Certificate in Project Management: Project Business Skills

What Makes a Project Successful?

Project success refers to the positive completion of a project.

You will learn:

Distinction between Project Management Success, and Project Success.

1. The effectiveness of the project outcomes.

2. Project Completion Success.

3. Results Success.

4. Development Success.

5. Causes of Project Failure.

6. What Makes a Project Successful.

7. Top Factors for Project Success.

The Human Side of Project Management

How to deal with Behavioural aspects affecting your success.

You will learn:

1. Why do project managers get it all wrong when managing human resources?

2. Predicting and Preventing People-Centric Project Pitfalls.

3. Predicting and Preventing People-Centric Project Pitfalls.

4. Parkinson’s Law May Be the Reason for Too Long Project Delivery.

Key Functional Roles a Project Manager Should Know.

In a project environment, several professionals work alongside the Project Manager, each contributing unique expertise at different levels of responsibility.

You will learn about these roles:

1. Associate Project Managers.

2. Project Coordinator.

3. What Is a Technical Project Manager?

4. Environmental Project Manager.

5. Infrastructure Project Manager.

6. What Is a Multifamily Project Manager?

7. Project Scheduler.

8. Project Controls Engineer.

9. Project Controls Specialist.

10. Project Controls Analyst.

11. What Is a Project Director?

12. What Is a Project Sponsor?

13. Project Owners.

14. What Is a Team Leader?

15. What is a Program Manager?

Emotional Intelligence in Project Management.

You will learn:

1. Challenges in project management.

2. Unaddressed Emotional Dynamics.

3. Learning how to improve emotional intelligence.

4. Maintaining empathy is essential.

Top Challenges for Project Managers

Reaching the role of Project Manager is an exciting career milestone, but it also introduces a unique set of challenges.

You will learn:

1. Unclear Communication Channels.

2. Focusing on Tasks Over Leadership.

3. Unclear or Undefined Goals.

4. Managing Competing Stakeholder Demands.

5. Ineffective Time Management.

6. Avoiding Team Conflict.

7. Hesitation in Decision-Making.

8. Overlooking Proactive Risk Management.

9. Lack of a Support Network.

10. Succumbing to Imposter Syndrome.

11. What Every New Project Manager Must Learn Before Day One.

Lack of Clear Goals and Objectives in Project Management.

In project management, goals define what the project aims to achieve, the desired outcomes, and the fundamental reason for the project's existence.

You will learn:

1. Why Are Project goals and objectives important?

2. The Pitfalls of Unclear Goals and Objectives.

3. The Root Causes of Unclear Objectives.

4. Benefits of Setting Clear Project Objectives.

5. Key Strategies for Handling Unclear Goals.

6. Strategies to Establish Clear Goals and Objectives.

7. Align with Organizational Strategy.

8. Involve Key Stakeholders Early.

How to manage Client Expectations in Project Management.

You will learn:

1. Client Project Expectations?

2. Understanding the Essence of Client Expectations.

3. Signs of Unrealistic Expectations.

4. How to manage Stakeholder and Client Expectation.

5. Techniques for Managing Client Expectations.

Understanding Types of Project Costs.

The world of project management is complex, and intricate, filled with considerations that stretch far beyond mere bricks and mortar.

The diverse costs involved are among the most crucial, and often overlooked aspects of a construction project.

Understanding these costs is a matter of budgeting, and a fundamental cornerstone of effective project management.

You will learn:

1. Understanding Types of Construction Project Costs.

2. Direct Costs?

3. Indirect Costs.

4. Soft Costs.

A Guide to the Tendering Process

For any Project Manager, knowing how the tender process works is a key skill for winning work in a competitive field.

A well-run tender is all about being fair and transparent, ensuring the client gets the best value for their money.

You will learn:

1. What Is the Tender Process?

2. The Different Types of Tender Processes.

3. Key Challenges in the Tender Process.

4. Key 7 Stages of the Tender Process.

5. Manage the Work.

6. Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.

7. Continuous Improvement.

8. Bid security and integrity.

9. Core Sections of a Tender Document.

How to Manage Consulting.

Consultant in project management, involves bringing in external experts, or firms to advise businesses, on improving their project management practices, implementing new methodologies, and achieving better outcomes.

