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University of California, Irvine
Project Launch
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  3. Leadership and Management
University of California, Irvine

Project Launch

This course is part of Project Management Specialization

Stephane Muller

Instructor: Stephane Muller

Included with Coursera Plus

•Learn more
12 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(10 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

12 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(10 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
  • About
  • Outcomes
  • Modules
  • Recommendations
  • Testimonials

Skills you'll gain

  • Project Management
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Requirements Analysis
  • Stakeholder Communications
  • Project Scoping
  • Agile Project Management
  • Leadership
  • Project Coordination
  • Work Breakdown Structure
  • Project Planning
  • Communication Planning
  • Leadership and Management
  • Communication
  • Project Schedules

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

12 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Project Management Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 12 modules in this course

Today’s fast track business and global environment emphasizes increasing project development efficiency while using fewer resources. This course shows you how to accomplish exactly this. Learn how to justify and select projects, and how stakeholders can influence projects. Identify the requirements necessary for defining project scope and create a list of tasks necessary to accomplish that scope. Create effective communication plans and assign responsibilities. Gain an understanding of the fundamentals of project planning through the use of scheduling software. Establish project requirements, objectives, and goals before defining the total project scope using a work breakdown structure (WBS). You’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learn to a case study that brings together the key elements of launching a project.

Learn how to justify and select projects and how stakeholders influence projects. Develop requirements necessary to define project scope and create a list of tasks necessary to accomplish the scope. Create effective communication plans and assign responsibilities. Today’s fast track business and global environment places emphasis on how to increase project production efficiency with limited available resources. Gain an understanding of fundamentals of project planning. Establish project requirements, objectives, and goals before defining the total project scope with the use of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This course uses a simulation project— students will start the development of a project plan as demonstration of mastery of key project management practices from this course. The simulation project will continue into the follow-on classes of this program.

What's included

6 videos3 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

6 videos•Total 21 minutes
  • Module Overview•1 minute•Preview module
  • What is a Project?•3 minutes
  • What is Project Management?•3 minutes
  • Roles & Responsibilities of a Project Manager•3 minutes
  • Areas of Expertise of a Project Manager•4 minutes
  • Project Goals and Module Wrap-Up•3 minutes
3 readings•Total 27 minutes
  • Course Introduction•2 minutes
  • Coursera Technical Support•5 minutes
  • Modules 1 & 2 Supplemental Readings•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Project Management Fundamentals•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 120 minutes
  • Challenge Scenario: The Kitchen Remodel•60 minutes
  • The Ruined Weekend•60 minutes

Leadership involves inspiring people while management involves managing things. Both are essential for successful project completion, but many project “managers” don’t know the difference between the two. Leaders provide a vision and a sense of direction; they inspire their team to adopt the vision as their own; they take risks where appropriate; and they see opportunities where others only see problems. Leaders create a safe space for their team members to thrive and produce their best work. This module shows you precisely the difference between “leading” and “managing,” and why knowing the difference is critical for project success.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

4 videos•Total 20 minutes
  • Introduction to Leadership•5 minutes•Preview module
  • Leadership Vision and Supervision•4 minutes
  • Management and Leadership Skills•8 minutes
  • Project Leadership Tips•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 15 minutes
  • The Difference Between Leadership and Management: Read This First•15 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Management and Leadership•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 60 minutes
  • Leadership Scenario•60 minutes

Ever wonder how firms select projects and what is expected from the project? We will review the project selection process, impacts, and implications downstream of project selection.

What's included

6 videos2 readings1 assignment

6 videos•Total 25 minutes
  • Module Overview•1 minute•Preview module
  • Where Do Projects Come From?•10 minutes
  • Project Selection Criteria•4 minutes
  • The Business Case•5 minutes
  • Evaluating a Business Case•1 minute
  • Module Wrap-Up•1 minute
2 readings•Total 80 minutes
  • Modules 3 & 4 Supplemental Readings•60 minutes
  • Project Selection Quiz Scenario - Read This First•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Project Justification and the Business Case•30 minutes

What's included

4 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt1 plugin

4 videos•Total 13 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • The Project Charter•6 minutes
  • The Project Team•4 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Project Charter•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • Significance of the Project Charter•10 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
  • Optional: How to Create a Project Charter•15 minutes

Now that you have an approved project with a project charter, what’s next? In this module, you will learn how to kick-off a project and review methods in which to engage the project team. We will also review the process of creating a project management plan. And finally, you will learn the fundamentals of the Agile project management approach.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

5 videos•Total 18 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Project Kickoff•5 minutes
  • The Project Management Plan•7 minutes
  • Agile Project Management•4 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 reading•Total 60 minutes
  • Modules 5 & 6 Supplemental Readings•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Project Kickoff, Project Plan, and Agile•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 40 minutes
  • New Student Tracking System•40 minutes

