Duration
3 days
Overview
Projects in the public sector have increasingly become the preferred operational approach to deliver policies and specific initiatives. The discipline of project management, therefore, is a critical enabler for achieving civil service objectives.
Unique public sector challenges include a multi-layered stakeholder community with diverse priorities, intense monitoring by news media, the need to manage political interests, as well as administrative and policy constraints.
This course provides a structured awareness and basic understanding of project management principles and good practices and how these work in tandem with the performing organization and project teams to increase effectiveness and value. While knowledge and content is drawn from globally-accepted project management standards, focus is maintained on the unique elements and ways of working in the public sector environment.
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, participants will:
- Understand how projects and Project Management are distinguished from operational processes.
- Have a basic understanding of Project, Program and Portfolio Management as applied in the Public Sector environment.
- Gain awareness of organizational issues and structures affecting project performance.
- Have an Overview of the five project management Process Groups and ten Knowledge Areas contained in the globally-recognized PMBOK® Guide published by the Project Management Institute.
- Gain an appreciation of project governance and the regulatory compliance requirements for public sector projects, and how to communicate effectively with the stakeholder community.
Module 1 Introduction
- Breaking the ice, course administration, feedback on participants’ specific public sector work environment and expectations of the course.
- Course objectives and agreement on learning approach and outcomes.
- Course overview, including Projects v Operations.
Module 2 Definitions
- Definitions of projects, programs and portfolios.
- Definition of project management. The need for compliance with good project management principles and practices.
- A basic overview of program and portfolio management and their relationship with projects and project management.
- Connecting and relating all of the above disciplines to the specific public sector work environments of the course participants.
- Identifying the drivers of the civil service (political, social, environmental initiatives and policies) and how projects can be an effective strategic tool for delivery of public sector targets.
Module 3 How Organizational Structure Influences Project Performance and the Project Life Cycle
- A look at how organizations can be structured as Functional, Matrix or Projectized.
- The factors determining a good match between the organizational types and a specific public sector department, and the positive or negative structural influences.
- Appropriate matches between a specific public sector way of working and a particular project life cycle model.
- Project roles and responsibilities, including stakeholder management.
- Project documentation – purpose and legal implications.
Module 4 Project Management Core Concepts
- The five project management process groups and their functions:
- Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing
- An overview of the ten Knowledge Areas and how they are applied in actual projects, in compliance with project management good practices.
- Integration Management, Scope Management, Schedule Management
- Cost Management, Quality Management, Human Resource Management
- Communication Management, Risk Management, Procurement Management
- Stakeholder Management
- Project governance and public communication.
- Hands-On practice with Key Project Management Baseline Tools:
- Understand and Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Understand and Create a Project Schedule Network Diagram and Perform a Critical Path Analysis
- Understand and Utilize Earned Value Management (Analysis)
Course Benefits
Participants will be able to better understand Project Management principles and good practices and will be in a better position to support public sector project environments better. The various public sector organizations will also begin to see better alignment, standardization and consistency in regard to project management terminology and good practices.
Who Will Benefit
This course is designed specifically for public sector professionals at all levels. Participants are assumed to have no prior project management experience, and could be intending to fulfil a near-term project support role or graduate to a project management or project sponsor role in the longer term.
Programme scope, delivery arrangements and suitability are confirmed during enquiry.