A company may also hire a project management consultant, to run a project on its behalf, under the supervision of the company’s project manager.

You will learn:

1. Consulting Project Management vs. Traditional Project Management.

2. Consulting Project Management.

3. Traditional Project Management.

4. Why Managing Consultants is So Tricky.

5. The Cost of Poor Consulting Project Management.

6. How to Manage a Consulting Project Without Losing Your Sanity, or Your Budget.

7. Project Management Structure and Approach – Organizing for Sanity and Success.

8. Don’t Let Consultants Go Rogue – Use Regular Checkpoints.

9. Planning the Different Phases – Keeping Consultants on Track.

10. Roles and Responsibilities – Who Does What and Who Takes Credit.

11. Effective Governance – Keep the Steering Committee Lean.

12. Successful Change Management – Communication Alone Isn’t Enough.

Municipality Bylaws.

Municipal by-laws establish the local rules for construction, while a construction permit, is the formal approval from the municipality, confirming that, your specific project, complies with these by-laws, and the National Building Regulations.

Obtaining this permit is a legal requirement before starting any major construction.

You will learn:

1. Construction Site Signage: Purpose and Types.

2. Public Protection and Financial Accountability.

3. Dust, Noise, Waste, and Site Cleanliness Controls.

4. Management of Waste Material.

5. Zoning and Land Use Regulations.

6. Building Codes and Construction Regulations.

7. Driveway and Sidewalk Construction.

8. Traffic Management During Construction.

9. Community Engagement.

10. Risk Mitigation on Construction Sites.

Site Establishment Requirements.

Site establishment is the process of setting up a construction site, including installing temporary facilities, and implementing safety measures, before work begins.

You will learn about these requirement:

1. Administrative Offices.

2. Facilities for Workers.

3. Ablution Facilities.

4. Storage Shed and Areas.

5. Construction Equipment Areas.

6. First Aid Facilities.

7. Signage and Security.

8. Site Perimeter Fences and Hoardings.

9. Site Security and Access Control.

10. Hazardous Materials Stores and Waste Areas.

11. Loading and Unloading Areas.

12. Vehicle Movement Plans.

13. Risk Assessment for Site Establishment.

Why Conduct Safety Audits During Site Establishment?

How to Compile a Project Budget. Key Steps for Success

A well-prepared project budget is essential for successful project management.

It converts plans into a clear financial roadmap, ensuring that resources, timelines, and risks are properly considered.

This lecture explains the key steps in compiling a project budget.

It covers how to estimate costs for labour, materials, equipment, and services, and how to include contingency funds for unexpected issues.

It also introduces practical methods for linking the budget to the Work Breakdown Structure.

By the end, you will be able to develop a reliable budget.

The budgeting process is divided into six parts, in which we will explain step by step.

The first part is setting SMART Objectives, commonly known as S.M.A.R.T, to clearly define project goals.

The second part is defining the project scope.

The third part is to create a Work Breakdown Structure, commonly known as WBS.

The fourth part is making up a list of required resources.

The fifth part is to estimate amounts using multiple methods.

And then the sixth, and the last one, is setting aside a contingency fund.

We will use the Northfield Pedestrian Overpass project as our example, targeting to build a bridge for pedestrians over a busy highway.

S.M.A.R.T. is a method to clearly define project goals.

SMART means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

This is critical because a budget is not just a set of numbers, it is a financial representation of clearly defined work.

If objectives are unclear, the budget will be inaccurate and difficult to manage.

For the Northfield Pedestrian Overpass project, the SMART objectives are set by the City Project Manager, and stakeholders through brainstorming, and expert consultation.

Defining the project scope.

A clear project scope explains exactly what will be done.

What will not be done.

And how the project will deliver value to the business.

It helps make sure the work supports the main business goals and the stakeholder’s expectations.

If the scope is not clearly defined, the project can quickly go off track, costs can increase, and deadlines can be missed.

First, the project scope defines the work the project team will carry out.

This includes geotechnical surveys, architectural and engineering design, and the construction of the bridge.

It also covers the installation of safety lighting.

Closed Circuit TV systems.

And landscaping after completion.

