PMP Prep/PM-SM™ Certification – 5/20/2024

Program Title:         PMP Prep/PM-SM™ Certification

Duration:                  35 hours

Program Description

This course combines the USA’s most successful PMP prep class with a new credential, William George Associates’ PM-SM™ (Project Manager-Scrum Master™). This course updates waterfall project management concepts in the tradition of PMI, with Agile/Scum, thus creating an improved and unified set of better practices. The development and release of this course results from observation of market trends where relatively few organizations have dedicated Scrum Masters but DO have full-time Project Managers. The responsibilities of the Project Manager and Scrum Master have overlapped since the advent of Agile in the 1990’s, so it makes sense to certify professionals in this dual role. This increases the efficiency, value, and adoption of Scrum without forcing new titles. The delivery of this course is Hybrid meaning it is a combination of live instruction and online lectures.

Who should take this course?

Anyone wanting to prepare for the PMP Exam while also attaining a new powerful and relevant credential – the PM-SM™. Anyone interested in becoming a leader of teams and projects with all the required human skills. The PMP credential is still highly valued in the industry and the knowledge, skills, and techniques taught in class not only prepare participants for the exams but learns and applies new skills in a significant class project

Project Management Class Syllabus

Introduction and PMP Exam overview

Learning objective:

• Learn about the PMI application process.
• Overview the PMP Exam details.
• Learn exam-taking tools and techniques.
• How to enroll in the PMP Exam.
• Identify exam preparation key methodologies.

Students take Baseline Assessment test (one hour)

The Project Management Framework

Learning objective:

• Define what a project is and what project management is.
• Understand the 9 project management knowledge areas.
• Define a project life cycle.
• Identify and define project stakeholders.
• Specify influences of organizational structures on project management.
• Highlight the skills required for a project manager.
• Define the Project Manager’s responsibilities.
• Identify social-economic environmental influences to projects.
• Define the 5 process groups of project management.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Integration Management

Learning objective:

• Define the project manager’s role as integrator.
• Control “gold plating” through work authorization.
• Understand the value of documenting lessons learned.
• Create a project plan.
• Define the Execution of the project plan.
• Know the use of baselines to monitor the progress of the project.
• Define integrated change control.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Scope Management

Learning objective:

• Highlight methods for project selection.
• Define the elements and importance of the project charter.
• Identify project constraints.
• Development of a scope management plan.
• Development of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Implementing scope verification.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Summary of concepts and approaches to questions for the PMP Exam

Project Simulation: Case Study

Project Time Management (Scheduling)

Learning objective:

• Methods for developing a schedule.
• Developing network diagrams (PERT, CPM and PDM charts).
• Using dependencies.
• Calculating the critical path(s) for the project.
• Calculating slack.
• Crashing and fast tracking a project.
• Resource leveling.
• Developing a schedule management plan.
• Use of CPM, PERT and Monte Carlo to estimate the duration of the project.
• Schedule Control.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Simulation: Case Study

Project Cost Management

Learning objective:

• Resource Planning.
• Cost estimating through analogous estimating, bottom up estimating, parametric estimating and computerized estimating tools.
• Earned value analysis.
• Order of Magnitude, Budget and Definitive estimates.
• Calculating Present Value, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Payback Period, Benefit Cost Ratio and Opportunity Cost.
• Variable Cost, Fixed Costs, Direct Cost and Indirect Cost.
• Project Life Cycle Costing.
• Value Analysis.
• Cost control.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Simulation: Case Study

Project Quality Management

Learning objective:

• Responsibility for quality.
• Impacts of poor quality.
• Tools used for Quality Management Planning.
• Developing a Quality Management Plan.
• Implementing Quality Assurance.
• Quality Control through Fishbone Diagram, Pareto Diagram, and Control Chart.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Simulation: Case Study

Project Resource Management

Learning objective:

• Roles and responsibilities for project manager, team members, project sponsor and management.
• Organizational planning.
• Staff acquisition.
• Developing a responsibility chart.
• Team building.
• Leadership skills.
• Human resource constraints.
• Conflict management and resolution.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Team Building Class Exercise

Project Communication Management

Learning objective:

• Developing a communications plan.
• Communication methods.
• Communication blockers.
• Performance reporting.
• Administrative closure.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Communication Skill Building Exercise

Project Risk Management

Learning objective:

• Developing a risk management plan.
• Techniques for identifying risks.
• Categorizing risks.
• Qualitative risk analysis.
• Quantitative risk analysis.
• Using a decision tree.
• Developing a risk response plan.
• Risk response strategies.
• Risk monitoring and control.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Procurement Management

Learning objective:

• Procurement planning.
• Advantages and disadvantages of contract type selection.
• Solicitation planning.
• Solicitation.
• Source selection.
• Negotiation.
• Contract administration.
• Contract change control.
• Contract close-out.

Chapter Practice Questions and Solutions Class Discussion

Project Management Ethical Responsibility and Code of Conduct

Students take Verification Assessment Test

Agile Product Development/Project Management

Learning objective:

• Introduction to Agile/Scrum
• Team building activity review
• Scrum Team Roles
• Team Formation
• Understanding Vision
• User Story creation
• Backlog Grooming
• Release Planning
• Sprint Planning
• Scrum Day to Day operations
• Retrospectives – making them productive
• Scrum Tools
• Reporting/Velocity
• Goals and Milestones
• Scalability- The Spotify model
• Class project
  • Create vision statement
  • Create business plan
  • Document requirements
  • Identify all Features for Release 1 (MVP)
  • Write User Stories
  • Detailed sprint planning session to determine tasks, effort and duration for the sprint
• Role plays for daily stand-ups
• Course retrospective
• Certification Exam
• Graduation

Training materials

• Baseline Test™ and Verification Test™
• PMP®/Agile Practice Questions
• WGA Training Manual
• WGA Student workbook
• Class project simulation materials
• Project Templates.