Course details

Many people find themselves managing projects of various kinds without ever having received any training in how to do so. This seminar is aimed at all staff who find themselves managing projects, be they research projects, change projects, administrative projects, or projects of any other kind.

The seminar is designed as an introduction to the concepts of project management, and has been written with a view to the more common practices at Oxford University.  Project planning is the starting point but we also examine how to scope your project and to keep it on track.  Good planning and structure should make the management of your project as smooth, stress-free, and as successful as possible. In particular we examine:

• basic project management and project planning concepts
• projects in the context of the University
• defining projects, including setting project objectives
• scheduling of tasks and examining dependencies
• risk analysis and other project management tools
• the role of the project manager
• how to consider software and 'tools' for planning and management

The aim of the course is to help you to understand the processes involved in the effective planning and subsequent management of projects and how to begin to develop the necessary skills and knowledge. The course tries to avoid the jargon of the commercial and public sector project management methodologies but some context is given to these, in case further study is planned.  The approach is participative and interactive and attendees will be asked to discuss aspects of the course in the light of their current or intended projects.

This course is a stand-alone session, but it may be of particular interest to those who are taking the level 2 Introductory Certificate in Management.

Format: face-face
Intended for those who manage projects and will develop their project management skills

Objectives

• To enhance planning and scheduling skills
• To provide a basis with which to engage in the project methodologies largely in place across the University
• To introduce much of the language of project management and some of the techniques such as risk assessment and task oriented approaches
• To provide a basis for further study for those wishing to train in methodologies such as PRINCE2
• To be realistic about project bureaucracy (too much/lack of) in University projects