These activities form the core budget items for the project.

This is the approved project scope agreed upon by the Northfield Municipality, and key stakeholders.

With the scope firmly defined, we can now move on to the third part of our budget.

Work Breakdown Structure breaks a large project scope into smaller, manageable tasks and sub-tasks.

The Work Breakdown Structure for our overpass bridge consists of four high-level sections.

1. First, Project management.

2. Second, Design and Pre-Construction.

3. Third, Construction activity.

4. And last one, the project Closeout.

A Work Breakdown Structure ensures that all tasks, big and small, are included, helping to avoid missed costs.

The Work Breakdown Structure is developed by the City Project Manager in collaboration with stakeholders.

Walking Through the Northfield Pedestrian Overpass Project Work Breakdown Structure.

Let’s now go through the Work Breakdown Structure in detail.

It is essential because it translates the approved scope into executable work.

A well-developed Work Breakdown Structure supports accurate budgeting, realistic scheduling, effective resource allocation, and performance tracking.

The Northfield Pedestrian Overpass Work Breakdown Structure is structured like a family tree of the project.

It uses a numbering system where high-level phases, such as one point zero, two point zero, three point zero, and so on, represent major deliverables.

These high level deliverables are then broken down into detailed sub-levels, such as one point one, one point two, one point three and so on.

Each sub-level can be directly linked to costs, labour, and resources, supporting accurate budgeting and scheduling.

Listing Required Resources.

This section lists required resources.

This part of the budgeting process identifies all resources needed to complete the tasks defined in the Work Breakdown Structure.

This ensures that all associated costs, such as salaries.

Equipment rentals.

Materials.

Permits.

And professional fees, are fully captured in the budget, this reduce the risk of omissions.

The resource list includes.

City Project Manager to manage the project.

Permits and regulatory compliance costs.

Geotechnical engineering services.

Foundation construction resources, such as pile drivers.

Excavators.

Mixers.

Cranes.

Structure installation resources such as pre-fabricated steel spans.

Crane operators.

And ironworkers.

Lighting and Closed Circuit TV installation materials and services such as.

Fixtures.

Conduit.

Wiring

And cameras.

The list of required resources acts as a checklist to ensure nothing is missed.

With that checklist in hand, let’s move on to our fifth part of the budget.

Cost Estimating.

What is Cost Estimating?

Cost estimating is a key control function in project management.

It converts the Work Breakdown Structure into financial values by assigning realistic costs to all activities, resources, and deliverables.

Since project success depends on cost, time, and scope, accurate estimating is essential.

Reliable estimates are developed using multiple methods such as expert judgment, historical data, unit rates, supplier quotations, and bottom-up calculations.

Combining these approaches improves accuracy and reduces uncertainty.

For the Northfield Pedestrian Overpass project, estimated costs are.

City Project Manager budgeted for eighteen months. Forty five thousand dollars. This is based on municipality internal costing.

Design and Pre-Construction. One hundred and forty five thousand dollars, this is based on vendor quotes.

Construction. One million two hundred thousand dollars, this is based on historical contractor bids data.

Contingency is one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, which is 15% of one million two hundred thousand dollars.

The total estimated cost is one million two hundred and forty five thousand dollars.

However, this amount reveals a key issue.

The estimate exceeds the municipality’s budget allocation of one million two hundred thousand dollars, resulting in an overrun of forty-five thousand dollars.

This indicates the need for corrective action such as value engineering, cost reduction strategies, or requesting additional funding.

As a project manager, you will need to resolve this, or alternatively, you may wait for a further lecture on how to request additional funding.

Now, let’s turn to our last part, part six of our budget.

Contingency Fund

A contingency fund is a planned financial reserve used to manage known risks that cannot be precisely predicted.

It is not extra spending money, but a controlled allowance to protect the project’s cost and schedule.

In construction projects, common risks include weather delays, ground conditions, design changes, and minor scope adjustments.

Setting aside a contingency helps the project absorb these disruptions without exceeding the budget.

A typical benchmark is around 15% of the total project cost.

Let’s consider the contingency fund for the Northfield Pedestrian Overpass project.

Our construction cost is one million two hundred thousand dollars.

