Accelerated Project Management Certificate Program

Course Description

This online instructor-led course explores quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify and analyze project risk factors (risk event, event probability, and event impact). A variety of risk response choices are discussed, and risk identification and risk response are practiced in workshop groups. Quantitative techniques are applied to problems, but don’t worry, advanced mathematics is not used!

 

Course Outline

Topics:

• Introduction and Risk Factors
• Risk Management Process including risk classification systems, risk tolerance, response development, mitigation
• Risk Tools including expected monetary value, payoff tables, decision trees, critical path network

Many organizations are now introducing agile delivery techniques into the workplace with the goal of delivering faster, with greater efficiency. To achieve these benefits, agile methods encourage a closer collaboration between the project business stakeholders and the project delivery team, they encourage the lowering of barriers (functional silos) between roles, and they promote communications techniques that foster a culture of openness and transparency. This level of change may create resistance for some people who have difficulty adapting. One of the best ways of overcoming such resistance is through education.

This online instructor-led class aims to introduce stakeholders and project team members to the agile way of working using the common Scrum framework. Unlike typical Scrum-based training, however, the course expands the framework to include an overview of agile requirements management techniques and agile estimating and planning techniques that are used to set reasonable stakeholder expectations at the start of an agile project.

 

Course Outline

Topics:

• What is Agile and What's In lt for Me? 
  • The Need for Agile 
  • The Agile Philosophy 
• An Overview of the Scrum Method 
• Agile Requirements Management Overview 
• Rolling-Wave Planning & The 3-Levels of Agile Planning 
• A Day in the Life of an Agile Team 
• Wrap Up 

This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in developing a basic understanding of how agile methods work, including project team members and other stakeholders.

 

Learner Outcomes

This course provides project stakeholders and project team members with a basic understanding of how agile projects are structured, including an introduction to the common Scrum framework, and how disciplined approaches to agile can be used to set (and manage) realistic stakeholder expectations.

What distinguishes projects from business-as-usual operations is that projects introduce change; therefore, change is a fundamental goal of every project. Yet, many people resist change for various reasons. This resistance, if not accounted for in project delivery strategies, can lead to significant risks jeopardizing the attainment of project objectives.

Through a combination of online lectures and individual and group activities based on real-world case studies, this course introduces project managers to the fundamentals of change management practice, helping them to understand the risks introduced by change resistance and how to reduce or eliminate those risks. By incorporating the techniques revealed in this course into their toolkits, project managers will be better able to deal with stakeholders, reduce project delays, increase efficiencies, and reduce the risk of not meeting a project’s business case objectives.

 

Course Outline

Topics:

• Introduction
• The Project Manager’s Role in Leading Change
• Identifying Change-Related Risks
• Communication Strategies
• Planning for Change
• Wrap-Up

 

Learner Outcomes

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify barriers to change including stakeholder reactions
• Choose appropriate strategies to address specific change resistance points
• Prepare better stakeholder management plans
• Prepare better project communications plans to build commitment
• Prepare more comprehensive risk management plans
• Improve the chances of meeting project objectives

One of the primary responsibilities of a project manager is to manage a project’s budget and schedule. Success is often measured based on meeting deadlines and delivering the project within financial and schedule constraints.

This role today is much more complex, requiring a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ goals, needs, expectations, requirements, and risk tolerance. A project manager must have a holistic perspective and a nuanced understanding of project elements and their interaction with budgets and schedules.

This online instructor-led course will review roles and responsibilities, estimating, how to be a good steward of project resources, and how to adapt project scheduling and budgeting efforts to uncertainty with concepts such as rolling-wave planning and agile delivery.

