|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
OUTLINE - PRACTICAL PROJECT SKILLS TRAINING |
|||
|
|
2.1. Following the usual preliminaries, the students are given an overview of project management vs. line management; what are the
differences? what are the similarities? what are the consequences of failure? what are the benefits of success? 2.2. For the first project (and for all projects in the early sessions), the course is divided into
two groups. This particular project has a special, immediate and unforgettable impact in teaching the students the need for establishing clear terms of reference. A professional and systematic (not bureaucratic)
approach to getting the job done is then developed. 2.3. The next session addresses business meetings and discussions - their planning, preparation and control. A movie is shown illustrating a typical business
meeting in progress and highlighting the problems and alternative solutions to key critical points as they arise. 2.4. The second group project (as all breakout activities are from this point on) is designed to
give the students the opportunity to put into practice some of the techniques covered thus far on the course, introduces some new problems and, in the subsequent assessment, emphasizes the lessons learned. 2.5.
There follows a specific study of time management - the importance of it, short-term and long-term goal setting and some practical and realistic ways to manage time more effectively. A movie is shown to
reinforce the points made and a personal self-appraisal exercise is undertaken. This session is not your traditional approach to the topic. 2.6. The next session is the only lecture-type session on
an otherwise heavily 'hands-on' oriented course. The subject here is planning and control, where an appropriate amount of time is spent demonstrating how a plan is drawn up. The three basic stages - precedence
setting of activities, estimating (effort and duration) and scheduling are all vividly illustrated with the emphasis placed not only on initial planning, but also on contingency planning. Included in this session
are some specific ideas and tools for effective project control and negotiation of scope. 2.7. The next session, on motivation, is a discussion on what motivates the individual to do the job. It is a lively
event where the pros and cons of the subject are aired and real life experiences debated. Emphasis is placed on the fact that, despite all of the other factors related to motivation, perhaps the greatest motivator
is the demeanour and professionalism of the manager him/herself setting the example for the subordinates. 2.8. Despite all plans, controls, management techniques etc., things do go wrong and the next session on
the course regarding lateral thinking looks at creative and unusual ways to perhaps solve those 'impossible' problems that cannot seem to be resolved by conventional analytical thought. 2.9. The ensuing group
project once again encourages the students to practice the techniques discussed on the course thus far whilst managing a project under onerous time constraints, human and material resource constraints, etc. A
detailed analysis captures and consolidates the lessons learned. 2.10. One important facet of the manager is his or her awareness and use of particular leadership styles for particular situations in getting the
job done. What are the different styles? Where does the manager fit into the spectrum of autocrat to democrat? Is a person able to successfully change or vary one's natural style? A movie illustrates the different
styles, but the follow-up discussion also reminds the student that his or her style determines how others (managers and subordinates) see the student which may be quite different to his or her own perception
of themselves. 2.11. The lessons learned on the earlier sessions of the course are now put into practice extensively over the next session. It is at
this point that the participants are divided into three groups, terms of reference are distributed and they undertake to manage three separate but integrated projects. They will have the opportunity to manage and
to be managed and will have personal, constructive critiques given them based on their performance. Further 'real-life' problems encountered will be those concerned with budgets, cash flow,
management/subordinate relationships, commitment, communications etc. History shows that this exercise quickly does become real-life and totally realistic. The particular projects, although set within a fictitious
organization, are real and actual, and have to be completed by a deadline set for later in the course. It is not a typical 'case study' situation. 2.12. The projects continue into a second
day. Upon completion of the projects, there follows a consolidation session which analyzes the performance of the three teams and re-emphasizes the fact that the problems and challenges encountered on the class
projects will be waiting for them back at their place of work. Now, however, they will be far better equipped to tackle those challenges with the skills and techniques used on the course where they have proven to
themselves, in a no-risk environment, that they can and will work. 2.13. There follows a session on presentation techniques emphasizing the 'tricks of the trade' to enable the
individuals to perform significantly better at communicating their ideas, plans, etc. to an audience. The three groups reflect on the two-day projects (and, indeed, the course as a whole), consider the problems
that they encountered and the solutions found and then prepare a professional presentation. 2.14. The presentations given by the three project teams provide them with the opportunity to practice their newly
acquired presentation skills in a risk-free environment. Each individual and each team is constructively critiqued by the Course Director. The presentations, together with the Course Director's subsequent summary,
brings the whole event to a crisp and meaningful conclusion. |
|
|