When does class start/end?
Class hours may vary, please reach out to contact@ascendientlearning.com if you have any questions.
Project Management Fundamentals (PM Fund)
A well-planned, well-managed project provides clarity, reduces risk, controls cost, and delivers value to the business. In this course, you will learn the fundamentals and best practices of project...
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$2,385 USD
Duration
3 days
Course Code
2868
Available Formats
Virtual, Classroom
Overview
A well-planned, well-managed project provides clarity, reduces risk, controls cost, and delivers value to the business.
In this course, you will learn the fundamentals and best practices of project management through hands-on, real-world exercises. Ensure that you are delivering business value by assessing a projects business case, identifying stakeholders and their relationship to your project, capturing product requirements, and establishing quality metrics to guide the development of your product and reassess the business case. Define product scope to provide clarity for project delivery and create a work breakdown structure to define project scope for the team. Manage your project within the planned budget and schedule by managing change and identifying and managing risks, assumptions, and constraints. Track the delivery of business value and close projects out cleanly.
By the end of this course, you should have gained a good understanding and experience of the core competencies that make a successful project manager.
Students pursuing a university-recognized and/or accredited certificate in Canada or continuing education units in the US must attend at least 90% of class time, participate in class exercises and section-knowledge checks, and score at least 70% on an end-of-class, multiple-choice assessment.
PMI is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
This is a BYOD course. Students should bring a PC, Mac, or tablet to class in order to access digital course materials. Students can download a copy of the course materials in their MyGK account.
Skills Gained
- Articulate the relevance of core project management competences.
- Identify key project goals and assumptions and set the stage for value delivery.
- Understand how to identify stakeholders and assess how to engage with them during the project.
- Meet stakeholder informational needs by creating an actionable communication plan.
- Articulate product scope as part of the charter.
- Become familiar with the process of eliciting and capturing requirements.
- Create the WBS and dictionary that would deliver the scope in the project charter.
- Perform a more detailed and systematic assessment of risk.
- Articulate guiding quality characteristics for the project.
- Sequence activities, create schedule, and estimate the cost of the project.
- Manage change in projects.
- Track value delivery in projects.
- Understand the basics of a project retrospective.
Who Can Benefit
- Anyone who is involved in, or affected by, projects or change management within an organization, including project managers, IT project managers, project coordinators, team leaders, product managers, program managers, project team members, subject matter experts, analysts, stakeholders, and senior managers who want to get more out of their project teams
- Anyone in a leadership role who will benefit from an introduction to the art and science of project management
- You should not take this course if you have taken IT Project Management or Applied Project Management. The subjects covered are the same.
Course Details
1. Foundations
- Formal vs. informal project management
- Project Management Institute (PMI) framework
- Project management life cycle
2. Initiating
- Role of the project manager
- Project charter
- Stakeholder identification and assessment
- Progressive elaboration
3. Planning
- Planning around project constraints
- SMART objectives
- Converting objectives into requirements
- Decomposition of requirements into a work breakdown structure
- Developing a work breakdown structure dictionary
- Principles of estimating time and cost
- Analyzing work and estimating duration of work packages
- Determining sequence of work packages
- Network diagramming and critical path analysis
- Budgeting resources and cost control
- Ensuring that all management responsibility areas are included in the project plan
- Analyzing risks for probability and impact
- Mitigating and planning risk contingencies
- Preparing baselines for scope, time, and cost
- Obtaining stakeholder sign-off
4. Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling
- Team-building principles and priorities
- Status and performance reporting
- Management by exception
- Keeping stakeholders informed and involved
- Steering performance back to the baseline
- Integrated change controls
5. Closing
- Transitioning the product or service
- Capturing lessons learned for the organization
- Final report to stakeholders
Exercises
- Formal vs. Informal Project Management
- Analyze Stakeholders
- Convert Vague Objectives into SMART Objectives
- Create a Work Breakdown Structure
- Estimate Effort and Duration for Work Packages
- Perform Network Diagramming and Determine Critical Path
- Estimate Resource Costs for Work Packages
- Analyze and Plan for Risk
- Manage Project Change
- Review Lessons Learned
Hands-On Exercises
- Project Management Terminology
- Establish the Project Background and Develop the Project Mini Charter
- Stakeholder Identification and Analysis
- Project Roles and Responsibilities
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix
- Defining Assumptions and Constraints
- Communications Planning
- Risk Planning
- Change Management Planning
- Develop the WBS
- Activity Definition
- Estimate Activity Duration
- Calculate the Critical Path
- Develop the Project Schedule
- Project Controls
- Calculating Earned Value
- Manage Expectations
- Plan for Closure
- Evaluate PM Competencies
Exercises
- Formal vs. Informal Project Management
- Analyze Stakeholders
- Create a Project Charter and Present to Sponsor
- Begin Discovery Planning: Scope Analysis
- Quickly Estimate Time and Cost for Work Packages
- Overall Risk Review
- Summarize and Report to Management: End Discovery Planning
