Project Schedule and Budget Control

Area of Interest: Project Management

Course Summary

The success of projects and the project management team is often measured through achieving the targeted projects’ time, cost and scope which have been set or estimated during the initiation of the projects. Therefore, it is critical to know the basic knowledge, tools and techniques for developing a proper project scope, scheduling and budgeting that scope, and finally control that schedule and budget over time.

This course introduces attendees to the underlying principles and practice of managing project schedule and budget. It covers the body of knowledge needed for effective management of projects addressing techniques for project planning; project scheduling including critical path method, variations, and mitigation techniques; project budgeting including financial analysis; managing resources; project progress reporting and project control such as earned value management (EVM).

The course includes a number of practical exercises to reinforce attendees’ understanding of the relevant concepts and techniques and to allow application of the gained knowledge to real-life projects. The exercises are conducted as a combination of tutorials and activities that step through the various activities, focusing on schedule, resources and budgeting management for instance identifying and tracking critical path issues. The course is ideally suited to those who are new to project scheduling, budgeting and control methods; no prior knowledge or experience is assumed.

Duration: 3 Days

Delivery Mode: Face-to-face and online. You choose how you would like to attend.

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Course Content

Introduction to Project Management

Reviewing project management concepts and frameworks

Scope Management

Initiation | Scope planning | Scope definition | Scope verification | Scope change control

Time Management

Activity definition | Activity duration estimating | Activity sequencing | Schedule development | Schedule control

Critical Path Method

Schedule Network Analysis | Activity of Node | Activity on Arrow

Project Scheduling Exercise 1

An exercise with a simple scope to reinforce schedule management and CPM.

Resource Management

Resource Optimisation Techniques | Resource levelling | Resource smoothing | Schedule Compression Techniques (e.g., Crashing)

Project Resource Management Exercise 2

An exercise with a simple scope to reinforce resource management and resource levelling and smoothing techniques.

Cost Management

Financial Analysis | Cost Benefit Analysis | Cost estimating | Cost baseline | Budgeting | Cost control

Project Budgeting Exercise 3

An exercise focussed on project cost management, development of cost baseline and project budget.

Project Control

Earned value management (EVM) | Earned Schedule (ES)

Project Control Exercise 4

An exercise to reinforce project control techniques such as EVM and ES.

Project Management Exercise 5

An integrated exercise to reinforce all the concepts and techniques in a logical and sequential manner by applying them to manage a real simple project.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course, participants shall be able to:

• Know various techniques for project planning
• Develop project schedule and analyse the critical activities
• Manage and optimise required resources
• Analyse the financial aspects of projects and develop a time-phased project budget.
• Analyse and control the progress of the project over time
• Statement of Attendance / Badge is provided upon completion

Who should attend

Ideal for: Anyone requiring an understanding of project management, including, but not exclusive to:

• Project and program managers
• Sustainment and acquisition project managers
• Aspiring project managers
• Cost analysts
• Schedule analysts
• Systems engineers
• Technical staff
• Logistic managers
• Capability development staff
• Infrastructure Planners
• Capability managers
• Contract/Procurement managers
• Engineers
• Engineering managers
• Business managers
• Procurement officers

Instructors

Dr Alireza Abbasi is Coordinator of Project Management programs at UNSW Canberra.  He also holds a graduate certificate in University Learning and Teaching from UNSW. His research and teaching interests include project management, management science, information systems management and network science. He has written a book, three book chapters and over 80 technical journal and conference papers.  

Dr Abbasi has had several appointments and been involved in different projects in IT/Software, Oil, Education and R&D sectors. He is an active member of several professional bodies including Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM), Project Management Institute (PMI), and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM).