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Introduction to Project Management

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Introduction to Project Management

Name: Introduction to Project Management
Rating: 4.771653543307087 (2413 reviews)

This course is part of multiple programs.

Instructors: Kasie Pardi +1 more

173,099 already enrolled

Included with

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,413 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

2,413 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Explain project management, its benefits, and the role it plays in projects
Describe who project managers work with, different project management methodologies, and recent trends in project management
Summarize the typical responsibilities of a project manager and the skill sets needed to fulfill those responsibilities
Compare and contrast different industries, paths, and possible career progressions available to project management professionals

Skills you'll gain

Category: Relationship Building
Category: Stakeholder Management
Category: Project Management
Category: IT Management
Category: Project Risk Management
Category: Agile Methodology
Category: Agile Project Management
Category: Information Technology
Category: Project Planning
Category: Stakeholder Engagement

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

13 assignments

Taught in English

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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 from IBM

There are 5 modules in this course

Project management is a booming field with many opportunities for those with the appropriate skills. This course is designed for anyone interested in starting a career in this field and provides a comprehensive introduction to project management.

Today’s industries are increasingly becoming oriented around projects. As a result, more organizations need project management professionals and Agile Scrum Masters to help plan, manage, and execute these projects. By controlling various factors such as time and resources, project management enables organizations to increase the success rate of their projects, mitigate project risks, and reduce overall costs. In this course, you will learn what project management is, its benefits, and challenges encountered by project managers. You will also learn how recent trends, such as remote work, Agile, and artificial intelligence, have re-shaped modern project management. This course also addresses opportunities for different careers within project management. It will discuss jobs across different industries and experience levels, as well as the various technical and soft skills required for project management work. Throughout this course, you will learn through lectures, interviews with experienced project management professionals, readings, activities, and quizzes designed to teach you the fundamentals of project management. You will gain a range of technical and practical knowledge and get insights and guidance from experts in the field.

This module is designed to introduce you to project management, and how project managers support projects. In this course, you’ll learn what project management is, the benefits that organizations recognize using project management, and the constraints that project managers need to consider. You’ll learn about how project managers control three key project factors, and you’ll explore the relationships between programs, projects, and portfolios.

What's included

7 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

7 videosTotal 38 minutes

Course Welcome3 minutes
What is Project Management?6 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: What do Project Managers do?6 minutes
Program, Project, Portfolio - What's the Difference?6 minutes
The Role Project Management Plays in Projects5 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: What's a project?6 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Misconceptions about Project Management5 minutes

3 readingsTotal 11 minutes

How to make the most out of this course3 minutes
Introduction to PMP-CAPM Certification5 minutes
Module 1 Summary: What is project management?3 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 38 minutes

Practice Quiz: Project Management Primer8 minutes
Graded Quiz: What is project management?30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Discussion Topic: Introduce Yourself5 minutes

1 pluginTotal 10 minutes

Activity: Program, Project or Portfolio?10 minutes

The field of project management is constantly evolving and adapting to changes in technology, business needs, and global events. This module is designed to help you learn about the role of a project manager in the workplace and how current trends impact the field of project management. In this module, you’ll explore who project managers work with, how project managers work across an organization, and different project management methodologies they use. You’ll also discover how project management has evolved, and how project managers work using modern project management techniques and tools.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

6 videosTotal 38 minutes

Who Project Managers Work With5 minutes
Project Management Methodologies7 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Project Management Methodologies5 minutes
Traditional vs Modern Project Management7 minutes
Recent Trends in Project Management7 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Trends in Project Management8 minutes

3 readingsTotal 27 minutes

Working Across Teams, Functions, and Different Organization Structures15 minutes
Project Methodologies10 minutes
Module 2 Summary: Working as a Project Manager2 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 38 minutes

Practice Quiz: Project Management in the Workplace4 minutes
Practice Quiz: Current Trends in Project Management4 minutes
Graded Quiz: Working as a Project Manager30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Discussion Topic: Virtual Work5 minutes

1 pluginTotal 10 minutes

Activity: Project Management Modernization10 minutes

This module introduces you to the skills and responsibilities of a project manager. Through a combination of readings, videos, and hands-on activities, you will learn about the soft skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills that are required for successful project management. You will also explore the day-to-day responsibilities of a project manager and the various tasks they perform to ensure that projects are completed successfully.