- Begin Iterative Planning: Update Strategy and Revise Scope Documents
- Time Analysis: Estimating and Network Diagramming
- Cost Analysis
- Risk Analysis: End Iterative Planning
- Baseline Planning: Create PMB and Report to Management
- Monitor and Control: Manage Discovered Change
- Closure: Lessons Learned Survey
Schedule
10 options available
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Apr 21, 2025 - Apr 23, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 11:30 – 19:30 EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |11:30 – 19:30 EDT- Enroll
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Apr 28, 2025 - Apr 30, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 08:30 – 16:30 EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |08:30 – 16:30 EDT- Enroll
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May 5, 2025 - May 7, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT- Enroll
- Enroll Add to quote
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May 12, 2025 - May 14, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT- Enroll
- Enroll Add to quote
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Jun 2, 2025 - Jun 4, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT- Enroll
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Jun 9, 2025 - Jun 11, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT- Enroll
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Jul 21, 2025 - Jul 23, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT- Enroll
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Aug 4, 2025 - Aug 6, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT- Enroll
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Oct 13, 2025 - Oct 15, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT- Enroll
- Enroll Add to quote
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Oct 20, 2025 - Oct 22, 2025 (3 days)
Virtual | 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT Language English Select from 1 options below Virtual |11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EDT- Enroll
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FAQ
Does the course schedule include a Lunchbreak?
Classes typically include a 1-hour lunch break around midday. However, the exact break times and duration can vary depending on the specific class. Your instructor will provide detailed information at the start of the course.
What languages are used to deliver training?
Most courses are conducted in English, unless otherwise specified. Some courses will have the word "FRENCH" marked in red beside the scheduled date(s) indicating the language of instruction.
What does GTR stand for?
GTR stands for Guaranteed to Run; if you see a course with this status, it means this event is confirmed to run. View our GTR page to see our full list of Guaranteed to Run courses.
How do I find an Ascendient Learning training location?
We have training locations across the United States and Canada - View a complete list of classroom training locations.
Which delivery formats are available?
At Ascendient Learning, we offer training that is Instructor-Led, Online, Virtual, and Self-Paced.
Does Ascendient Learning deliver group training?
Yes, we provide training for groups, individuals and private on sites. View our group training page for more information.
What does vendor-authorized training mean?
As a vendor-authorized training partner, we offer a curriculum that our partners have vetted. We use the same course materials and facilitate the same labs as our vendor-delivered training. These courses are considered the gold standard and, as such, are priced accordingly.
Is the training too basic, or will you go deep into technology?
It depends on your requirements, your role in your company, and your depth of knowledge. The good news about many of our learning paths, you can start from the fundamentals to highly specialized training.
How up-to-date are your courses and support materials?
We continuously work with our vendors to evaluate and refresh course material to reflect the latest training courses and best practices.
Are your instructors seasoned trainers who have deep knowledge of the training topic?
Ascendient Learning instructors have an average of 27 years of practical IT experience and have also served as consultants for an average of 15 years. To stay current, instructors spend at least 25 percent of their time learning new, emerging technologies and courses.
Do you provide hands-on training and exercises in an actual lab environment?
Lab access is dependent on the vendor and the type of training you sign up for. However, many of our top vendors will provide lab access to students to test and practice. The course description will specify lab access.
Will you customize the training for our company’s specific needs and goals?
We will work with you to identify training needs and areas of growth. We offer a variety of training methods, such as private group training, on-site of your choice, and virtually. We provide courses and certifications that are aligned with your business goals.
How do I get started with certification?
Getting started on a certification pathway depends on your goals and the vendor you choose to get certified in. Many vendors offer entry-level IT certification to advanced IT certification that can boost your career. To get access to certification vouchers and discounts, please contact info@ascendientlearning.com.
Will I get access to content after I complete a course?
You will get access to the PDF of course books and guides, but access to the recording and slides will depend on the vendor and type of training you receive.
How do I request a W9 for Ascendient Learning?
View our filing status and how to request a W9.
Reviews
ExitCertified was a great. They gave me all the materials and information I needed ahead of time to prepare for the course.
vary good online learning. instructor is vary good the way he explained every thing.
Fantastic and great training. Tons of hands-on labs to really make you understand the material being thought.
The course was informative, and I learnt a new skill. The instructor was up to the point.
Instructor was great, course was mostly very good except for too much focus on pricing
