Effective Project Management
Presentación del curso
Over the past decade, development cooperation practitioners have acknowledged and agreed on the shortcomings of using a classic and rigid "waterfall" approach to project management. This is particularly true for institutional capacity development projects, awareness-raising projects and those implemented in fragile contexts. The results of recent research on complex social systems and how to take into account non-linear cause-and-effect relationships point in the same direction. The behaviour of the actors involved is unpredictable, making it essential to adopt an agile, tailor-made approach to project management. For those needing to specialize in project management in complex contexts, the ITCILO offers an online certification programme to enable them to acquire all the knowledge, technical skills and tools necessary to ensure agile, adaptive and effective project implementation, taking into account the complexity of the social systems in which such projects take place.
¿Quiénes participan en este curso?
The course is for project directors, project implementation staff and chief technical advisors (CTAs) to projects funded by international financial institutions (IFIs) or implemented through international organizations; development practitioners working in programmes and projects. Candidates are expected to be currently involved in the management and oversight of such projects. Previous knowledge or work experience in project management is an asset.
What topics does this course cover?
- Establishing a common ground on the basics of Project Cycle Management
- Settings of complexity
- Operational project planning and periodic review
- Project governance structures, from traditional functional to remote models
- Agile and adaptive project management approaches and techniques
- Stakeholder and team management, leadership
- Risk management
- Monitoring, control and reporting, including in remote, new technologies
- Communication
What will I learn?
- A body of knowledge on theories of and approaches used to manage projects in context of uncertainty and in complex social systems
- Parameters for deciding how to organise project management (agile, hybrid or predictive models) tailored to the project context and its stakeholders to ensure effective project management
- Methodologies and approaches to plan, monitor, report and control project implementation
- Soft skills to engage the project team and to manage stakeholders’ expectations and contributions
- Communication strategies to foster cooperation among project actors, to facilitate remote work, to enhance project visibility and to report on results
What will I be able to do?
You will self-study and complete assignments to learn the following skills
- Review your own project’s theory of change
- Assess the complexity of your project setting
- Map your stakeholder network and plan for communication
- Design a project governance structure fit for purpose and for its institutional context
- Design an operational plan
- Try out and assess agile planning and monitoring techniques
- Assessing and planning the management of your project’s risks
- Plan the monitoring, reporting and control functions of your project
- Assess and apply remote management techniques
Why should I join?
This course is delivered through distance learning and deployed on the ITCILO e-campus. It frees you from the classroom and gives you the flexibility to complete the learning modules at your own pace and to carry through weekly assignment within your schedule.
At the same time, it connects you to peers in a truly global classroom. The course provides a unique opportunity to connect with your peers and your distance tutors for a vivid exchange of experience. This enhances your learning and provides a strong value added in an international setting.
- Project managers need a suite of tools and skills to implement projects successfully.
- Seasoned project managers need to review their practice to adapt it to changing times.
- Successful participants receive a professional certification attesting their capacity to effectively manage projects in challenging and uncertain contexts.
- The programme was developed and is implemented by international project managers with varied experience.
- Participants have the opportunity to build their personal professional network.
- Participatory activities include self-guided modules, webinars, an online forum, practical assignments, coaching, and tutoring.
- Participants get permanent access to the e-Campus portal on effective program implementation, training material, and references.
Detailed themes
- Recap of the basics of project cycle management
- Social systems, settings of complexity and stakeholders’ hub and network
- Project inception phase: replanning your project and setting up the project governance structure
- Agile, adaptive/hybrid vs waterfall project management models
- Stakeholder and team management: leadership and motivation skills
- Risk Management
- Monitoring, reporting and control in challenging settings
- Communication for development
