314 Concept courses in Bristol

Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving: In-House Training Two critical skillsets for the future of work are critical thinking and creative problem solving. These modes of working and thinking intersect and overlap; both are necessary and both can be taught. Having the ability to exercise creativity while at the same time applying structure and discipline to the thinking process is a key competency in the twenty-first century workplace. This course explores the interplay between critical and creative thinking, and the necessity of each to effective problem solving and decision making. Participants will learn a variety of techniques to apply critical thinking to real-life scenarios. They will experiment with different problem-solving approaches and will learn about cognitive influences on our decisions and choices. The course delves into the business value of creativity and involves participants in actively integrating criticality, creativity, and problem solving. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain basic concepts of problem solving Infer types of cognitive biases that impact decision making Utilize types of root cause analysis Differentiate among obstacles to sound decision making Apply a variety of problem-solving approaches / processes to existing challenges Evaluate alternative solution methods using various techniques Analyze real world problem scenarios to determine the lateral thinking type needed to address them Foundation Concepts Definitions Thinking modes and cognitive bias Basic problem-solving framework Problem Definition and Solution Generation Root cause analysis Basic problem-solving obstacles Generating alternative solutions Evaluating Alternatives Critical thinking guidelines Obstacles to sound decision making Tools for evaluating alternatives Exploring Lateral Thinking Problem-solving challenge Workplace application

Project Management for Non-Project Managers: In-House Training Individuals who are involved in projects (commissioning, supporting, sponsoring, etc.) may often be unfamiliar with project management. A basic understanding of project management is essential for non-project managers, who are critical stakeholders contributing to project success. This awareness course uses A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and other sources to introduce you to project management vocabulary, concepts, and techniques. It also provides insights into the realities of being a project manager, and opportunities to explore how you can positively impact projects in your own role. What You Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Identify the benefits of project management Use standard project management terminology Describe characteristics of successful projects, project managers, and high-performing teams Explain various project stakeholder roles, their responsibilities, and the fundamental project management processes Recognize how agile / adaptive practices are useful for certain project life cycles Create a personal action plan for how to support real-world projects within a non-PM role Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Project management overview Strategic value of project management Defining project success Project life-cycle models and governance Project roles and responsibilities Project Initiating and Planning Initiating the project Defining project requirements and scope Developing the project schedule and budget Project Risk Management, Executing, Monitoring, and Closing Understanding, evaluating, and adjusting for risk Honoring the baseline and executing the project Monitoring and controlling the project Closing the project Project Interpersonal Processes Project communication Project team development Conflict management

Microsoft® Project White Belt® 2016: In-House Training This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project. This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project. It is kept up to date with the framework outlined by Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). This course will be led by an IIL-certified instructor who will outline the benefits of Microsoft Project, provide tips on using various features and common shortcuts, recommend guidelines, and discuss the application of scheduling concepts to manage project work. What you Will Learn You'll learn how to: Define key scheduling concepts and terms Effectively navigate the user interface and interpret common views Configure essential elements of a new schedule Enter and modify a task list Set dependencies between tasks Create a basic resource list and generate assignments Format targeted areas of the Gantt Chart view Prepare the schedule for printing Getting Started Introductions Course objectives Course outline Navigating the User Interface and Views The ribbon The Quick Access Toolbar General and display options Major elements on the Project screen The Gantt chart, calendar, and network diagram views The help Setting up a New Schedule New schedules from blank, templates or other files The project starting date and forward scheduling The project standard calendar and exception days Entering, Modifying, and Outlining Task Data Task entering options and edition Unscheduled tasks Duration estimates for a single task or multiple tasks Tasks organization Multi-level outline Notes to detail tasks Creating Dependencies by Setting Links The critical path Critical path calculation in Project Dynamic schedules and dependencies Link tasks in Project Displaying the critical path Entering and Assigning Resources Resource planning Resource list Resource assignments Formatting Gantt Chart View Format options for text and Gantt charts Print options

Intercultural Competence: In-House Training In a world that conducts business across continents and geographical borders, more than ever it is essential for team and organizational leaders to not only understand but also embrace the diversity of cultures; this is intercultural competence. Intercultural competence gives one the ability to effectively and appropriately communicate with people from other cultures in a competitively complex world. The participant in this program will gain cultural insights needed to build intercultural teams and navigate cultural diversities, without knowingly violating what are deemed to be acceptable or unacceptable cultural norms. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Articulate on the meaning of culture and intercultural competence Express the importance of body language and appropriately demonstrate its emblems Describe three cultural models and consider their application in assimilating cultural behaviors Define emotional intelligence and explain how it is linked to cultural intelligence Examine the four cultural intelligence capabilities and give examples of how each is developed Develop a personal cultural profile and compare its dimensions to gain an appreciation for intercultural competence Foundation Concepts Fundamentals of culture Culture and body language Culture and proxemics Cultural Models Iceberg culture model The onion model of culture Hofstede's model of national cultures High-context and low-context cultures Cultural Intelligence Emotional intelligence overview Cultural intelligence overview Cultural Profile Cultural profile dimensions Understanding your cultural profile

