GEOG 871 - Geospatial Technology Project Management

Lesson 1: Introduction to Project Management

• Understand what a project is, and the difference between a project, a program, and a product.
• Grasp the relationship between a project's objectives and the mission and goals of the organization for which the project is being carried out.
• Describe project management and its key elements.
• Characterize the organizational and business context of a project (project team, stakeholders, business requirements).
• Recognize the factors that contribute to an effective project plan and management approach.

Lesson 2: Organizational System, Project Life Cycle, Processes, and Procurement

• Describe organizational systems, structures, boundaries, and the roles of users, sponsors, and stakeholders within and outside of the organization.
• Recognize the phases of a project life cycle, highlighting the unique context of GIS projects.
• Describe the five project management process groups and how each occurs within each project phase.
• Understand the role and approach for managing project-related procurements of products and services.
• Appreciate the role of procurements for products and services in the context of GIS projects.

Lesson 3: Strategic Planning, Scope, and Project Charter

• Understand how GIS projects and GIS use should address an organization's mission and business needs
• Describe how strategic planning should influence projects undertaken by an organization.
• Define the scope of a project and its relationship to deliverables.
• Understand how to identify project benefits and prepare a convincing business case justification.
• Describe the importance, use, and design of a project charter.

Lesson 4: The Human Factor and Communication

• Understand human resource issues associated with personnel assignment, loading and leveling;
• Create and use appropriate human resource tools, such as project organizational charts and resource/responsibility matrices;
• Understand how client and contractor team members work together to complete project deliverables
• Grasp the importance of individual motivation, skills, and personality types in assembling and managing project teams; and
• Describe communication planning, and the best use of communication skills, tools, and technology.

Lesson 5: Project Work Planning and Scheduling

• Develop skills to describe how a project scope is addressed through an organized set of tasks.
• Describe the importance, use, and design approaches of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Understand task relationships and factors that impact task and project timing.
• Describe the Gantt chart's use as a tool to help visualize planned project tasks or task schedule status.
• Acquire basic familiarity and skills with the use of project management software.

Lesson 6: Project Resource and Cost Estimation

• Describe the basic principles and concepts of cost management.
• Describe key inputs into cost estimates and budgets.
• Assign resources (team labor time and monetary costs) to project tasks.
• Understand earned value management (EVM) as a means to track and manage project resources.

Lesson 7: Project Quality Management

• Understand the meaning of quality in the context of GIS projects and deliverables
• Understand the differences between quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control, and describe where each fits into the project life cycle
• Appreciate the specific quality parameters associated with typical GIS projects and deliverables
• Describe the history, techniques, and tools of quality control and management and cite organizations that develop and promote quality standards
• Understand the key processes and steps involved in quality management in GIS projects
• Describe aspects of GIS projects that require special attention to quality

Lesson 8: Project Risk Management

• Understand the purpose and basic concepts of risk management and how it is a part of project planning and execution
• Learn how to identify and categorize project risks
• Prepare a risk management matrix including assignment of levels of risk impact and probability
• Understand risk response strategies from the PMI (avoidance, mitigation, transference, and acceptance)
• Carry out a risk analysis including a detailed risk analysis, identification of triggers, and specific risk response actions
• Get familiar with the concepts of "change management" (the "first cousin" of risk management)

Lesson 9: Integration

• By the end of this lesson, you should be able to understand how all project components, covered in previous lessons, fit together and establish a well-coordinated and efficient environment for successful project execution.

Lesson 10: Project Plan

• Prepare a project plan that addresses all PMI "knowledge areas."
• Discuss effective execution of a project plan.
• Describe how the system view of an organization and integrated change control processes are important to GIS project managers.