Develop the tools and techniques to manage a large, complex program. This one task covers a vast amount of territory; jetliners, to ships, high-rise construction, to large public work projects. Learn how to take all of these individual projects and integrate them together for a successful program. Managing a program can be significantly more challenging than managing just one project. Discover the complexity of programs and how to successfully manage unique groups of multifaceted projects so that all elements finish within a pre-determined order and are integrated with one another.

Program management offices (PMOs) improve organizational performance in the management of projects, increasing capacity to optimize results from projects contemplated and underway. Participants address six principal topics (modules) as they relate to assessing need, understanding current organizational requirements, designing, creating and maintaining a project or program management office: (1) the role of project based organizations, enterprise project management, and program management offices,(2) urgency and coalition building, (3) vision and strategy, (4) implementation, (5) operating, and (6) maintaining effectiveness. Explore a range of options for implementing change. Receive feedback from others on what and how to take action through project offices.

Today's business leaders understand that projects are how businesses grow and gain market share, and that having a mature project management practice gives them an edge in the marketplace. Part of a mature project management practice is having a defined project portfolio management process. A functional project portfolio management process helps organizations select the right projects and optimize limited resources. This course provides the basic concepts of portfolio management and differentiates portfolio management from project management, program management and the PMO. The course content defines the steps to necessary to develop a project portfolio, including selecting portfolio components and applying financial and resource constraints. Portfolios have different risks than individual projects and programs, therefore an explanation of portfolio risk management is included. Once the portfolio is launched students will learn how to manage and continually balance and adjust the portfolio to respond internal and market changes.

This ten week class begins with developing foundational knowledge in Agile and Lean methodologies. Several different techniques will then be discussed with a detailed focus on SCRUM and Kanban. The course equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead Agile projects and the very important ability to transition traditional projects and teams to Agile and Lean. Several case studies of Agile implementation and transitioning will be discussed. The course will also cover how Agile and Lean techniques can perform side by side with traditional projects as well as in hierarchical organizational structures. Students will learn how and why the implementation of Agile and Lean techniques not only require changes in work management methods but also require a mental and cultural shift. Students will also learn how contemporary thinking in the management of projects especially PMI PMBOK and CMMI based techniques are influenced by Agile and Lean. The course will also cover the management of programs and portfolios in an Agile environment, how Agile maturity can be measured and how to perform Agile process management.

Gain the necessary concepts and techniques for project managers to develop sound basic scheduling skills. A good schedule helps project managers to establish realistic goals to meet project objectives, enhance credibility, and better manage the clients' expectations. Project managers must deliver results, meet requirements, and keep to agreed-upon time and cost constraints in order to ensure the success of their projects. A high priority should be placed on skills for project estimating and scheduling, as well as negotiation and prioritization, in order to meet competitive demands and support other business objectives. Learn to identify and use common scheduling and estimating terms and their correct definitions, and apply a wide range of scheduling techniques as referenced in the PMBOK® Guide, and other accepted sources.

Today, many companies in all industries and verticals have workers dispersed around the globe. Project teams often have members in geographically diverse locations, which creates project management challenges. This course teaches you how to lead a culturally and geographically diverse team taking into consideration different time zones and geographic locations, cultural norms, working styles, and educational backgrounds. You'll also explore tools and techniques for managing a virtual team.

The foundation of Lean is the systematic identification and elimination of waste from processes. The Lean Toolkit will provide participants with the means to identify and systematically eliminate waste from a process. This course will provide participants with a solid foundation for identifying, applying and implementing some of the standard Lean process improvement methodologies. The course covers topics such as identifying value, mapping the value stream, flowing the product, pull systems, and the concept of continuous improvement. The opportunity to learn from peers is realized through team exercises, case studies, and class presentations that demonstrate the lean concepts taught in the course.