 

Learner Outcomes

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of the project manager and other subject matter experts such as schedulers, financial experts, and others
• Prepare a project budget and schedule
• Use fundamental scheduling techniques such as calculating critical path and float
• Use cost-benefit analysis, earned value and velocity for project decisions and to understand project health
• Appreciate the importance of a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of project objectives

This course is designed to provide participants with an understanding of the complexity of managing stakeholders and project communications. We will cover the processes, tools and techniques of Project Communications Management and Project Stakeholder Management as presented in the Project Management Institute’s (PMI®) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge®

Participants will learn through application to a case study and hands-on exercises.

 

Course Outline

Topics include:

• Introduction & Project Management Definitions and Context
• Managing Stakeholders (Identifying stakeholders, creating stakeholder plans and using tools for stakeholder management)
• Effective Communications with Stakeholders
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Communication Skills
• Productive Meetings
• Monitoring Stakeholder Engagement and Negotiation

 

Learner Outcomes

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Use the terminology and processes of stakeholder and communications management
• Prepare a project or program communications management plan
• Use the tools of stakeholder analysis
• Learn tools and develop strategies for managing and monitoring stakeholder engagement
• Learn tools and develop strategies for managing and project communications
• Articulate the benefits of a proactive approach to project communication and stakeholder management

As project managers, we tend to keep our eyes focused on the finish line. For us, it is all about on-time completion. Once the deliverables have been handed over to our project sponsor or client, we relax -- the project is over. But is it really? 

Project closeout always presents challenges: from getting final approvals, to performing administrative and contract closure, to capturing lessons learned, and more. At the rapid pace of business today, efficient project closure is a must and may even give you a competitive edge. This online instructor-led workshop introduces project managers to the best practices for getting final signoffs and closing out projects. Project managers will come away with a structured closeout framework and some templates that can be used to complete an orderly project closeout. 

This course is intended for beginner and intermediate project managers across all industries. 

 

Course Outline

Topics:

• Introduction and Definitions 
• The Project Charter and Plans (Start with the End in Mind) 
• Getting Final Approvals 
• Scope Barriers (Customer Satisfaction, Quality Issues) 
• Lifecycle Barriers 
• Post-approval Closure Activities 
• Contract Closure Activities 
• Administrative and Lessons Learned Closure Activities  
• Marketing Closure Activities 

 

Learner Outcomes

Participants will gain practical skills to: 

• Use a structured approach to get final sign-off and closing out a project 
• Describe the barriers to project closeout including both scope and lifecycle barriers 
• Describe how to overcome closeout activities including financial, administrative, and legal closure (and more!) 
• Use lessons learned to drive continuous improvement 

In today’s ever-changing world, complexity is unavoidable. Whether you are engaged in formal project work or you are accountable for creating policies, improving operational performance, launching a new product, good or service, or creating solutions that drive organizational change, your success is highly dependent on well-defined and understood business requirements, product requirements, and specifications. Investments in requirements processes have proven to be key contributors to success in any endeavour.

This online class focuses on the requirements management process. Using an exercise taken from a real-life project, participants will learn how to define the problem, assess its business impact, and identify and manage stakeholders’ expectations. Participants will use elicitation tools and techniques to discover the underlying requirements that contribute to deliverable solutions that produce desired outcomes. Through the use of techniques for clarifying expected deliverables and discovering overlooked requirements, participants will be better prepared to work on projects characterized by uncertainty and high levels of change. This instructor-led class will cover requirements verification, traceability and change management techniques for both predictive and agile project environments. Participants will discover different ways to present requirements to stakeholders to maximize comprehension and encourage feedback.

 

Learner Outcomes

Participants will gain practical skills to:

• Utilize an enterprise requirements management framework and processes
• Identify impacted stakeholders and discover and define their real problems
• Realize and uncover real requirements using various methods and tools
• Create appropriate questions to ask in surveys, interviews, job shadowing, and JAD sessions
• Discover functional requirements that deliver business value
• Document requirements clearly using standard formats, including user stories and use cases
• Analyze, verify, and validate requirements
• Refine, manage, and control changes to requirements
• Use a hierarchical solution selection process to build a foundation for future requirements
• Conduct financial analysis of proposed solution(s) to maximize benefits realization
• Prioritize, select and present the best requirements solutions to problems/opportunities
• Transfer a practical requirements management methodology back to the workplace

Procurement management, and especially contract administration, has become an essential project management skill in today’s trend of outsourcing. 

