In today’s competitive environment learning to effectively manage projects is a critical skill. This course will focus on initiating and planning projects. The course will cover the more traditional linear process, like waterfall approach, as well as the dynamic and iterative approach of agile and hybrid models, so the learners can decide when one approach is more suitable for any of their projects to maximize the chances of a successful outcome!
Project Initiation and Planning
This course is part of Business Value and Project Management Specialization
Instructor: Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta, Ph.D., PMP, CSM, CSPO
13,699 already enrolled
Included with
(136 reviews)
What you'll learn
Describe the concepts of project management and the key activities in the project life cycle
Develop a project management plan that documents the actions necessary to define, coordinate, and measure all project activities
Identify necessary labor and material resources, estimate the required units to meet expectations, and demonstrate impact of changes to project scope
Demonstrate how teams are assigned and formed, describe the stages of team development, and optimize the project schedule
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Add to your LinkedIn profile
25 quizzes, 12 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
- 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
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
There are 5 modules in this course
You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course.
What's included
2 videos5 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt
In this module, you will learn about the life cycle of a project when using the traditional model for project management. Why is it called waterfall, and how does that dictate the process? The focus will be on the first state of the project life cycle, project initiation.
What's included
24 videos3 readings7 quizzes3 assignments
In this module, you will learn about the planning phase of the project when using a waterfall approach - getting the team on board and collaboratively building a plan for managing tasks, stakeholders, and risks. You will learn about how to create the foundation for developing a detailed project plan which includes budget and schedule.
What's included
18 videos2 readings9 quizzes2 assignments
In this module, you will learn several techniques that will help you develop a detailed project plan. The project plan will reveal the critical tasks. Managing projects using a waterfall approach is a start-to-finish approach to getting things done, and making projects more successful. The critical path has a significant impact on both the cost and schedule of a project.
What's included
15 videos2 readings4 quizzes3 assignments1 peer review
In this module, you will learn about agile project management - the methodology best used when project requirements are not well defined and nd change frequently. This module will focus on the roots of agile and show how to initiate and plan projects using scrum.
What's included
13 videos4 readings4 quizzes4 assignments
Instructor
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Leadership and Management
University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
University of Virginia
Macquarie University
Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Learner reviews
136 reviews
- 5 stars
84.55%
- 4 stars
11.02%
- 3 stars
2.20%
- 2 stars
1.47%
- 1 star
0.73%
Showing 3 of 136
Reviewed on Dec 25, 2022
Absolutely phenomenal. Never had an intimate and direct learning experience as this one.
Reviewed on Oct 18, 2021
Keep it up. knowledge based fully understandable material. It is a base of project managment to sucess.
Reviewed on Feb 16, 2022
The teacher was very good. Well stated information and enthusiasm. The tests were a little odd sometimes.
New to Leadership and Management? Start here.
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
You will be eligible for a full refund until 2 weeks after your payment date. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the 2-week refund period.
Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.