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Contract performance course
More than 2 million students worldwide

Contract performance course

Master every stage of the contract performance lifecycle, from interpreting obligations and managing scope changes to resolving disputes and closing out agreements. This course gives contract professionals, project managers, and legal practitioners the practical tools to protect their organisation's rights and deliver on every commitment. Build the skills that turn contract knowledge into measurable results.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

You will learn how to read and interpret contract documents, define scope, and translate obligations into actionable performance plans. The course covers monitoring techniques including earned value management, KPI tracking, and early warning systems. You will develop compliance and quality assurance programmes, manage risks and change orders, and build well-supported claims packages. You will also study breach classification, available remedies, and dispute resolution processes from negotiation through arbitration. Finally, you will execute structured contract closeout procedures that protect your organisation's financial and legal interests.

How you study in practice Contract performance course

How you practise Contract performance course

For companies looking to train their teams

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your company and its specific needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 40 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Contract Performance

  • Lesson 1 • Essential Elements of a Valid Contract

    Covers offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity, and legality as prerequisites to enforceable performance. Ensures learners can verify contract validity before analysing performance duties.

  • Lesson 2 • Performance Standards and Benchmarks

    Introduces objective and subjective performance standards and industry benchmarks. Learners can apply the correct standard when evaluating whether performance is adequate.

  • Lesson 3 • Types of Contractual Obligations

    Distinguishes express, implied, and constructive obligations and their performance standards. Learners learn to map each obligation type to its corresponding duty.

  • Lesson 4 • What Is Contract Performance

    Defines performance as fulfilment of contractual duties and distinguishes it from formation. Anchors all subsequent topics in a shared conceptual baseline.

  • Lesson 5 • Key Parties and Their Roles

    Identifies obligors, obligees, third-party beneficiaries, and agents in a performance context. Clarifies accountability and rights for each party throughout the course.

Chapter 2See details

Contract Documents and Scope of Work

  • Lesson 1 • Defining and Documenting Scope of Work

    Teaches techniques for drafting and reviewing precise scope statements that prevent disputes. Directly supports performance planning by eliminating ambiguity.

  • Lesson 2 • Anatomy of a Contract Document

    Breaks down recitals, definitions, operative clauses, schedules, and exhibits. Learners understand how each component shapes performance duties.

  • Lesson 3 • Change Orders and Scope Modifications

    Covers formal and constructive change processes and their effect on performance obligations. Learners can identify when a change has occurred and how to document it properly.

  • Lesson 4 • Hierarchy and Order of Precedence

    Explains how conflicting documents are resolved through precedence clauses and interpretation rules. Learners can determine which provision governs when documents conflict.

  • Lesson 5 • Interpreting Ambiguous Contract Language

    Applies canons of construction and contextual interpretation to resolve unclear terms. Learners gain tools to argue and defend performance positions under ambiguous language.

Chapter 3See details

Planning and Scheduling Performance

  • Lesson 1 • Time-Related Contract Clauses

    Analyses time-of-the-essence, notice, and deadline clauses and their performance consequences. Learners understand how contractual time provisions affect legal rights and remedies.

  • Lesson 2 • Resource Planning for Contract Delivery

    Aligns labour, materials, and equipment with performance timelines and contract constraints. Learners can build resource-loaded schedules that reflect contractual commitments.

  • Lesson 3 • Work Breakdown and Milestone Setting

    Decomposes contract scope into manageable work packages and measurable milestones. Provides the structural foundation for all scheduling and monitoring activities.

  • Lesson 4 • Schedule Risk and Contingency Planning

    Identifies schedule risks and builds contingency reserves aligned with contract risk allocation. Learners can defend schedule assumptions and adjust plans proactively.

  • Lesson 5 • Baseline Schedule Development

    Guides creation of a contract-compliant baseline schedule used as the performance reference. Learners learn to gain stakeholder approval and lock the baseline for tracking.

Chapter 4See details

Monitoring and Measuring Performance

  • Lesson 1 • Progress Measurement Techniques

    Covers physical percent-complete methods, milestone weighting, and weighted steps. Learners apply the most appropriate technique to each work package type.

  • Lesson 2 • Performance Reporting and Documentation

    Structures performance reports that satisfy contractual reporting obligations and support decisions. Learners draft reports that are accurate, timely, and legally defensible.

  • Lesson 3 • Early Warning Systems and Trend Analysis

    Builds systems to detect negative trends before they become breaches or claims. Learners use trend data to initiate corrective action within contract authority.

  • Lesson 4 • Key Performance Indicators for Contracts

    Defines KPIs tied directly to contract obligations such as schedule, cost, quality, and safety. Learners select and calibrate KPIs appropriate to each contract type.

  • Lesson 5 • Earned Value Management Fundamentals

    Introduces planned value, earned value, and actual cost as integrated performance measures. Learners calculate schedule and cost variances to assess contract health.