Planning with the end product as the starting point is an effective and efficient way of developing a project plan. Learn how the requirements gathering process will help you more successfully define your project deliverables.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment3 discussion prompts1 plugin

7 videos•Total 19 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Gathering Requirements•4 minutes
  • Eliciting Requirements•8 minutes
  • The Outputs•1 minute
  • Requirements Matrix and Traceability•2 minutes
  • Requirements Gathering Example•2 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Eliciting Requirements•30 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 90 minutes
  • Challenge Scenario: Designing a Website•20 minutes
  • Requirements Gathering Activity•60 minutes
  • The Problem of Poor Requirements•10 minutes
1 plugin•Total 8 minutes
  • The Expert (Short Comedy Sketch) - Watch Before Answering the Discussion•8 minutes

The Statement of Work (SOW) may be one of the most powerful tools for project managers. The SOW defines the product or service to be delivered to the customer at the completion of the project as well as defines the work necessary to complete the project. In this module, you will learn to use the information from requirements gathering to create a SOW.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

5 videos•Total 13 minutes
  • Module Introduction•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Requirements to Scope•6 minutes
  • Scope Creep•1 minute
  • Developing the Statement of Work•4 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
  • Modules 7 & 8 Supplemental Readings•10 minutes
  • Tips for Developing an SOW•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Statement of Work•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 40 minutes
  • The Importance of the SOW•40 minutes

It has been said a picture call tell a thousand words. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) can be just the picture you need to tell the project team what they need to do on a project. This module will be focused on the structure and formats of a WBS and how to create a WBS including the WBS dictionary. You will be able to translate requirements into actionable activities in a WBS.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt

8 videos•Total 11 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • What is WBS?•1 minute
  • WBS Formats•2 minutes
  • Creating a WBS•1 minute
  • WBS Verification•1 minute
  • The WBS Dictionary•1 minute
  • Why a WBS?•1 minute
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – WBS and SOW•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 30 minutes
  • When Project Managers Debate•30 minutes

Some say an hour spent in planning results in two hours saved during implementation. Learn how proper planning can reduce the overall level effort for a project. You will have an opportunity to develop a project scope management plan which will be the culminating activity of this course.

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment2 discussion prompts

6 videos•Total 10 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • From Requirements to the SOW to the WBS•0 minutes
  • Project Scope Management Plan and PM•5 minutes
  • Why Manage Project Scope?•2 minutes
  • The Titanic Project•0 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 reading•Total 30 minutes
  • Modules 9 & 10 Supplemental Readings•30 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz - Project Scope Management•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 80 minutes
  • Challenge Scenario: The Great Kitchen Remodeling Project (Continued)•60 minutes
  • The Titanic Discussion•20 minutes

Stakeholders can have a significant impact to the success of projects. In the module, you will develop skills for identifying stakeholders and ways to manage engagements, activities, and communication with stakeholders.

What's included

7 videos1 assignment2 discussion prompts

7 videos•Total 15 minutes
  • Module Overview •0 minutes•Preview module
  • Stakeholder Management•3 minutes
  • The Power Interest Grid•2 minutes
  • The State of the Stakeholders•4 minutes
  • Stakeholder Engagement Considerations•2 minutes
  • Agile Stakeholders and Communication•1 minute
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Quiz – Stakeholder Management•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
  • Challenge Scenario: Patient Medical Records •10 minutes
  • Who Are My Stakeholders?•10 minutes

The majority of a project manager’s time is devoted to project communication. In this module, you will be exposed to the importance of project communication towards project success. You will have an opportunity to develop a project communication plan.

What's included

9 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

9 videos•Total 17 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • What is "Project Communications?"•1 minute
  • Tools for Development: 5W & 1H•4 minutes
  • The Many Dimensions of Communications•3 minutes
  • The Lines of Communication•1 minute
  • The Communication Management Plan•3 minutes
  • Elements of the Communication Plan•1 minute
  • Final Word•0 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
  • Modules 11 & 12 Supplemental Readings•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module 11 Quiz – Communication•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • How Important is Communication to Project Management?•10 minutes

What's included

6 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt

6 videos•Total 12 minutes
  • Module Overview•0 minutes•Preview module
  • What is the RAM and RACI?•4 minutes
  • Building a RACI•2 minutes
  • Supplemental Video: Building a RACI•0 minutes
  • Module Wrap-Up•0 minutes
  • Final Wrap-Up•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Module Scenario Quiz – RAM & RACI•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 60 minutes
  • RACI Up the Mountain•60 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Stephane Muller
Stephane Muller
University of California, Irvine
16 Courses•67,227 learners

Offered by

University of California, Irvine

Offered by

University of California, Irvine

Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UC Irvine’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.

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