PMP and Agile Basics Course

Lesson 1 • Project Lifecycle and Phases

Maps the standard initiation-to-closure arc and explains phase gates. Students can sequence project phases and identify key decisions at each transition.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to the PMI Framework

Explains PMI's role, the PMBOK Guide structure, and the PMP certification pathway. Students understand the professional context governing the skills they will develop.

Lesson 3 • Project Management Knowledge Areas

Introduces the ten PMBOK knowledge areas as an organising framework. Students map each area to real project concerns before diving into individual domains.

Lesson 4 • Key Roles and Stakeholders

Identifies the project manager, sponsor, team, and stakeholder roles and their responsibilities. Clarifies accountability structures used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Identifying and Analysing Stakeholders

Introduces stakeholder identification techniques and the power-interest grid for prioritisation. Students build a stakeholder register that guides engagement throughout the project.

Lesson 2 • Developing the Project Charter

Covers every element of a project charter and the process of gaining formal authorisation. Students draft a charter that grants the project manager authority to proceed.

Lesson 3 • Business Case and Project Justification

Connects organisational strategy to project selection using benefit-cost analysis and portfolio alignment. Students evaluate whether a project should be initiated.

Lesson 1 • Creating the Work Breakdown Structure

Decomposes project scope into manageable work packages using the WBS. Students apply the 100% rule and validate completeness against the project charter.

Lesson 2 • Duration Estimation Techniques

Compares analogous, parametric, three-point, and bottom-up estimation methods. Students select appropriate techniques based on available data and project complexity.

Lesson 3 • Activity Definition and Sequencing

Converts WBS work packages into discrete activities and establishes logical dependencies. Students build a precedence diagram ready for duration estimation.

Lesson 4 • Defining and Collecting Requirements

Applies structured elicitation techniques to transform stakeholder needs into documented requirements. Students produce a requirements traceability matrix linked to project objectives.

Lesson 1 • Risk Identification and Analysis

Applies brainstorming, checklists, and SWOT to identify risks, then uses probability-impact matrices for qualitative analysis. Students populate a risk register.

Lesson 2 • Earned Value Management Fundamentals

Introduces EVM metrics—PV, EV, AC, SPI, CPI—to measure schedule and cost performance. Students calculate variances and forecast project completion cost and date.

Lesson 3 • Risk Response Planning

Covers avoid, transfer, mitigate, and accept strategies for threats and exploit, enhance, share for opportunities. Students assign risk owners and update the risk register.

Lesson 4 • Quality Planning and Assurance

Distinguishes quality planning, assurance, and control and links quality standards to deliverable acceptance criteria. Students draft a quality management plan.

Lesson 1 • Extreme Programming and Lean Principles

Introduces XP engineering practices and Lean's waste-elimination philosophy as complements to Scrum. Students identify applicable practices for software and non-software projects.

Lesson 2 • Scrum Framework Essentials

Covers Scrum roles, events, and artifacts in detail as the most widely adopted Agile framework. Students map Scrum ceremonies to the sprint lifecycle.

Lesson 3 • Kanban and Flow-Based Delivery

Explains Kanban boards, WIP limits, and flow metrics as a pull-based alternative to iteration. Students design a Kanban board for a continuous-delivery scenario.

Lesson 4 • The Agile Manifesto and Values

Examines the four Agile values and twelve principles as the philosophical foundation of all Agile frameworks. Students contrast Agile assumptions with waterfall assumptions.

Lesson 1 • Writing Effective User Stories

Applies the INVEST criteria and the As-a/I-want/So-that format to write testable, valuable user stories. Students refine epics into sprint-ready stories.

Lesson 2 • Agile Estimation Methods

Introduces story points, planning poker, and affinity estimation to size backlog items relative to each other. Students calibrate a team velocity baseline.

Lesson 3 • Sprint Planning and Iteration Execution

Guides teams through sprint goal setting, capacity planning, and task breakdown during sprint planning. Students simulate a sprint planning session for a given backlog.

Lesson 4 • Product Vision and Roadmap

Connects organisational goals to a product vision statement and a release roadmap. Students draft a vision box and a three-release roadmap for a sample product.

Lesson 1 • Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

Develops a communications management plan and applies engagement strategies to maintain stakeholder support. Students map communication channels to stakeholder needs.

Lesson 2 • Performance Measurement and Reporting

Applies EVM data and schedule variance analysis to produce status reports for stakeholders. Students build a one-page project dashboard using real performance data.

Lesson 3 • Integrated Change Control

Explains the change request lifecycle from submission through impact analysis to approval or rejection. Students evaluate a change request using a structured impact template.

Lesson 4 • Agile Progress Tracking

Uses burndown charts, burnup charts, and cumulative flow diagrams to monitor Agile team progress. Students interpret charts and recommend corrective actions.

Lesson 1 • Continuous Improvement Frameworks

Connects Kaizen, PDCA, and Agile inspect-and-adapt cycles to ongoing project and organisational improvement. Students build an improvement backlog from retrospective outputs.

Lesson 2 • Formal Project Closure Process

Covers administrative and contractual closure steps, including final deliverable acceptance and resource release. Students complete a closure checklist for a sample project.

Lesson 3 • Lessons Learned and Knowledge Transfer

Applies structured techniques to capture, validate, and store lessons learned for organisational benefit. Students facilitate a lessons-learned session and document outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Transitioning to the Next Project

Addresses team disbandment, benefit realisation handoff, and readiness for the next initiative. Students draft a transition plan linking project outputs to operational ownership.