What's included

8 videos2 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

8 videosTotal 46 minutes

Expert Viewpoints: Traits of a Project Manager7 minutes
Soft Skills for Project Management6 minutes
Technical Skills for Project Management7 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Necessary Project Management Skills4 minutes
Interpersonal Skills and Leadership in Project Management6 minutes
Project Manager Responsibilities5 minutes
A Day in the Life of a Project Manager5 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: A Day in the Life of a Project Manager6 minutes

2 readingsTotal 10 minutes

Transferable Project Management Skills 7 minutes
Module 3 Summary: What does being a project manager require?3 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Practice Quiz: Project Management Skills6 minutes
Practice Quiz: Day to Day Responsibilities4 minutes
Graded Quiz: What does being a project manager require?30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Discussion Topic: Project Manager Requirements5 minutes

1 pluginTotal 10 minutes

Activity: Typical Tasks and Their Frequencies10 minutes

Given that projects are the primary way that work is accomplished, project managers have been in ever increasing demand. This module is designed to familiarize you with careers in project management. In this course, you’ll learn about different opportunities for project managers, and the project management job market. You’ll learn about the many different industries that hire project managers, and dive deeper into the field of IT project management. You’ll also explore the path towards becoming a project manager, and how project managers advance throughout their careers.

What's included

8 videos1 reading3 assignments1 discussion prompt

8 videosTotal 48 minutes

Careers in Project Management Overview5 minutes
Project Management Across Industries5 minutes
Information Technology Project Management6 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Industry-Specific Skills4 minutes
Path to Becoming a Project Manager7 minutes
Career Progression in Project Management6 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Describe your career path7 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Job hunting and career progression tips6 minutes

1 readingTotal 3 minutes

Module 4 Summary: Careers in Project Management3 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 40 minutes

Practice Quiz: Opportunities in Project Management6 minutes
Practice Quiz: Career Paths in Project Management4 minutes
Graded Quiz: Module 430 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Discussion Topic: Career Paths in Project Management5 minutes

This is the final module of the course which contains a practice assessment, a graded final assessment, and an optional final project. Both of the assessments and the project address topics from all other modules in the course. Each assessment contains a total of 10 multiple-choice questions comprised of questions from each module. For the optional 30-point, peer-reviewed, final project, you will compare two job postings, a project coordinator to a project manager role, in light of what you learned in the course. You must also review one of your peers’ projects based on the rubric provided.

What's included

5 readings2 assignments1 app item

5 readingsTotal 27 minutes

Final Project overview and Review criteria10 minutes
Key Takeaways From This Course4 minutes
Key Project Management Resources5 minutes
Congratulations & Next Steps5 minutes
Thanks from the Course Team3 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Practice Quiz: Course30 minutes
Graded Quiz: Course 30 minutes

1 app itemTotal 60 minutes

AI graded Submission and Evaluation60 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(609 ratings)

Kasie Pardi

IBM

8 Courses186,398 learners

IBM Skills Network Team

100 Courses3,027,347 learners

Offered by

IBM

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5 stars
83.27%
4 stars
13.12%
3 stars
2.19%
2 stars
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1 star
1.07%

Showing 3 of 2413

Reviewed on Oct 13, 2024

This course was very engaging, course content is well organised and relatable , the quizzes always kept me on the edge and gave me the headstart I needed to upskill from admin to project management

Reviewed on Oct 9, 2024

I think this course really provides the foundational knowledge of what it is PM and what a carreer in PM looks like, so that you decide if you see yourself moving foward in this area

Reviewed on Mar 3, 2026

It was very informative and I feel all I have to do is complete a few more project management courses and I will be on the road to a new career.

Frequently asked questions

At the heart of all project management execution is the balancing of foundational variables. This course introduces you to the core concept of the Triple Constraint (often referred to as the Project Management Triangle). You will learn how a project manager must constantly balance three competing factors to ensure successful delivery:

Scope: The specific goals, deliverables, and tasks that define the boundaries of the project.

Time: The schedule, milestones, and final deadline for completion.

Cost: The budget, resources, and financial allocations required.

You will explore how a shift in any one of these constraints automatically impacts the other two (e.g., expanding scope requires an increase in either time or cost), establishing a framework for managing project risks.

Modern organizations require project managers to adapt to varying operational tempos. The curriculum deconstructs the structural differences between major execution methodologies:

Predictive (Waterfall): A sequential, phase-based approach where requirements are thoroughly locked in at the start, and execution flows downward through strict gates (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Closure).

Adaptive (Agile/Scrum): An iterative framework focused on flexibility, continuous improvement, and the generation of incremental value through short sprint cycles, often led in tandem with an Agile Scrum Master.

You will also explore the hierarchical relationships between a single Project, an interconnected Program, and an enterprise-wide Portfolio.

Project management is shifting rapidly alongside technological disruption. This module highlights how modern project managers leverage automation and collaboration software to manage cross-functional, distributed teams in a remote or hybrid work ecosystem. Crucially, the course introduces the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in predictive forecasting, automated status reporting, resource allocation optimization, and administrative workflow streamlining—proving to employers that you understand how tech efficiencies are applied to modern project lifecycles.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.