After Your Project Management Training, Which Tools Will You Use?
One of the most common questions we hear in our project management classes is “what is the best tool?”
First, there are tools for all kinds of project management activities – scheduling, resource management, communication, etc.
Versatile is focused on Microsoft products. So we offer Microsoft Project training and support, including Microsoft Project Online. SharePoint is also a good tool for managing projects. Watch this video!
Here’s a great blog post from PMI on the topic of Project Management tools.
1.17.18
Save Money: Attend Microsoft Project Training
How much does re-work cost you? When you miss a deadline is there a penalty?
I make it a habit to fix problems – and better yet prevent them. Microsoft Project training is an investment in avoiding problems related to performing work out of sequence or falling behind because the schedule doesn’t make sense.
Yes, it costs money to attend Microsoft Project Training. How much does it cost NOT to attend?
9.19.17
Learning to Manage Intangible Projects
The project management discipline was created for tangible products - bridges, buildings, and nuclear powered warships. The current growth of project management is in intangible products: organizational redesign, recruiting strategies, and compensation plans for a few examples.
At Versatile, we've delivered project management training to construction firms and public school administrators. Our current growth audience is Human Resource professionals. So how do we help these knowledge workers bridge the gap between tangible and intangible products?
When an HR team recently attended our project management training in Seattle, they brought their projects with them. We used their projects in class, breaking down their end goal into major steps, then into specific tasks.
Every introductory project management class should teach you to clarify the tangible outcome of every task, even if that outcome is a recommendation or decision.
Thanks to Mark Mullaly, for posting on www.ProjectManagement.com to get me thinking about this.
8.31
Earn the CAPM: Certified Associate in Project Management
Making a career in project management is like many things - experience creates opportunities. But what about getting that experience? Versatile offers project management training online and onsite for people who want to earn their PMP or who just want to build their skills.
If you have taken project management training and think you've discovered a career field, why not hit it hard and study for the Certified Associate in Project Management? The CAPM may not carry resume clout, but earning the certification will build your knowledge and make you more effective on the job.
Learn more about project management training that applies to the CAPM at www.pmi.org.
8.28
The Most Important Project Manager Skills
When you attend project management training online, you can get the impression that the only skill you need is scheduling.
Project managers certainly need to know how to schedule a project. And project leaders will benefit from knowing how to use Microsoft Project as well.
But the MOST important skills? Probably soft skills. Bringing people together, building a strong team, working through problems with all the stakeholders. Because if you can't do that - your schedule will be meaningless.
You can attend our Seattle project management training to learn how to clarify scope, create realistic schedules, create an action plan, and perform risk management. We also have a fantastic, simulation-based High Performance Teams class.
www.ProjectManagement.com has their own ideas about the Top Three PM Skills. Watch the video!!
9.6
"Which Tool Should I Use?"
The two most common questions we hear in Versatile's project management training in Seattle, online, and onsite are:
"Did you tell my boss all this?"
"Which software tool should I use?"
We'll talk about your boss another time. At Versatile, we like Microsoft Project, because it is full-featured, designed according to project management best practices and is widely available. But there are other options.
Take a look at the resources at www.project-management.com to see what tools they have found.
8.24
What About Remote Team Members?
How do remote teams change the equation? If you have attended Versatile's project management training online, then you've experienced some best practices already.
- Set ground rules for participation. This covers everything from starting and stopping times to when to communicate.
- Invest in collaboration technology such as www.GoToMeeting.com or www.WebEx.com.
This conversation on LinkedIn has some great suggestions for specific habits of remote Agile teams.
8.21
Pick the Right Projects and Measure the Benefits!
Terry Schmidt will be leading a must-see webinar.
People who attend project management training learn that efficiency is wasted when working on the wrong projects!
Terry has a sure-fire method for tying strategy to action.
9.14.17