Contingency is one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, which is 15% of the allocated construction budget of one million two hundred thousand dollars.

This means one hundred and eighty thousand dollars is allocated to protect the main construction budget from unforeseen costs.

This completes the full project budget process, covering all six stages of budgeting with practical application.

Consistent practice using the templates will strengthen your understanding and improve budgeting accuracy over time.

By the end of this course, students will be able to understand and apply core Project Cost Control and Earned Value Management (EVM) principles in real project environments. They will develop practical skills to monitor, analyze, and control project cost and schedule performance using industry-standard tools and techniques.

The Expense Report:

Now, let’s analyse the Expense report and expenditure and Variance in detail. The six-month Expense Report covers the Design and Pre-Construction phase of the project.

Here is a breakdown of the findings:

The Architecture and Engineering Design Firm was budgeted at $120,000 but incurred $130,000, with an overrun of $10,000, which is 108% of the planned budget. This was due to the complexity of the final design.

The Geotechnical Survey, was budgeted at $25,000, was completed for $22,000, producing a positive variance of $3,000, which translates to 88% of planned budget.

Permits were budgeted at $5,000, but reached $5,500, an overrun of $500, which is 110% of planned budget. This resulted from additional state Department of Transportation charges.

The City Project Manager’s salary was budgeted at $45,000, with $22,500 spent to date, reflecting a $22,500 saving. This is 50% utilization due to only half the allocated time has been used.

Overall, the total spending planned for the six months preconstruction work stands at $183,000, against a budget of $195,000, producing a positive variance of $12,000.

This is 94% budget utilization. The Design and Pre-Construction phase work that was planned for the 6 months was fully completed.

We can see that while design and permit costs exceeded their budgets, these were offset by savings in the survey and project management salary categories.

This analysis confirms that the project is financially healthy and under budget at the six-month point.

Now let’s discuss our next section of our budget performance and cost control.

Burn Rate

The Burn Rate Report is a key component of cost control. Burn rate measures how quickly the project budget is being spent relative to the elapsed timeline. Six months into the 18-month Northfield Pedestrian Overpass project, this report provides insight into whether spending is on track, ahead, or behind schedule. The first phase, Design and Pre-Construction, has been completed.

• Total planned budget at completion (BAC) for the 18-month project, is $1,575,000.

• Actual cost (AC) spent over the first six months is $183,000.

• Time elapsed is 6 months.

• Total project duration is 18 months.

How to Calculate the Burn Rate Percentage

First, we calculate the percentage of total budget spent. This is done by dividing the actual cost, (183,000) by the budget at completion (1,575,000), our percentage of total budget spent is 0.116 or 11.6%.

183,000 ÷ 1,575,000 = 0.116, or 11.6%

Next, we calculate the time elapsed percentage. This is done by dividing the time elapsed (6 months) by the total project duration (18 months), our time elapsed percentage is = 0.333, or 33.3%.

6 ÷ 18 = 0.333, or 33.3%

Now to finalize the burn rate calculation. We divide the time elapsed percentage by the percentage of budget spent, the burn rate is 0.34, or 34%.

33.3% ÷ 11.6% = 0.34, or 34%

What Does This Mean?

Before answering, let's note the following:

• A burn rate of 1 means spending is on schedule.

• Below 1 indicates slower spending than planned.

• Above 1 indicates faster spending than planned.

Our burn rate is below 1 at 0.34. This means spending is occurring at only 34% of the expected pace relative to the time that has passed. This indicates a slow and controlled spending rate, which is typical for early project phases when costs tend to be lower.

Planned Value

Let's discuss Planned Value and its purpose. Planned value is the total budget to be spent on an activity over a given period. Our planned value (budget) for the six-month Design and Pre-Construction phase is $195,000.

Earned Value

Earned value is the percentage of work completed during a given period. It is calculated by multiplying the percentage of work completed by the planned value.

The first phase of work, Design and Pre-Construction, has been 100% fully completed over the six months. To calculate the earned value, we multiply the percentage of work completed (100%) by the planned value (195,000). This gives us an earned value of (195,000).

This earned value figure tells us that the project has completed what was planned, as 100% of the planned work has been completed.

