Project Management Lollapalooza

Join us for a whirlwind tour of project management. We'll cover the basics you need to know from getting started to cost containment and we'll allot significant time for smaller group in-depth looks at the specific areas you are most interested in learning about.

Getting Started
The decision to move to project management sounds great - now how do you do it? No matter where the decision originated, we will show practical steps to move from fractured development practices to building a process to increase efficiencies and productivity.

Essential Project Management Tools and Skills
Learning to use and apply project management is a valuable and important skill. By focusing on the big picture and getting back to basics, anyone can master simple project management concepts like roles and responsibilities and if-then thinking.

Gathering Business Requirements
Gathering requirements can feel like being trapped inside a complex maze without a guidebook. Learn the secret codes and handshakes needed to successfully elicit the real business requirements and how to present those requirements in an understandable and compelling manner.

Building a Project Management Communications Plan
Communications is key to a successful project. Integrating communications into each of the four project phases ensures key stakeholders are informed, expectations are managed, and the campus constituents are well-informed and prepared for the new service.

Establishing Your IT Portfolio
The role of the Portfolio Management Office (PMO) is more than just reporting; it is a facilitator of processes that enable selection and management of IT projects. Many factors can influence project prioritization such as: cost, risk, client impact, alignment to organizational values, and IT governance. Managing these factors in a consistent and transparent way can greatly enhance the value IT delivers to an organization. The discussion will focus on what is IT Portfolio Management, the benefits, and tips on successfully establishing a Portfolio Management Office.

PM and PPM Tools - A Low Cost, Cloud Based Solution
An effective PMO, which manages multiple, concurrent projects, requires tools which track proposals, projects, and resources at both the project and portfolio levels. We take a brief look at a relatively low cost solution using standardized templates and readily available, cloud based tools.