We will guide you through procurement practices, the bid process, contract negotiations, managing contractors and vendors for optimum performance and provide a taste of contract law. This online instructor-led course will provide the fundamental tools required for project managers. It will also offer you an insight into the role of the procurement officer or buyer on a project team. 

This course is important for those working on projects with large numbers of vendors/contractors, where coordinating the selection and management of these vendors is a primary challenge.  Typically, procurement and contract management are a primary challenge in engineering and construction projects. 

 

Topics

• The Procurement Process 
•   Plan Procurements (including contract law, make-or-buy, bids, contract types) 
•   Conduct Procurements (proposal evaluation, negotiation) 
•   Due Diligence 
•   Control Procurements (dispute management, inspections & audits) 
•   Contract Closure

 

Learner Outcomes

Participants will gain practical skills to: 

• Use proven techniques, tools and skills for managing contracting and procurement on projects 
• Know how to plan and control procurement management scope of work 
• Understand and use the procurement management terminology 
• Define the work required to manage a specific contract 
• Make a plan for administering the contract and managing the vendor 
• Co-ordinate and monitor activities of on-site contractors in a commercial and professional manner 
• Value the importance of knowing the contractual requirements 
• Work within the requirements of your company’s contracting procedures. 

• Those responsible for managing smaller projects & looking to expand on their knowledge of Project Management concepts

• Participants on a project team of any size, especially those who have not yet been exposed to the tools, techniques and terminology of formal project management.

Upon completion of the certification, you will be able to:

• Understand, and effectively apply Project Management concepts 
• Use lessons to inform continuous improvement efforts, and strategies for future projects
• Appropriately communicate project plans, updates, and outcomes to stakeholders
• Be able to identify and describe key project management terms 

Upcoming Course Schedule

Level I: Project Management Essentials

Join our interest list for more information about upcoming sections. 

 

Level II Courses

Join our interest list for more information about upcoming sections. 

 

Format

Online Classroom

 

Credential

Daily online participation (at least 80% attendance) and successful completion of learning activities is required to achieve the course Certificate of Completion from UWindsor Continuing Education.

Prerequisites

To ensure successful completion of this program, it is expected that learners will have:

1. Completed the Project Management Essentials class as a prerequisite for all level 2 courses, and elective learning
2. Basic computer skills
3. English language proficiency
4. Some post-secondary education (strongly recommended)

 

Technical Requirements for Brightspace

• Learners will require access to a computer with high-speed internet access. Learners will be sent a Zoom link approximately one week prior to the start of the course.

• A link will be provided through email prior to the first day of class so that you will have access to all course resources and streaming functions
• Once you register for this class you will be issued a UWinID. Please activate your UWinID as soon as possible. Document your UWinID and password as you will need it to access Brightspace. If you have any issues, please contact continue@uwindsor.ca.
• Visit this site for Brightspace technical requirements

 

Notes

This program is offered in partnership with Procept Associates Ltd.

Course Fees

Level I Course Fee: $1,295 + HST
Level II Course Fee (per course): $499 + HST

Register for all Level II core courses and 1 elective as a bundle and save $299. Use code: 10%BUNDLE at checkout. Not valid with any other discounts. Courses can be taken individually or complete all 7 courses to achieve the Accelerated Project Management Certificate.

Bundled Cost for Full Certificate (Level I & Level II): $3,989.60 + HST

Full refund 7 days before the start of the course, minus a $25.00 administration fee.  Please review our Registration and Refund Policies for more information.

 

Discounts

For leaders in their organization who wish to send their team, group rates are available. Please visit our registration page for more details.

UWindsor Staff, Students, Alumni, and Hire UWindsor Partners are eligible for a discount. Email continue@uwindsor.ca for details.

