Course Outline / Agenda

DAY ONE

8:00-8:30 AM

> Registration / Breakfast / Networking

8:30–9:00 AM

> PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

• Welcome, introduction, logistics
• Start with the end in mind
• Your expectations for these two days?
• Setting up your post-program action plan
• Challenge yourself: take the PM quiz

9:00–9:45 AM

> PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY

• Project management—science and art
• The project-focused firm
• Effective PM organization
• PMs and principals: definitions
• The project manager's place in the firm
• Best PMs—performance benchmarks
• Best PMs—habits, traits, roles and responsibilities

9:45–10:15 AM

> SELL THE WORK

• The business development cycle and definitions
• Organizing for selling
• The PM’s role in business development
• Best PM business development practices
• PM business development performance metrics
• Business development portion of PM job description

10:15–10:30 AM

> Break

10:30–11:00 AM

> MARKETING

• Marketing—process vs. art
• Market segment definitions
• Market cycles
• Know a good client when you see one
• Quality client criteria
• Build relationships
• Cross selling
• Techniques to overcome obstacles
• Filling the pipeline
• Positioning to win

11:00–11:30 AM

> SALES

• The proposal
• Issues, features, benefits, proofs
• Know the risks
• What’s your value proposition?
• Competing on price
• What to do differently on large project proposals
• Winning proposals
• Winning presentations
• Proposals & presentation “Do” checklists
• PM Go-No Go evaluation form

11:30 AM–NOON

> NEGOTIATIONS

• Have a plan
• Give and take
• Types of contracts
• Most profitable contracts
• Contract clauses you want
• Contract clauses you don’t want

NOON-1 PM

> Lunch

PLAN THE WORK

1:00–2:00 PM

> THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN (PMP)

• Why plan?
• Elements of a good PMP
• Techniques for work breakdown structure
• Work breakdown structure task list development
• Avoiding work planning common mistakes
• Work planning / job set-up best practices

2:00–2:45 PM

> PROJECT SCHEDULE

• Types of schedules
• Selecting the best type of schedule
• Project scheduling software
• Avoiding scheduling common mistakes
• Why work sequence is so important
• The "Two Matrix Method" of project management
• Scheduling best practices

2:45–3:00 PM

> Break

3:00–4:00 PM

> PROJECT BUDGET

• Multipliers and financial terms
• Different ways to budget
• Contingency is not profit
• Value pricing
• Budgeting benchmarks
• Target multipliers and markups
• Budgeting best practices

4:00–4:15 PM

> Day one Q&A

4:15 PM

> End of day one

DAY TWO

8:00-8:30 AM

> Breakfast / Networking

WORK THE PLAN

8:30–8:45 AM

> START WORK

• Kicking off the project
• Projecting & coordinating project staff time

8:45–9:30 AM

> TRACK, CONTROL & REPORT PROGRESS

• Organizing for resource allocation
• It’s part of your job as PM
• Estimate cost to complete
• Reporting project status in project reviews
• Large vs. small project differences
• Performance benchmarks (achieved vs. target multipliers)
• Controls and reporting best practices

9:30–10:00 AM

> BILL THE JOB & GET PAID (CASH FLOW)

• Cash flow and why it is important
• Cash flow terms—WIP; A/R
• PMs, accounting, principals and the invoicing process
• PMs, accounting, principals and the collection process
• Cash flow performance benchmarks

10:00–10:15 AM

> Break

10:15–11:00 AM

> MANAGE SCOPE CHANGE

• Start with your contract
• Record all changes
• Don’t wait to communicate
• Change management best practices

11:00–11:30 AM

> MANAGE THE CLIENT

• Influencing client expectations
• Client communications
• Weekly project status report
• Best meeting management practices
• Proactive client loyalty
• Client sponsor roles & responsibilities
• Client satisfaction program
• Dealing with what you can’t control

11:30 AM–NOON

> LEAD THE TEAM

• The art of leadership
• Leading vs. managing
• Communication
• Delegation
• Task definition and follow-up
• Managing subs

NOON-1 PM

> Lunch

1:00–2:30 PM

> PEOPLE MAP

• Behavior types
• The workbook
• What is your behavior type?
• Strengths / weaknesses of behavior types
• Communicating with all types
• The new "Golden Rule"

2:30–2:45 PM

> Break

2:45–3:00 PM

> MINIMIZE RISK / ENSURE QUALITY

• Check your contract
• Understanding claims reality
• Identifying risk factors
• Techniques for mitigating risks
• Efficient and effective QA/QC
• Risk management best practices

3:00–3:15 PM

> MANAGE YOUR TIME

• Four quadrants
• Seven habits of highly effective people
• Closed door policy
• Other time management best practices

3:15–3:30 PM

> CLOSE THE JOB OUT

• Why project close out is important
• Plan your project completion
• Celebrate success; recognize performance
• Best practices for a successful close out

3:30–3:45 PM

> MANAGING MULTIPLE PROJECTS

• How many can you handle?
• Efficiencies
• Best firm performance benchmarks

3:45–4:15 PM

> WHAT HAPPENS MONDAY?

• What did you learn?
• Quiz review
• Personal action plan
• What do you want to focus on first?
• How can you keep yourself accountable?
• What should you tell your boss?

4:15–4:30 PM

> SEMINAR WRAP-UP

• Q&A
• Evaluation / feedback
• Certificates
• AIA LUs

4:30 PM

> Program Ends