Next let's discuss the Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI). These are called efficiency indicators.

ost Performance Index (CPI), It measures how efficiently a project turns money spent into value earned.

Formula to calculate is, the Cost Performance Index is Earned Value divided by Actual Cost, which is, 195,000 divided by 183,000, the Cost Performance Index is 1.066.

A CPI equal to one or 100% means the planned and actual costs are equal or the costs equal the budget.

Our Cost Performance Index is more than 1, at 1.066.

This means the project generated value of 6.6% more than planned.

Cost efficiency is 6.6% above plan. Corrective action (if below 1.0) would be to review procurement costs, reduce rework, or improve productivity.

The project team has done well. The project manager needs to ensure this efficiency continues into remaining work.

Schedule Performance Index (SPI), measures how well the project keeps up with its schedule.

Formula to calculate is, the Schedule Performance Index is Earned Value divided by Planned Value: 195,000 divided by 195,000 divided by 195,000 equals 1.000.

This means the project is progressing exactly as planned.

The project is on schedule. Corrective action (if below 1.0) would be to accelerate critical activities, add shifts, or remove bottlenecks. The project team has done well.

The project manager needs to maintain this rhythm into the next phases.

Earned Value Management is a project management technique that focuses on schedule and cost performance, providing early warning of performance problems while also delivering useful progress updates to stakeholders.

EVM answers two fundamental questions:

Are we getting the value we planned for the money spent? (Cost performance).

Are we completing work at the rate we planned? (Schedule performance).

A Day in the Life of Project Manager

Typical Day-to-Day Duties of a Project Manager

The Business Side of Project Manager.

A Project Manager's business role extends far beyond mere task tracking.

As a Project Manager, you are the crucial link between daily project execution, and broader organizational goals.

You will learner:

1. Key day-to-day functions of a Project Manager?

2. Dealing with volumes of daily emails.

3. How to manage project meetings.

4. How to monitor and control projects.

5. Daily and Weekly Project Status.

6. Issues, Risks, and Changes.

7. Team Leadership and Engagement.

8. Scheduling, Time, and Resource Management.

9. Timesheets.

10. Kick-Off and Wrap-Up Meetings.

11. Financial and Administrative Oversight.

12. Invoices.

13. Stakeholder Management and Reporting.

14. Continuous Improvement and Reflection.

15. Lessons Learned.

Budget Transfer in Project Management.

A Budget Transfer is when you move funds from one part of a budget to another.

You will learn.

1. The Comprehensive Guide to Budget Transfer.

2. The Why Behind the Rules.

3. Pre-Transfer Analysis. Due Diligence Before Action

4. The Formal Budget Transfer Process. A Step-by-Step Workflow.

How to Overcome Challenges in Managing Multiple Projects?

The biggest, among many challenges, faced by project managers, is managing Multiple Projects.

You will learn:

1. What Prevents Your Multiple Projects from Achieving Success?

2. Common Challenges of Managing Multiple Construction Projects.

3. Strategies for Managing Multiple Projects.

Progress Payments in Construction

Progress payments in project management are partial payments made for work that’s already completed.

You will learn:

1. How Do Progress Payments Work in project management?

2. The Contract Sets the Payment Structure.

3. Payment Is Triggered by Verified Progress.

4. Formal Payment Application.

5. Reviewing the Payment.

6. The Cycle Repeats Until Completion.

7. What are the Benefits of Progress Payments in Construction?

8. What Challenges Do Progress Payments Create?

9. How Can You Resolve project management Progress Payment Disputes?

10. Future Trends in Progress Payments.

Retention Cost in Project Management.

Retainage—also referred to as retention or holdback—is a common practice in the construction industry where a portion of payment, typically 5–10%, is withheld until a predefined milestone has been achieved on a project.

You will learn:

1. The Purpose of Retainage.

2. Defect Correction.

3. Benefits of Retainage.

4. Risk Mitigation.

5. Dispute Resolution.

6. Cost Mitigation.

7. Cash Flow Impact.

8. Administrative Burden.

9. Delayed Payment and Abuse.

10. Best Practices.

11. Relationships and Reputation.

12. Legal Limits.

13. Challenges in Retention Management.

Contractor Performance Evaluation.