 

Funding

OSAP-MC

• This program is eligible for the OSAP Micro-credential application (OSAPMC).    

• Participants must be registered into the program prior to applying for OSAPMC. Participants are obligated to pay their fees in full, at least 10 days before the class start date
  • If you wish to withdraw from the program, you must email your drop request to our team at continue@uwindsor.ca at least one week before the course start date to receive a full refund (less the $25.00 administrative fee)
• Register for this program accordingly to allow ample time for your application to be processed. It takes approximately 10-15 business days for the OSAPMC application to be processed
• For more information, please visit our OSAP-MC website, or email our financial aid office. 

 

Other Funding Opportunities

Continuing Education has partnered with Windmill Microlending to make your learning opportunities more accessible.  Windmill Microlending is a registered charity serving newcomers since 2005. Windmill Microlending provides loans of up to $15,000 for skilled immigrants and refugees to pay for their Canadian licensing or training needed to restart or continue their careers in Canada. Loans can be used to cover fees for licensing and qualifying exams, credential assessments, books, course materials, living allowance during the study period, and language courses. To find out if you are eligible for a Windmill loan, please click here.

Please apply 2-3 weeks before the start of your desired program.

For more information, please contact Andrea D’Souza at inquiry@teamwindmill.org 

Coming Soon

Instructors

Janice Petley

Janice Petley has over 20 years of project management experience. Her typical assignments are definitely project management, but are anything but “typical”. Her experience spans a wide range of projects: from classical theatre at the Stratford Festival and symphony concerts in the United States, to stadium and arena opera productions in cities such as Tokyo, Munich, and Brussels. Whether it was a large sporting event at the Rogers Centre or an opera with a cast of 1000 in a bull ring in Madrid, Janice has worked on high risk, innovative, challenging projects. As many of her events were broadcast live-to-air both nationally and internationally, she fully understands the necessity of flawless project execution.

Janice’s ability to understand and appreciate both client and project requirements has enabled her to adapt to the needs of projects such as the SARS benefit concert in Toronto, World Youth Day (the Pope’s visit), and managing site requirements while touring Europe with the Rolling Stones. By drawing upon this experience, Janice is able to provide scenarios in her training which are interesting and accessible to a wide variety of people and organizations. She has a special skill for demonstrating project management lessons learned by recounting engaging, memorable stories that bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Janice has extensive experience with projects whose core deliverables focused on marketing, corporate communications, employee rewards, team building, and training and education. She has managed projects for many high profile corporate clients including CIBC, Chrysler Canada, Telus, and BMW. The not-for-profit client list includes the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Canada Games, and Special Olympics International.

She holds a BA from the University of Western Ontario, a BEd from Queen’s University, an MBA, and is designated as a Project Management Professional and a Certified Agile Project Manager.

Janice Petley is the Director of Atlantic Canada for Procept Associates and she regularly presents at Dalhousie University in Halifax and the University of New Brunswick as well as in-house to corporate customers. She keeps her PM skills current by working on social change projects that are close to her heart.

 

 

Ori Schibi

Ori Schibi has 27 years’ experience providing practical new ways of managing projects and programs and effectively dealing with challenges around organizational change, strategy, business analysis and PMOs. His experience includes driving process efficiencies, software implementations, project recoveries, project management skills assessments and complex programs that stabilize business, create growth and value and lead sustainable change.

He has long and solid agile experience – including assessing organization’s readiness for agile projects, helping organizations select the right lifecycle approach, aligning agile projects with corporate governance structures, coaching team members, leading agile transitions and adaptations and driving value through leading agile projects. Ori is well-versed in several agile methods, with focus on discipline agile delivery, and teaches for a variety of in-house clients, as well as for OPS, University of Toronto and the City of Toronto.

Ori has extensive experience working with large to mid-sized organizations in diverse industries. These industries include Telecoms, Financial Services, Aerospace, Hospitality, Pharmaceuticals and government agencies (Canada - all levels of government, US, the United Nations).

