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Project Management Pathway

Welcome to the Project Management Pathway.

Within this repository, you'll find carefully selected learning materials and pathways to support your educational journey. Our color-coded guide ensures efficient navigation:

🟢 Green circles indicate essential starting points. Begin here to build foundational knowledge and skills. 🔵 Blue dots represent intermediate-level content, providing further depth and insight into various topics. 🔘 White circles denote optional resources, offering additional learning opportunities for those interested. 🟠 Orange circles highlight deeper content. While valuable, these resources may be more specialized and require careful consideration of their relevance to your learning objectives. As a practical advocate of the learning-by-doing approach, I encourage you to explore and adapt these recommendations according to your individual learning style and strengths. Let's embark on this journey of continuous improvement together.

Pathway: Project Management

Project Management - Fundamentals

This skill is among the most critical yet rare skill sets I've encountered among my mentees. It requires a blend of emotional intelligence, strong communication skills, and contextual knowledge. While these resources offer a foundation, true competence as a project manager comes from honing coping skills in real-world challenges.

For a deeper dive, consider:

Remember, true mastery comes from practical experience. To secure your first project management role, cultivate interest, demonstrate commitment, and start small. While other resources exist, true learning occurs through hands-on experience.

Project Management - Styles

Project Management - Styles

Choosing your leadership/management approach is crucial and should be based on several factors:

  • Project aim: Understand the goals and objectives of your project.
  • Personality of your team: Consider the strengths, weaknesses, and dynamics of your team members.
  • Environment: Adapt your approach to the specific context and constraints of your project environment.
  • Your own personality and skill portfolio: Reflect on your personal leadership style and strengths.

There's often a trade-off between team development and project progress. To navigate this, engage in open communication and dialogue with your team. Clearly articulate the project's aims and the trade-offs involved, allowing team members to make informed decisions.

Here are some resources to explore different project management styles:

For those interested in the philosophy of leadership, consider:

Project Management - Widgets and Documentation

  1. Project Main Document: Store all project information in one place, preferably using Google Docs (with links to Google Sheets). Avoid using paid services or other software; Google Apps can handle all necessary tasks, and access management is simple. This document is crucial and should be easily readable and accessible to all project members.

    In academia, ensure your main document includes the following components (SUPER IMPORTANT):

    • Project Charter and Info: Includes information on all project members, their roles, responsibilities, contact details, and agreements (e.g., terms of engagement, work processes, escalation protocols).
    • Project Scope: Clearly define the project's aim, problem statement, and success metrics.
    • Meeting notes and dates.
    • Deadlines and feedback mechanisms to address issues preventing completion.
    • To-do list outlining major project goals and breaking them down into smaller, actionable tasks with assigned responsibilities.
    • Project planning and timeline (Gantt chart), as described below.

  2. SUPERHERO of PM, Gantt Chart and Planning Timeline: Gantt charts facilitate the estimation of each project step, enabling the definition of deadlines, resource allocation, and progress tracking. Begin by outlining major project phases and then break them into smaller, manageable tasks. Assign individuals responsible for each task, along with satisfactory metrics for completion. While adjustments may be necessary as the project progresses, having a structured plan is essential.

Project Management - Communication

This is often regarded as the most challenging aspect of project management. While you may have mastered project definition, understanding PM fundamentals, styles, and necessary tools, success hinges on effective communication. Your ability to interact with people is paramount, drawing heavily from your life experiences and innate talent. Remember, transparency is key. Discuss potential scenarios openly with your team at the project's onset.

As a project manager, you'll face various challenges, such as identifying the right team members, providing constructive feedback, fostering performance improvement, and knowing when to address personnel issues. Essentially, you're not merely managing projects but regulating people dynamics.

Here are some resources to enhance your communication skills:

First version: Feb 2024