Project Management in Practice

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The Programme

Project management skills have never been more in demand. There is a clear need for a shift in the public service to a project management approach to effectively deliver on business plans. Properly implemented, the project management approach ensures understanding, focus, confidence, oversight and success.

This two-day project management in practice training programme is designed to enable you to apply your learning immediately, in a flexible, non-prescriptive manner that takes account of the practicalities of working in the public service. The course is aimed at those who need to develop a better understanding of the critical tools and techniques of project management that help focus your planning, minimises risk and speeds delivery. It will be of benefit to anyone involved directly in project work - whether in a small group effort or a significant undertaking, those who work with project teams but who are not part of them and who wish to be more effective through a better understanding of the language of project management, and new project managers.

Who is this for?

The Project Management in Practice course is aimed at those who need to develop a better understanding of the critical tools and techniques of project management that help focus your planning, minimises risk and speeds delivery.

It will be of benefit to anyone involved directly in project work - whether in a small group effort or a significant undertaking, those who work with project teams but who are not part of them and who wish to be more effective through a better understanding of the language of project management, and new project managers.

Learning Outcomes

The Introduction to Project Management course objectives are to

• give you practical experience of key project management tools and techniques.
• introduce a project management approach that is structured yet flexible.

At the end of the training course you will:

• be able to describe a standard project life-cycle and project constraints.
• be able to adapt a set of standard templates and more for use with your own project.
• have a draft set of project documentation that you can use as the basis for your project planning on your return to work

The course is led by an experienced project manager and trainer and will use a variety of approaches during the class including presentations, discussion groups, and group exercises. 

Course Content

The Project Management in Practice course will cover the following areas:

• Introduction to Project Management: in which you will learn about the organisational context for projects and core project management principles.
• Initiating your Project: in which you will learn about the critical activities in starting up the project, engaging with stakeholders and securing approval.
• Defining your Project: in which you will learn how to define and structure project work and create schedules to enable effective management of the project.
• Managing your Project: in which you will learn how to monitor and control project work and be aware of the problems and issues that can often derail projects.
• Closing your Project: in which you will learn about the important common closing activities that are often overlooked by project teams.

Other Information

This course can be tailored for in-house delivery. Please email training@ipa.ie if you would like further information about customised training.

Course Leader

This course will be delivered by one of our experienced Project Management Trainers including:

This course will be delivered by one of our experienced Project Management Trainers including Martin Speers, Feargal O’Neill, David Fox and David McCreery, all experienced Project Managers and Senior Associate Specialists in Project Management at the IPA.