New Training: Introduction to Project Management

In this 7-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Simona Millham covers some foundational concepts of project management, including the project lifecycle and the five project management process groups as defined by the PMI. Watch this new Project Management training.

Watch the full course: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

This training includes:

• 7 videos

• 33 minutes of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Defining a Project

• What is Project Management?

• Projects, Programs, and Portfolios

• Project Life Cycles

• Project Management Processes

• Process Groups

• Tailoring for Different Projects

Project Management Is More Than Meetings and Deadlines

Many people might think that project management is as simple as creating meetings and setting deadlines. That couldn't be further from the truth. Because being a project manager involves so many moving parts, a framework was developed to help organize project managers called the project management lifecycle.

The project management lifecycle consists of four stages:

• Initiation Stage

• Planning Stage

• Execution Stage

• Closure Stage

The Initiation Stage is arguably one of the most important stages. During this stage, a project manager will speak with stakeholders, discover use cases and requirements, and identify potential issues.

The Planning Stage takes the information gathered from the Initiation Stage and develops a roadmap for the project. This includes scheduling tasks, deadlines, and milestones.

The Execution Stage turns that plan into action. During this stage, the project's team will actively work towards meeting goals and producing output.

The Closure Stage is a postmortem. During this stage, the project manager will identify how well the project was executed, measure performance and deliverables, summarize key events, and perform the final project wrap-up.

The project management lifecycle is an important process that ensures projects run smoothly. A successful project manager will fully understand the importance of each stage and how to utilize them.