• 2008.09.04 - 09.07   [Shanghai]   English with sequential Chinese interpretation

Dear Executive,

Project management is a topic that has recently generated great interest in organisations worldwide. As product life cycles shorten, as enterprises re-engineer themselves, and as globalisation increases, project-style work becomes an increasingly important aspect of business life. Because of the rapid changes in China - new businesses, joint ventures, the introduction of new technology and a booming construction sector - project management has become a particularly important skill area.

Projects differ from routine operations, and they can benefit from the application of special tools for planning and management. A project is generally considered to be a one-time endeavour with a specific goal, constrained by time and resources. Projects are often executed by interdisciplinary teams and supported by outside entities such as subcontractors, partners and suppliers.

The programme will include such topics as project selection, defining customer needs, establishing goals, developing work breakdown structures, assigning responsibility, assessing and managing risks, teamwork, time and cost estimation, network scheduling models such as PERT and CPM, using software such as MS Project, monitoring progress, and post-project review. Although we have a defined structure of topics, there will be some flexibility in the way we allocate our time in order to accommodate the interests of the participants.

This will be the sixth time I have taught this programme for CEIBS in Shanghai, and I have been teaching similar programmes for 17 years in other locations. It is my belief that this experience, along with my continuing exposure to China, will enable me to deliver meaningful and useful material that you can take back to your organisation and apply immediately.

Sincerely,

Karen A. Brown, Ph.D.
Programme Director

During this intensive and practical four-day programme, project managers are exposed to the most recent concepts and techniques employed in project management. To maximise its relevance and value, the programme draws heavily on the experiences of the participants and uses domestic and international case studies to illustrate key points. The instructor uses 'hands on' activities to introduce project management tools and concepts. The programme focuses on the variety of challenges that are faced by organisations when undertaking projects and on the need to understand project dynamics and the management of risk and uncertainty. It examines the project management process for a variety of project types, including engineering and construction, information technology, the development of new services and products and projects designed to improve how organisations work internally.

The objectives of this programme are to introduce participants to the project management process, to increase their awareness of potential risks, and to extend their knowledge and skills so that they may define, implement and evaluate projects using the best professional practices. An important aspect of this programme is the sharing of experiences with other professionals from all over China. While working on the exercises and case studies, participants will have opportunities to discuss their own problems with other participants and share ideas about possible solutions.

This programme is suitable for a wide variety of managers and staff groups who are directly involved in projects. It is of value to senior managers who initiate projects, new project managers who initiate projects, new project managers wishing to gain an overall understanding of their role, existing project managers who wish to update their knowledge and people who will work in project teams.

Participants in this programme will learn to:

• Meet the challenges of undertaking a wide variety of projects
• Identify key success criteria in the management of projects
• Identify appropriate organisational arrangements for different types of projects
• Apply multiple methods and criteria for selecting projects
• Use modern management methods for estimating, planning and controlling costs, time and resources
• Build high-performance project teams
• Forecast and manage risk
• Create an environment for constructive conflict resolution
• Measure project performance

• The strategic role of projects in organisations
• Project selection and portfolio management
• The project management process from initiation to completion
• Options for effective project organisation
• Team-based methods for project planning
• The role of the project manager/leader
• Motivating project team members
• Selling project ideas
• Risk management
• Project monitoring and control systems

Day 1

• morning
  • The role of projects in business strategy
  • Measures of project performance: triple constraint and balanced scorecard approaches
  • Key factors underlying project success
  • The effective project manager: traits and tools
  • Organisational structure and its supporting role in project management
• afternoon
  • Selling project ideas: group activity and discussion
  • Understanding project drivers: problems and opportunities
  • Project selection and prioritisation: the business case
  • Managing project portfolios
  • Project initiation: elements of the project charter

Day 2

• morning
  • Identifying options for achieving project goals: keeping an open mind
  • Creating an actionable work breakdown structure: group exercise
  • Estimating time and cost
  • Assigning team member roles and responsibilities
• afternoon
  • Case study: group activity and class discussion
  • Assessing and managing project risks: concepts and tools
  • Risk analysis team activity
  • Managing stakeholder needs and expectations

Day 3

• morning
  • Project scheduling tools: bar charts and network models (CPM)
  • Project scheduling team activity
  • Compressing project schedules
• afternoon
  • Managing projects with constrained resources
  • Critical chain concepts and how they differ from critical path concepts
  • Role overload in project environments: challenges of multi-tasking
  • Motivating project team members

Day 4

• morning
  • Dynamics of project progress: Murphy’s Law and other phenomena
  • Tools for monitoring progress: from checklists to earned value methods
  • Managing project change
  • The project manager's challenge: ensuring fairness in project environments
    afternoon
  • Project completion: handover to the customer and celebration
  • Post-project appraisal: assessing lessons learned
  • Case discussion
  • Course summary and individual action plans

Professor Karen Brown, Programme Director

Applications are reviewed as they arrive. Completed applications must be received 20 working days before the beginning of the programme. Any applications received after that date will be considered on a space-available basis. Please address all applications and enquiries to our customer service team in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen.

If a confirmed booking is cancelled within 15 working days before the programme's start, or if the nominee fails to attend the course, we will charge a cancellation fee that amounts to 20 per cent of the fee. If applicants are unable to attend the programme, the transfer to another CEIBS programme can be made only within the same calendar year. When a request for changing candidate(s) for the same programme is made less than 15 working days before the start of the programme, the seat(s) will not be guaranteed.

* CEIBS reserves the right to amend information on this programme including price, date, location, faculty, daily schedule and other details.

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The four-day programme has been very fulfilling. The explanation of the theory, case analysis, and stimulation was well organised and logical. I was able to quickly apply the management mindset and tools from the programme in my work.

Wang Rui
Purchasing Manager
Shanghai General Motors Co., Ltd.

The most helpful parts in the Project Management programme are those discussing stake-holders and resource management, which turned out to be quite useful to me. The professor succeeded in simplifying the complicated content of the course and creating a lively classroom atmosphere by throwing in a lot of movie episodes.

Sarah Wang
HR General Manager
Maersk (China)

Characterised by group discussion, running simulation projects, and offering prizes for participating, the programme is highly successful in motivating participants to learn and engaging them in the topic. Both the professors and translators were very professional, and the course management and service level involved left nothing more to be desired.

Li Hua
Vice General Manager
Guangxi Mobile Communication Company Limited

The Project Management programme offers me practical, novel and interesting tools, such as time scheduling, WBS and post-it. I am willing to put these learning into practice.

Deng Huanqing
Department Manager
Guangdong Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. Zhongshan Branch

Project management in fact presents in all kinds of work. It proved beneficial for me to attend the Project Management programme held by CEIBS. I have improved both my work efficiency and effectiveness. Now I often use the methods and concepts which I have learned about project management in my daily work, and also share these ideas with my colleagues!

Guo Baochang
Director of General Management Department
Guotai Asset Management Co., Ltd.