CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR TAX & FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS
Self-Study

Project Management: A Practitioner’s Guide

14 Credits: Business Management & Organization

$364.00$404.00

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Project Management: A Practitioner’s Guide

Format
Self-Study
Course Level
Overview
CPE Credits

14 Credits: Business Management & Organization

Course Description

Project management is an ever-evolving field, requiring constant refinement of skills and knowledge. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional, challenges such as managing stakeholder expectations, navigating project constraints, and maintaining team dynamics can impede the success of your projects. This comprehensive self-study course is tailored to address these challenges, offering a deep dive into all aspects of project management. From initiation and selection to execution and closing, the course covers essential methodologies like CPM and PERT for task scheduling, and explores critical elements such as change management, risk assessment, and project estimation. It also delves into the finer points of team development and management, equipping you with the tools and strategies needed to lead successful projects in any business environment.

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Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Chapter 1

  • Recognize the characteristics of a project.
  • Cite the areas of responsibility for a project sponsor.
  • Specify the factors that impact the success rate of a project.
  • Specify the different ways to manage stakeholders.

Chapter 2

  • Identify the reasons why feasibility studies may be needed.
  • Specify the reasons for conducting a gap analysis.
  • Recognize the uses to which a strategic alignment analysis can be put.

Chapter 3

  • Recognize the different types of quantitative evaluations for projects.
  • Identify how a discounted payback analysis can be used.
  • Identify the problems with using the internal rate of return.
  • Specify the different elements of a net present value analysis and their effects.

Chapter 4

  • Identify the different phases of a project, noting when certain activities occur.
  • Recognize the conditions under which phase overlapping occurs.
  • Specify the reasons for continuing an over-budget project.

Chapter 5

  • Recognize the activities in a project planning and control system.
  • Identify the components of a work breakdown structure.
  • Identify the formatting of a Gantt chart.
  • Recognize the planning characteristics of the critical path method (CPM) as well as the program evaluation and review technique (PERT), citing the circumstances under which a negative float can occur.

Chapter 6

  • Specify the different types of project constraints.
  • Identify the risk involved with outsourcing project tasks.
  • Recognize the circumstances under which a scope change is acceptable.
  • Specify the types of enterprise-level constraints.

Chapter 7

  • Recognize the membership of the change order committee.
  • Specify the contents of a change request form.
  • Recognize the nature of gold plating in a project.

Chapter 8

  • Cite the parties involved in a project handoff.
  • Identify the tasks included in a project close-out.

Chapter 9

  • Specify the correct way to respond to a request for a ball park estimate.
  • Recognize the method used to calculate a rough order of magnitude estimate.

Chapter 10

  • Identify the types of risk involved in risk management.
  • Identify the factors comprising the risk attitude of a business.
  • Specify the characteristics of a high priority risk.

Chapter 11

  • Recognize the different costs of quality and their characteristics.
  • Cite the reasoning behind using a quality audit.

Chapter 12

  • Identify the criteria used to select a supplier.
  • Specify the circumstances under which a pre-bid conference is used.
  • Recognize the clauses that can be included in a contract with a supplier.
  • Define an employee and a contractor.
  • Identify the differences between a contract and a purchase order.

Chapter 13

  • Recognize ways in which to monitor and report on the progress and components of a project, and determine the labor rate variance for a project.
  • Recognize the circumstances under which an escalation threshold is used.
  • Cite the dimensions of earned value management.

Chapter 14

  • Identify the different types of best practices related to project management.
  • Describe the reasoning behind the best practices associated with project management.

Chapter 15

  • Identify the structure of a project portfolio bubble.
  • Specify the problems associated with only soliciting new project ideas annually.
  • Recognize the advantages of chunking.
  • Cite the different uses to which a project management office can be put.

Chapter 16

  • Identify the characteristics of a minimum viable product.
  • Specify the key success factors for an agile project development effort.
  • Recognize the environment in which a task board is used.

Chapter 17

  • Define the circumstances under which a company can avoid change initiatives.
  • Identify the means by which one can decide upon change initiatives to implement.
  • Recognize the circumstances under which a change initiative could fail.

Chapter 18

  • Recognize the proper structuring for a successful project.
  • Cite the issues that can cause a team to be ineffective.
  • Specify the characteristics of the best team members.
  • Recognize the different types of communication methods.
  • Specify the characteristics of an effective project team.

Chapter 19

  • Identify the different types of listening in which a person can engage.
  • Recognize a method for showing that a company values the contributions of its team members.
  • Recognize the circumstances under which the use of majority voting would work.
  • Cite the reasons why a consensus building initiative could fail.
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Course Specifics

Course ID
6161278
Revision Date
June 17, 2022
Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.

Advanced Preparation

None

Number of Pages
269

Compliance Information

NASBA Provider Number: 103220

CFP Notice: Not all courses that qualify for CFP® credit are registered by Western CPE. If a course does not have a CFP registration number in the compliance section, the continuing education will need to be individually reported with the CFP Board. For more information on the reporting process, required documentation, processing fee, etc., contact the CFP Board. CFP Professionals must take each course in it’s entirety, the CFP Board DOES NOT accept partial credits for courses.

Meet The Experts

Steven M. Bragg, CPA, is a full-time book and course author who has written more than 300 business books and courses. He provides Western CPE with self-study courses in the areas of accounting and finance, with an emphasis on the practical application of accounting standards and management techniques. A sampling of his courses include the The New Controller Guidebook, The GAAP Guidebook, Accountants’ Guidebook, and Closing the Books: An Accountant’s Guide. He also manages the Accounting Best Practices podcast. Steven has been the CFO or controller of both public and private companies and has been a consulting manager with Ernst & Young and …