Class Details
Project Management Course: Microsoft Project
Course summary
This course provides an introduction to Microsoft Project for project professionals. Microsoft Project is a software package that supports project managers to plan, baseline, monitor and control a project schedule, budget and resource allocation throughout the life of a project.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- set and manage relationships between project tasks
- develop a simple project schedule, resource sheet and budget within defined constraints using MS Project
- analyse a schedule in MS Project to understand the critical path
- develop a resource sheet to estimate your project budget
- monitor and control a project using MS Project
- explain the benefits and challenges of using MS Project
- identify the challenges and flexibility in the schedule and develop options for optimisation
- produce reports using MS Project
- level resources
- develop an awareness of further learning to get even more out of MS Project, as well as Enterprise Project and Project Online.
Content
Recap on theory
- A refresh on the project management framework and scheduling concepts
MS Project basics
- Navigating MS Project
- Different views available
- Setting up a new project
Integrated project planning
- Developing a WBS and input activity, durations and dependencies to develop a simple Gantt chart
- Building and analysing a project schedule including network analysis, critical path analysis
- Creating and using project resource tables
- Project budget definition
Monitoring and controlling
- Baseline and rebaselining a plan
- Tracking task completion
- Reporting with MS Project
Awareness of more tools
- Benefits and challenges of MS Project, when to use it and what it's good for
- Beyond MS Project: Enterprise, Online, SharePoint integration & other scheduling packages.
Prerequisites
Who this course is for
This course is for professionals involved in planning, coordinating or delivering projects and business improvement initiatives in their organisation. It applies across structured and fast-moving project environments, including engineering, construction, health, education, government, commercial and non-profit sectors.
- Project managers looking to improve planning, delivery and oversight
- ‘Accidental’ project managers managing projects without formal training
- Team leaders, supervisors and business leaders responsible for project outcomes
- Project coordinators, business analysts and subject matter experts
- Change leaders, managers and support staff involved in organisational initiatives
- Anyone working on projects who wants to better manage timelines, stakeholders and priorities
Delivery style
This two-day course focuses on experiential learning. Content is broken into 10-15 minute blocks and immediately followed by group activities where the theory is put into action.
A range of interactive methods will be used including:
- storytelling and the use of professional examples to exhibit the concepts
- self-reflection and group discussions
- case studies where the concepts are actively applied
- individual and team activities and presentations
- suggested readings for after training.
Materials
You will receive:
- online course materials with case study activities
- an online project management toolkit with templates
- a Statement of Completion.
What you need to do before the course
For this course, you will need Microsoft Project installed on your device and a Microsoft account.
- Required operating system: Windows (please note that the software is not available on Apple devices)
- Required software: Microsoft Project 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 (excluding trial versions)
Face-to-face classes (CCE, Sydney)
Classes are held in a computer lab. You do not need to bring your own device or login details.
Online classes
For the best experience, we recommend using a computer with a large monitor or dual screens/devices. Small laptop screens can make it difficult to follow the facilitator’s display while working in the software.
Sessions
Location
Face-to-face (CCE Building, Sydney)
Public transport
As bus and train timetables regularly change, we suggest you visit the Transport for NSW trip planner before you set out.
The nearest train stations are Newtown Station and Macdonaldtown Station. Macdonaldtown Station is closer by distance than Newtown Station, however trains do not stop as frequently as at Newtown Station.
Other information
Parking
Nearby parking is available at Wilson Parking - RPA Medical Centre Car Park (entry via Elizabeth Street off Carillon Avenue).
A Flexi Saver Rate is available but must be booked in advance online and includes the booking fee. Bookings can be made via the Wilson website or by downloading the Wilson Parking App. Otherwise, hourly parking rates will apply, as advertised on the Wilson Parking website.
Meet the facilitators
Angela Chellas
Angela is a dedicated and engaging international facilitator and speaker. Her extensive and ongoing project experience ensures that participants of her project workshops receive a mixture of theory, actual examples of their application, and practical tips.
For over 20 years, Angela has helped numerous global organisations increase their project management capability and improve efficiencies in their delivery. Some of Angela's notable clients include the Department of Veterans' Affairs, ANSTO, Australian Wool Innovation, PWC, MBM, and NRL. Her experience in the field ensures that she's not only able to provide students with an understanding of the principles of project management, but also give examples of how these can produce successful outcomes on projects. On every new project and program, Angela is constantly learning new skills and techniques which keep her workshops current and relevant.
Angela has a Bachelor of Arts, a Post Graduate Certificate of Marketing and an Advanced Diploma of Project Management. In 2001, she became a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and member of the Project Management Institute. She is a PRINCE2 Practitioner and holds Project+ certification with CompTIA. Angela has a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is also a Myers Briggs accredited facilitator. She sat on the Board of Project Management Institute Sydney Chapter for two years and Nominating Committee for three years.
