BASIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR SECRETARIES
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course designed to provide participants with a broad understanding of project management principles, concepts, tools, and techniques along with the global standards from which they are derived. The primary objectives of this course are to empower participants with the vocabulary, knowledge competencies, and basic performance competencies necessary to intuitively understand and function at a high level in their project supporting roles and, to organize and execute their own day-to-day work in a more efficient manner using modern project management concepts and methods
Prerequisite: Administrators, Project clerks, and Secretaries
Learning Level: Intermediate
Advanced Preparation: None
Training Type: Group Live
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Therefore, on completion of this course delegates will be able to:
- Clearly define what constitutes a project.
- Plan, organise and document a project in a logical manner.
- Use appropriate tools and documents in order to plan the project effectively and to minimise risk.
- Demonstrate knowledge of delegation, time management, and decision-making and communication skills essential to effective project implementation.
- Review and learn from strengths and weaknesses identified on completion of a project.
- Influence people and negotiate solutions to problems, which arise during your projects.
COURSE OUTLINE/CONTENTS
Module 1: Introduction to Project Management
- Defining what we mean by project management
- Special features of projects
- Understanding why projects fail
Module 2: The Project Life Cycle
- Identify a four-stage approach to managing projects
- Understand the value of the project life cycle
- Preparing and outlining the project
Module 3: Defining a Project
- How to clearly define a project
- Setting and agreeing objectives, scope and constraints
- Recognize the need to manage project stakeholders
- Define roles and responsibilities in a project
- Appreciate the importance of team working within the project
Module 4: Project Planning
- Basic planning tools and techniques
- How to make time and cost estimates more credible and realistic
- Establish a project communication strategy
- Simple risk management tools and techniques available to avoid surprises
- Creation of project documentation and data display methods
Module 5: Implementing the Project
- Monitoring and controlling activities
- Taking corrective action to keep the project on track
- Dealing with requests for change
- Reporting progress
Module 6: Closing and Reviewing a Project
- Understand the need for a controlled close to a project
- Measuring what actually happened against the plan
- Learning lessons – both positive and negative
- Closing down and moving on
Module7: Computers and Project Management
- Practical hands-on to Computerized Project Management
- Introduction to Microsoft Project
- Designing a Project with Microsoft Project
METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION
Approach
This Course is conceived for face-to-face training, hence allowing a constructive interaction and exchange of experiences between Facilitators and Participants. Panel Discussions and Group Work on selected topics. Prescribed material is made available during the course, and includes notes, articles, statutes and excerpts from textbooks. The programme uses training methods chosen to ensure effective learning, to reinforce understanding, to develop practical skills to promote critical evaluation of information. Interest is maintained throughout each session by use of a variety of formats, including:
- Lively and informative presentations
- Quizzes
- Case studies based on real life scenarios
Throughout the course, you will learn from others in your group as they share practical experiences in their work environment. You will learn by doing and by applying what you learn to your own work environment. Thus, the training methodology is based on interactive learning. Furthermore, learners will use examples from their own organisations, thus ensuring that the learning is anchored at their workplace. This course will strive to effect actual change back at the workplace through effective and practical outcomes based training.
Language
The Course is facilitated in English (should numbers justify it, separate classes will be presented in either Swahili or French) and study guides and class notes are made available in English. Prescribed materials made available in the original language. Participants may participate in Swahili, French or English, and complete assignments in either of these languages.
Assessment
The course might involve preparing some sort of in-class and out of class assignments which include drafting “from scratch”, drafting using forms, and redrafting. Some short assignments contribute to the work on longer, full documents. Assignments receive written evaluation and serve as the basis for session discussions as well.
Evaluation
In conformity with KIBYA’s procedures, an evaluation of the course will be carried out at the end of the Programme to determine the perceived relevance of course contents to Participants’ needs and the effectiveness of the methodology and materials employed in achieving the course’s training objectives.