Project Management Fundamentals for Beginners

In many organizations, it's very common to develop a new product, be it a new mobile phone like the newest version of the iPhone, or perhaps a new mobile game.

Every time you set up a party, study hard to graduate from college, develop a new product, start your own business, or simply learn a new skill... You are actually working on a project.

In this video, we will be defining what a project is.

Before we continue further with the course, I think it's best if we have a common understanding of what project management is all about...

In learning project management, it is essential to know the differences between project, program, and portfolio...

Every organization needs a governing body that improves overall project management, standardizes practices and processes across organizations, and makes sure that projects align with the overall strategic objectives of the organization.

This is where Project Management Office (PMO) comes in...

In this video, I'll discuss the three main types of organizational structures: functional, project-oriented, and matrix organizations.

In this video, we'll talk about what is not project management and point out any misconceptions about project management.

Who are project managers? What do you think a project manager is all about?

Think about your role as a project manager.

Do you have the necessary skills and competencies needed to lead the project?

It turns out, being a project manager is not an easy job. It's important that as a project manager, you have the necessary skills to get the job done.

Most often than not, Leadership and Management are being used interchangeably. And some people will even say that, if you're a good manager, you're also a good leader.

In this video, I will discuss these two skills you need as a project manager.

Get a practical look at what project managers actually do every day.

This module covers key activities like tracking progress, coordinating with teams, managing stakeholders, and resolving issues.

You’ll gain a clear understanding of how project managers keep projects on track in real-world situations.

When the organization initiates a project, it means an opportunity or problem has been identified that merits the formation of the project and the project team...

As project manager, you communicate with a lot of people, namely... stakeholders.

In this video, I will define what a project goal is.

A project is always created in response to a business need or opportunity.

But delivering a project is not an easy process and there are many instances where projects deliver something that is far from what the stakeholders need or want.

This is why collecting requirements is crucial for every project. But, what exactly is a requirement?

Collecting requirements doesn't end with merely identifying and classifying project requirements.

It is a repetitive process that should occur throughout the project life cycle...

In this video, I'll talk about assumptions and constraints.

Now that you've identified your project goal, know how to gather requirements, and have identified assumptions and constraints, it's time to identify possible risks that you need to address for the project.

In this video, I will define what a project charter is and its significance in the project.

This module introduces Stakeholder Analysis and the Power–Interest Matrix, essential tools for identifying and prioritizing stakeholders in a project. It explains how to assess stakeholders based on their level of influence and interest, and how to tailor engagement strategies accordingly. Learners will understand how to manage key players, keep stakeholders satisfied or informed, and monitor others efficiently. The module also emphasizes that stakeholder dynamics can change over time, requiring continuous reassessment. Ultimately, it highlights that effective stakeholder management is critical to project success.

Every project has a development approach and project managers use specific approaches for several reasons.

After selecting the project development approach, the next step is to identify your project scope statement.

After you identify your project scope statement, the next step is to break down the deliverables into smaller and more detailed components.

To create a WBS, we'll be using a project management technique called decomposition.

The WBS alone is not enough to properly analyze the work required for the project.

Having one or two or even three words simply is not enough to understand what's needed to be delivered.

This is where a WBS dictionary comes in.

Once you already have a WBS and WBS dictionary, you can now start listing down all activities involved for each deliverable in an activity list.

Now that we have identified the activities needed for the project, it's now time to provide estimates on how long they will be performed.

In this video, I'm going to show you how to create a basic schedule network diagram, which is a powerful tool in creating a project schedule.

In this video, I'll be explaining what the critical path is.

The WBS, work packages, the WBS dictionary, and the other tools are ingredients in developing the project schedule.

You need the formal project schedule to identify when the project execution will officially start, when it will end, and when certain project milestones will be completed based on the estimates.

In this video, we'll be talking about estimating project costs.

In this video, I'll be discussing different techniques in estimating.

How do you measure progress?

You might be thinking of different tools like Gantt charts, different metrics and computations, graphs, and other tools. But for them to be useful you need to have a basis on which we can compare the actual project performance.

You need project baselines.

Early in this course, I mentioned a lot about project risks and the way they may positively or negatively impact the project. To properly document and monitor project risks, we'll be discussing the risk register.

Creating a risk register is not just about listing down the issues and blockers for your project.

In fact, it's just a by product or output of the Risk Management Plan.

In this video, I'll be talking about Communications Management Plan.

Why wait for quality issues or defects to occur if we can plan ahead to minimize them or eliminate them early?

In this video, I will be discussing the quality management plan.

In this video, I'll focus on resources and what you need in order to create a resource management plan.

Sometimes the resources, materials, equipment, and other necessities you need for the project are not available in the organization. There are also times that purchasing products and services from vendors is more cost and time efficient rather than utilizing the organization's internal resources.

This is where a procurement management plan comes in.

Change is inevitable for projects and as project manager, you should be prepared if and once it occurs. Setting up a change management plan can help you out.

It's time to finalize the project management plan!

Once we have the consolidated project management plan,  the next thing to do is to request approval.

It's time to officially start the project execution and we do that by having a project kickoff meeting.

Leadership is an essential skill for a project manager to successfully complete the project. In this video, I'll be discussing the different leadership styles.

Teams generally go through 5 stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning.

In this video, I'll talk about conflict and what to do with it if and once it happens.

In this video, I'll talk about how to assess both the individual and team performances of the project team.

In this video, I'll talk about how to provide recognition and rewards as part of the project.

It takes time and effort to really build a self-organizing team. So as project manager, you need to perform team building activities.

Managing difficult stakeholders and executives is a core skill for effective project managers, driven by understanding their pressures, motivations, and expectations. Challenges often arise from misaligned goals, lack of transparency, or perceived loss of control rather than personality alone. Successful management requires structured communication, managing upwards, and framing discussions around trade-offs instead of resistance. Emotional intelligence and credibility play a critical role in building trust and reducing conflict. Ultimately, proactive alignment and clear governance help prevent stakeholder issues before they escalate.

Change is inevitable.

And that's true for every project. Stakeholders will always ask for change requests...

Change requests come in different forms.

As the project is being executed, the need for changes often surfaces especially if things are not working out as expected or when reality falls short of what the project is expecting.

In this video, I will be sharing tips on how to avoid scope creep and gold plating.

In this video, I'll be introducing three tools that can make your life easier in managing projects:

• Issue log

• Change log

• Lessons learned register

In this video, I'll be talking about earned value analysis. This a powerful tool to measure the actual progress of the project.

Have you already experienced working on a project that was behind schedule or over budget? How do you get your project back on track?

Conducting meetings is perhaps one of the main tasks of a project manager. In this video, I'll be listing down ways to conduct a productive meeting in an efficient and effective way.