A contractor performance evaluation is the process of assessing a contractor’s skills, efficiency, and reliability during service delivery.

You will learn:

1. Why Evaluating Contract Performance is Important.

2. Consequences of a Failure to Evaluate performance.

3. Setting Up a Contractor Performance Review.

4. Performance Evaluation in Construction Contracts.

5. Key Elements of Performance Evaluation.

6. Evaluation Meetings.

7. Non-Performance Remedies.

8. Effective Contract Performance Evaluation.

9. What to Include in a Contractor Performance Evaluation Report.

Labour Conflicts and Unions in Project Management.

Labour conflicts in project management often arise from disputes between workers, unions, and management over issues such as wages, working conditions, safety, hours, or resource allocation.

You will learn:

1. Key Labour Conflict Issues.

2. Impact on Project Progress.

3. Strategies to Manage Labour Disputes.

4. Strategies for Preventing Labour Strikes.

5. How to Manage and Resolve Labour Strikes.

6. Mitigating the Consequences of Labour Unrest.

Quality in Project Management

Quality is the degree to which a construction process produces a product that meets the expectations of its users.

You will learn:

1. Construction Quality Control vs. Construction Quality Assurance.

2. Materials and Equipment Quality Control

3. Construction Quality Control Checklist.

4. What Is a Project Quality Management Plan?

5. Project Quality Plan.

Dealing with Project Budget Variation and request additional funds

Sometimes a project’s budget doesn’t stretch far enough to cover all the required work.

You will learn:

1. Explain why you need more money.

2. Nine Steps for Discussing Additional Project Funding.

3. Supplemental Finance Memorandum document.

4. The Process the Supplemental Finance Memorandum Document Follows.

Dealing with Project Budget Variation and request additional funds

Sometimes a project’s budget doesn’t stretch far enough to cover all the required work.

You will learn:

1. Explain why you need more money.

2. Nine Steps for Discussing Additional Project Funding.

3. Supplemental Finance Memorandum document.

4. The Process the Supplemental Finance Memorandum Document Follows.

Crisis Management in Project Management.

Even with careful planning, projects can face unexpected challenges, and crises that may threaten their success.

You will learn:

1. What Is a Crisis Management Plan?

2. Crisis Management Plan & Strategies.

3. The Benefits of Having a Crisis Management Plan.

4. Keeps Team Calm Under Pressure.

5. Avoid Potential Crises.

6. Identify Worst-Case Scenarios.

7. Prioritize Most Relevant Crises.

8. The Role of Project Manager’s in Crisis Management.

9. Crisis Management in Projects - Lessons Learned from Past Failures.

Termination and Suspension of Construction Contracts

You will learn:

1. Common reasons for termination construction contract.

2. Contract Termination Notice

3. Terminating the contract for unmet obligations

4. Automatic termination

5. Termination for force majeure or unforeseen events

6. Termination for convenience

7. Non-contractual rights to terminate

8. Repudiation

9. Anticipatory termination

10. Suspension

11. Available Methods of Contract Termination.

12. Dispute Resolution Mechanisms.

What Is Project Completion?

Project completion is the final phase of a project’s life cycle.

The project reaches completion when all activities are finalized, and the deliverables are handed over to the client or stakeholders.

You will learn:

The Importance of Project Closure.

Five Types of Project Closure in Project Management.

Common Challenges in Project Closeout.

The Cost of Not Closing Right.

The Construction Closeout Process, Explained.

Why Closeout Matters?

Key Documents for a Successful Closeout.

What Is a Project Handover?

A project handover is the critical process of transferring control, responsibility, and ownership of a project to another individual, team, or organization.

To ensure no crucial details are missed, and the process runs smoothly, creating a comprehensive project handover checklist, is considered an essential, and effective practice.

You will learn:

1. Common Challenges in Project Handovers.

2. Steps to a Successful Project Handover.

3. Best Practices for Preparing Project Handover Documents.

4. Project Handover Checklist.
Proper Project Handover Process.

5. Post-Handover.

Thank you for taking the time to journey through this course. You’ve explored far more than theory—you’ve stepped into the real business side of project management, the part that truly shapes successful project leaders.