He is the author of the book Managing Stakeholder Expectations for Project Success (2013), as well as the book Effective PM-BA Role Collaboration (2015). He is also the co-author (with Kevin Aguanno), of the book Agile Business Analysis: Enabling Continuous Improvement of Requirements, Project Scope, and Agile Project Results (2018). His latest books is Effective Project and Change Sponsorship: Getting the Most from Your Strategic Investments (2020).

Ori’s track record is one of value-creation and excellence and he consistently delivers success in his consulting engagements. As an instructor, Ori brings his wealth of experience to class and his delivery style includes real-life, practical examples – that are easy to relate to and to understand; an appropriate sense of humour, and a unique ability to connect with his class participants to maximize the value of their learning. Ori’s clarity and easy-going ability to share his knowledge helps participants apply the learning in their environments; leading to customers repeatedly asking for his services and expertise.

He is also accredited by PMI under its Authorized Training Partner Instructor program to teach its PMP Exam Prep course.

 

 

Darya Duma

Darya Duma is a Senior Trainer and Consultant and member of Procept's Management Advisory Board. She has been designing and leading training courses in Project Management theory and application for 20 years and providing consulting services in project management for 15 years. She creates Project Management training for delivery by herself and others, designs PM frameworks and methodologies for clients, coaches and facilitates schedule development, Microsoft Project deployment, and scheduling template development, and facilitates the implementation of PM practices. Darya teaches at Queens University, and has designed courses for Bruce Power LP, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Ontario Power Generation, National Energy Board, Vale and University of Toronto. She is one of our Microsoft Project instructor/consultants. She is Program Director for our 10-day Mechanical Contracting Project Management course for the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada. Darya is active in ISO/TC 258 on projects, programmes and portfolio management, specifically as the Canadian delegate to Working Group 2 on governance of projects, programmes and portfolios, and is the Vice-Chair of the ISO/TC 258 Canadian Mirror Committee.

Darya was a practicing Project Manager for over 10 years, first in “hard” projects managing industrial elevator installations with a mechanical contractor, and then in “soft” projects developing national and international standards with CSA International. A few of the projects that she has managed include providing elevators for Hibernia GBS, Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, Ontario Hydro, Alberta Power, and Vancouver Port. More recently, with the Canadian Standards Association, she managed the development of codes and standards for subsequent implementation in provincial regulations, as well as the development of ISO standards for the elevator industry. She has extensive international experience with clients in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Darya has been a member of PMI’s Registered Education Provider Advisory Group, and is the Vice-Chair of the Canadian Advisory Council for ISO/TC258.

Darya holds a degree in Engineering Science from University of Western Ontario, as well as additional credentials in adult education design and facilitation. She is designated as a Professional Engineer, as a Project Management Professional by PMI, as a Planning and Scheduling Professional by the AACEI, and a Microsoft Certified Professional.

 

 

Peter Monkhouse

Peter Monkhouse’s career is built on over 40 years of project and leadership experience. Currently, Peter is focused on helping professionals who support organizations to listen to their customers, deliver value, and execute strategy. Throughout his career, he has actively led projects and project managers in the areas of education, consulting, engineering, information technology, health, and organizational change. In a recent role, he successfully coached, mentored and worked with project managers across six continents. In addition, Peter teaches project management courses at Ryerson University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Calgary, along with many of Procept's corporate and government clients.

In prior roles, Peter managed portfolios of continuing education certificates, co-founded a start-up, and led large teams and programs of over US$20 million per year implementing organizational change. In 2019 Peter co-authored the best-selling book, Gen P: New Generation of Product Owners Who Care about Customers.

Over the past 20 years, Peter has taught project management to over 6,000 students in a variety of ways, including classroom, online, and intensive formats. His vast industry experience allows him to use examples to bring project management to life.