Chapter 5See details

Contract Compliance and Quality Assurance

  • Lesson 1 • Regulatory and Contractual Compliance Overlap

    Addresses situations where regulatory requirements intersect with or exceed contractual standards. Learners navigate dual compliance obligations without creating conflicting duties.

  • Lesson 2 • Nonconformance Management

    Establishes processes for identifying, recording, and resolving non-conforming work or deliverables. Learners apply corrective and preventive action cycles to close non-conformances.

  • Lesson 3 • Acceptance Testing and Sign-Off Procedures

    Guides formal acceptance processes including testing protocols, punch lists, and sign-off documentation. Learners manage acceptance to protect both parties' rights and trigger payment.

  • Lesson 4 • Quality Requirements in Contracts

    Extracts quality standards, specifications, and testing requirements embedded in contract documents. Learners translate quality clauses into actionable inspection and testing plans.

  • Lesson 5 • Compliance Frameworks and Audit Programmes

    Designs internal compliance frameworks and audit schedules aligned with contract obligations. Learners build audit checklists and conduct compliance reviews systematically.

Chapter 6See details

Managing Risks, Changes, and Claims

  • Lesson 1 • Defending Against Counterclaims

    Prepares learners to analyse and rebut counterclaims using contract language and performance records. Strengthens negotiating position by anticipating opposing arguments.

  • Lesson 2 • Contract Risk Identification and Allocation

    Maps risk types to contract clauses that allocate them between parties. Learners assess risk exposure and negotiate allocation strategies during performance.

  • Lesson 3 • Change Management During Performance

    Builds on scope modification concepts to manage the full change lifecycle during active performance. Learners control unauthorised changes and price approved ones accurately.

  • Lesson 4 • Quantifying and Presenting Claims

    Covers cost and schedule impact quantification methods and persuasive claim presentation. Learners build well-supported claim packages that withstand scrutiny.

  • Lesson 5 • Claim Identification and Preservation

    Teaches how to recognise claimable events and preserve rights through timely notice and documentation. Learners avoid waiving claims through procedural noncompliance.

Chapter 7See details

Breach, Remedies, and Dispute Resolution

  • Lesson 1 • Remedies Available for Breach

    Surveys compensatory damages, specific performance, rescission, restitution, and agreed remedies. Learners match the appropriate remedy to the breach type and contract terms.

  • Lesson 2 • Mitigation of Damages Obligation

    Explains the duty to mitigate and its effect on recoverable damages after a breach. Learners document mitigation efforts to preserve full damage recovery.

  • Lesson 3 • Arbitration and Adjudication Processes

    Explains binding arbitration, expert determination, and statutory adjudication as formal resolution mechanisms. Learners navigate procedural requirements and present cases effectively.

  • Lesson 4 • Negotiation and Mediation of Disputes

    Covers structured negotiation and mediation as first-line dispute resolution tools. Learners prepare for and conduct productive settlement discussions.

  • Lesson 5 • Identifying and Classifying Breach

    Distinguishes material breach, minor breach, anticipatory repudiation, and fundamental breach. Learners determine the legal consequences and available responses for each type.

Chapter 8See details

Contract Closeout and Performance Review

  • Lesson 1 • Final Invoicing and Financial Settlement

    Covers final invoice preparation, retention release, and reconciliation of all financial obligations. Learners ensure complete and accurate financial closeout aligned with contract terms.

  • Lesson 2 • Documentation Handover and Archiving

    Establishes standards for transferring contract records to clients and archiving for future reference. Learners protect legal rights through proper record retention and handover.

  • Lesson 3 • Warranty and Post-Completion Obligations

    Identifies ongoing obligations that survive contract completion, including warranties and indemnities. Learners manage post-completion duties without incurring unintended liability.

  • Lesson 4 • Closeout Planning and Checklists

    Develops comprehensive closeout plans covering deliverables, documentation, and financial settlement. Learners use checklists to ensure no obligation is overlooked at contract end.

  • Lesson 5 • Lessons Learned and Performance Review

    Structures formal performance reviews that capture successes, failures, and improvement opportunities. Learners translate lessons learned into updated processes and contract templates.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

  • Contract administrators: ready to move beyond paperwork into strategic performance oversight.

  • Project managers: who regularly sign off on deliverables without deep contract grounding.

  • Procurement officers: seeking sharper tools for holding suppliers accountable to commitments.

  • In-house legal staff: wanting practical operations knowledge alongside their legal expertise.

  • Construction site managers: navigating scope changes, claims, and subcontractor obligations daily.

  • Career changers: entering contract management from operations, finance, or engineering backgrounds.

What our students say

Your lessons are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to change platforms... I'm grateful for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...
Giulio Carlo
Giulio CarloDigital Marketing Student
I like how the lessons are straight to the point and how I can change chapters and skip content I don't need.
Mariana Ferres
Mariana FerresPhotography Student
I like the content and the way videos are presented and transcribed, which speeds up the process!
Luciana Alvarenga
Luciana AlvarengaNail Design Student
The platform is fast, simple to use. The diversity of content and complementary videos really help with learning.
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André FelipePrompt Engineering Student

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