Understanding Project Management
Foundation level – the Understanding Project Management course is intended for 12 participants within your organisation, to introduce the concept of project management and associated techniques without any previous experience.
Participants attending the Understanding Project Management course do not need any prior knowlege of projects or programmes, and do not need any exposure to training on tools or methods.
Two day course – the Understanding Project Management course is typically run over two days.
Our Understanding Project Management course gives participants a clear, practical introduction to how projects really work. Across two days, attendees explore the fundamentals that distinguish projects from everyday business activities—such as clear objectives, unique deliverables, time constraints, temporary teams, and managing risk and uncertainty.
The course builds confidence in essential techniques including estimating, scheduling, task management, progress tracking, communication, and handling change. It also introduces core governance concepts like roles, responsibilities, and consistent project structures, helping participants work effectively with project teams and ensure business value is realised. Ideal for those interacting with projects, new project managers, and business leaders seeking stronger project awareness.
Beyond Method is learning constructed using our own best practice created from our inception as a specialist university institute in 1983; fusing the expertise of Cranfield University with the interests of six major users of change management: British Aerospace, British Gas, British Petroleum, British Telecom, Cable & Wireless and Longman.
A significant amount of research and investment was made into Cranfield Information Technology Institute (shortened to CITI in 1988) to take change professionals beyond methodologies – and learn how to successfully implement change!
Syllabus
The first module of our Making Projects Work course is concerned with project disciplines, the foundation stone for the successful management of projects. The emphasis is on effective planning; providing a clear view of what needs to be delivered by the project is a fundamental focus of a good project plan; having this focus makes measuring progress easier, so that any deviations from the plan (variances) can be identified and effectively managed.
The second module of our Making Projects Work course looks at what constitutes project success and the impact on the project of stakeholder expectations, in particular through the management of requirements, and the need to communicate progress accurately and effectively. Being a very practise–based programme, it is the how that is explored, and the why that is confirmed, the programme finishes with a case study which will test participants capacity to manage change in requirements improving all areas of the project. In a relatively safe environment good practices are reinforced while bad practices are explored leaving the participants with a collection of tools and approaches to use in their own projects.
As well as providing the knowledge, our approach involves drawing out examples from the attendees’ own experiences so that the relevance of the new techniques can be readily understood. Opportunities to practise via short exercises mean that the learning can add immediate value to current and future projects. A general business scenario is used as the basis for the exercises and attendees work together, taking turns to be the project manager, to define and plan the project.
Delivery can be tailored to suit your teams learning style and availability using face-to-face, virtual, or a blended approach using our learning hub to maximise the learning and development in the available time.
Find out more about our
Understanding Project Management
course
Leadership Development
Masterclasses and Workshops
Online
Learning
Chat
to us
