Project Management Training: Evolving With The Times
A project is any task which has a fixed beginning and a definite end, and is the system the modern workplace is built around. Developing an understanding of how projects work and the management tools and techniques to manage them are becoming essential skills. Project management training goes beyond narrow fields of training such as technology, management, etc. Since projects may involve all of these fields, project management training needs to be interdisciplinary.
Let's take the case of a software development project. A project is initiated only after proper justification is provided. For this to happen, there must be a genuine need for the outcome being desired to be project result. Project planning begins with understanding the requirements. The requirements in a software development project are set forth by the business analyst handling that client/relationship. The requirements need to be tested using cases. There is a variety of requirements analysis software available in the market. Once the requirements have been decided upon and documented properly, the next phase of project management begins.
Allocation of resources is an important part of Project Management and resource allocation is one of the cost centers. Therefore, efficient utilisation of all the resources is important for a succesful project management Modern day Project Management involves the use of Project Management Template to get to the goal.Templates of this kind are built into the program as work sheets.Hence, any Project Management Training program must include these features.
Any project involves two-way communication throughout the life cycle of the project. The feedback loop is of immense importance to project managers to understand the current status of project. Current status of project affects the project planning in future. Training in project management must therefore also include hands-on training on the communication tools being used in the particular project. Such training will reap in huge rewards. Communication training goes beyond mail software training. You must emphasize the relevance of routine check-ups during the life cycle of project.
Effective resource management involves proper allocation of right reosurces capable of doing tasks in a coherent manner in order that the project objectives are met. Human capital impacts Project cost directly or indirectly. Hence training in project management must include sessions on human organizational behavior, costing and human resource management. Such training must also include sessions on quality, value engineering and theory of constraints. The purpose of these theories are not just for educational purpose, but also for imbibing them as a practical guidelines for achieving the project goals. Therefore project management training must include tasks which involve application of the important learnings from the sessions.
Recently,some trainers have started illustrating project management concepts by using specially designed computer games. The essence of these games lies in their approach of involving the learner to use project management technology. These games are focussed in their approach towards training of project management concepts. Course assessments can be used to appraise the results of such game based training. We can safely sum up that training should not involve only teaching of traditional project management philosophies but also have the involvement of the learner,by having him perform tasks using the project management technology.
Project management training should include training on most of the fields. As training is provided initially its better to concentrate on most of the fields initially. As mentioned software development projects usually needs through understanding of the needs of a project for this a proper management technique is needed. Project management template helps in good training as it includes worksheet software tools. A good project management should include training on human resource management and good interpersonal skill development and many more. Finally a good training not only involves good trainer but also a good learner and a good training on management always leads to a good project management.
Published May 16th, 2007
Filed in Career, Computer, Technology
