatureandmusic]

I used this video to give immediate input into a mini project I'm leading. Thank you for your time and effort; it helped me!

[shayonsmith]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, ....did I say "Thank You?" well thank you for these videos! The pace and content has been so helpful!

[gdesalew]

Dera, Dr. Mike Clayton thank you for your excellent and detailed explanation regarding to project planning. Dear, I am health professional and a bignner for project management. If you support this with example that may amazing.
Thank you

[ebunwithd_vibes]

This was amazing... thank you. i hope you celebrated after this video because its a hit.

[gavinkelleher]

Brilliant online course. You get more out of this then you would paying for an online course where you don't know what to expect. Thank you Doctor Mike. I am going to look at more of your videos

[santoshkafley]

It was excellent. However you have not explained how to explain project management in interview stage?

[titiogunleye]

Thank you so much Dr Mike for the detailed Project management fundamental mini course.

[staceylarter]

very helpful from a Marketing Director's point of view. Thanks so much. This will help to manage my projects and look professional at the same time.

[samyrG]

What an awesome course.
Thank you so much Mike

[cameronrodway]

Another great video! I Also have a couple video requests (but it's up to you wether you want to make them):
1.Advantages and disadvantages of the project tools
eg. gantt chart, pert chart, wbs, cpm

2. Roles of stakeholders within a project
eg. executive sponsor, project sponsor, project team members
Once again its up to you but it would really help me and others i believe

You may already have made videos on these topics, and if you have, could you please comment what names the videos are under! Thank you.

[ysuchi]

Your videos are so easy to understand and super clear. Helped me a lot during my interviews.