Foundations of Project Management - Lesson 1 Introduction & Concepts

The business environment is characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, which calls for a balanced and flexible way of managing project work. Hence awareness and confidence in the application of various methodologies and approaches fitting specific project and organisational context are essential for project management specialists today.

The module will introduce students to core concepts in project management and enable them to develop crucial project management skills required to deliver projects successfully in organisations. Specifically, students will gain in-depth understanding of the project management life cycle, project management strategies and project management software tools such as Microsoft Project.

Lesson one equips students with the skills to effectively use project management tools and strategies, enhancing business performance and sustainability practices. It emphasizes critical evaluation of project life cycles and strategies, along with practical application using project management software for team-based planning and presentation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify key project management tools and critically discuss how they can be used effectively to manage and enhance business performance
2. List and explain the stages of the project life cycle
3. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of project management strategies deployed by organisations and determine their suitability for a given project
4. Undertake impact assessment of a given project for the purpose of ascertaining the appropriate sustainability and corporate social responsibility strategy for a business organisation
5. Show teamwork, analysis and presentation skills by using project management software (e.g. Microsoft Project) to manage projects and present the project plan employed.

All lesson materials include reading materials, various exercises, activities, and assessments. The PowerPoint presentations are fully animated with scripts and ready to deliver. They contain a mixture of topic information, examples, and activities/exercises for each topic in the specification for the learning outcomes. All lessons are suitable for about 1 hour of teaching time in which class exercises and homework are integrated into lessons where appropriate.

We wish you all the best for the study, and should you have any further questions, please get in touch.