Peter has been an active volunteer with PMI for over 20 years: serving on the PMI Board of Directors for six years (including as Chair of the 2012 PMI Board), serving on the PMI Educational Foundation Board of Directors for six years (including as Chair of the 2018 PMIEF Board), as past president of the PMI Toronto Chapter, and serving on several Member Advisory Groups (MAGs). Presently, Peter is on the Board of Directors of Project Managers Without Borders.

In the fall of 2007, Peter became Chair of the Canadian Mirror Committee for the ISO PC236, which led to the development of the standard ISO21500. He received his BSc (Engineering) from Queen’s University and his MBA from the University of Toronto. He obtained his Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential in 1999, and, in May 2008, he graduated from the PMI® Leadership Institute Master Class. In 2020, Peter became a PMI Authorized Training Partner Instructor.

 

 

Reginald Scotland

Reginald Scotland is an experienced program, project and change manager, business analyst, communications analyst, facilitator, mentor and coach with more than 25 years of experience. Reg is an engaging and sociable instructor. He leads adult learners in project management, and is co-developer and presenter of a popular webinar series on project management. He has designed and delivered courses on leadership, communications, numerous military subjects and skydiving. He presented at ProjectWorld 2011.

An experienced mentor and coach, Reg enjoys helping people to achieve new levels of personal and professional competence. His philosophy is that successful people are always learning, and that both the learner and facilitator roles often bring new insights and understandings to those involved. Reg holds a BAA in Journalism (Ryerson University) is a Project Management Professional (PMP) (Project Management Institute), a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) (Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario) and is certified in Change Management methodology (Prosci ADKAR). He serves on the Boards of the Royal Canadian Military Institute, St. John Ambulance of York Region, and on the Toronto Executive of the Order of St. George.

He is a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Army Reserve, with experience in leadership, emergency management, logistics, training, planning, and financial administration and management.

In his spare time, Reg enjoys spending time with family and friends, skydiving, flying, singing and songwriting, and contemplation.

 

 

Amber Howard

Amber Howard, CBAP, PMP Amber Howard has over 15 years of experience in the technology and business fields. Her extensive consulting experience has allowed Amber to perform business analysis, project management and organizational change management for companies of various sizes in both the for profit and not-for-profit sectors. This experience includes engagements in the aviation, cooperative housing, finance, government, retail, risk management and service industries.

Amber is a passionate consultant, instructor and performance coach who is in the business of designing and implementing solutions that minimize risk and take advantage of opportunities. She excels at training and developing people in order for them to excel both personally and professional for what matters most to them.

Over the past decade Amber has contributed to both the IIBA and PMI and continues to volunteer her time as a coach in a leadership training program. Amber holds a Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP®) designation from the International Institute of Business Analyst, a Change Management Practitioner™ (CMP) designation from APMG International, a Project Management Professional (PMP®) designation from the Project Management Institute (PMI), is a Certified Coach Practitioner™ through the Certified Coaches Federation, and is a Certified Personal Resilience Practitioner through Resilience Alliance. Amber holds an Honours BA in Bioethics and Political Science from the University of Toronto.

 

 

Carroll Blair

As an Educational Strategist, Master Facilitator and Change Coach, Carroll has twenty years of experience working to create safe and inclusive learning environments for participants at all levels of an organization. Her experience includes working in non-profit, corporate/financial and municipal environments.

This experience includes building and delivering adult education courses via numerous modalities for onboarding, service excellence, change management, diversity/anti-bias awareness education, team building and managerial skill development. One of her greatest rewards has been providing hours of career and development coaching to new graduates and seasoned managers alike.

Recently certified as a CQ® Change Intelligence Leader, Carroll applies a wide scope of change management, communications and psychometric tools to the life-cycle of learning; especially the critical role of sustainment.

With a Masters degree in Environmental Studies (Community Education), Carroll also has a unique lens of how corporate learning impacts the wider world we inhabit. Ultimately, collaborating with Carroll will be a chance to ignite passion in the future of your workforce.