Estimating for Business Analysts: In-House Training A business analyst does not have authority to estimate the project and will not be held responsible for the project staying within the proposed budget; however, the business analyst does participate in various planning exercises with the project team. Many times the business analyst is on his or her own, required to provide estimates of how long it will take to perform their tasks. This course acquaints you with the basics of estimating from the point of view of the business analyst, emphasizing time estimates for the work. It also covers some of the product cost estimates that a business analyst may have to provide when the business is performing a cost/benefit analysis for the project. What you will Learn You'll learn how to: Translate business needs and requirements into estimates Estimate durations using a variety of techniques Negotiate differences in estimates Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts The importance of estimating to a business analyst The good and bad of estimating The project context The meaning of good estimating Focuses of estimating Characteristics of a good estimate Estimating the Time Requirements Applicable BABOK® Knowledge Areas Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring Elicitation and Collaboration Estimating the elicitation Information Gathering Plan Relative times for elicitation activities Planning and estimating the business analysis approach and activities Planning the business analysis activities Impact of process Estimating the Product Estimating the value of the product Business analyst's role Defining and determining value Function and use case points Agile estimating Planning Poker Other agile estimating techniques Negotiating estimates Negotiation techniques Negotiation approaches Summary What did we learn, and how can we implement this in our work environment?

What you Will Learn Plan and prioritize each day's activities in a more efficient, productive manner Establish strategies to execute priorities and overcome procrastination Understand how to make trade-offs when faced with fire drills How to set and communicate boundary conditions Getting Started Introductions Course orientation Participants' expectations Foundation Concepts Exercise: A day in your life Resources to implement change Mind-set Tool-set Skill-set What is your time really worth? The dynamics of procrastination The myth of multi-tasking Brain Rules - how to optimize your efficiency Organization and Prioritization Time management best practices Goal setting Exercise: Identifying your priorities The importance of organization Time management framework Prioritizing time Time Management Techniques Tips for managing time Nine ways to overcome procrastination The STING technique Managing your time o Handling unplanned urgencies o Dealing with information overload Delegation and managing others' time Creating your personal action plan Summary Course summary and next steps Applying what you have learned

The Art of Negotiation: In-House Training Confidence, rapport, curiosity, and patience are essential ingredients to successfully handling a difficult conversation and negotiation. In this course, you will learn to identify and manage aspects of a negotiation, distinguish needs from wants, and manage expectations. The course will cover communication best practices, strategies for handling difficult conversations, and the basics of the art of negotiation. What you Will Learn Master the different ways to say 'no' Determine negotiation strategies based on typical client strategies Develop solutions to break deadlocks Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Establishing personal learning objectives Foundation Concepts Exercise: Most Challenging Scenarios and Outcomes Debrief: Impact versus intent Addressing customer expectations Needs versus wants Key skills for managing customer relationships Elicitation (requirements gathering) Communication and active listening Sensitivity and empathy Handling Difficult Conversations Saying 'no' The Ladder of Inference 4-Step approach for handling difficult conversations Characteristics of a trusted advisor Communication Best Practices Attunement and active listening Exercise: Identifying Effective Techniques Communication pitfalls and best practices Building rapport and influence Words of wisdom Exercise: Reflection on Challenges Negotiation Strategies Negotiation basics Five phases of negotiation Identifying different strategies Traditional versus Progressive Hard - Soft - Principled Exercise: Your Preferred Techniques Selecting appropriate strategy for project negotiations Common pitfalls to avoid The impact of culture on negotiation Looking at conflict through the lens of negotiation Exercise: Mapping a Resolution

Managing Stress and Building Resilience: In-House Training Stress has an impact on all of us at some point in our professional lives. Learning how to manage stress and build resilience will result in higher professional productivity, better health, and more sustainable living habits. It will also help us create a physical - and emotional - work-life balance. In this one-day workshop, you will learn practical solutions to sustain behavior change that can positively impact your life on both a professional and personal level. When you are able to reduce the level of negative stress that affects you, your performance improves, along with your health and happiness. The objective of this course is therefore not only to create awareness around emotional well-being in a work context, but also to help participants create a better overall balance between the investment they make in their personal and professional lives. This course covers how our perceptions affect our beliefs and how our beliefs affect our actions. You will learn a host of stress-reduction techniques, while exploring your own stress triggers and responses. Highly interactive, the sessions cover a blend of theory, discussions, and exercises. You will explore concepts with fellow participants within a safe environment where skills and habits can be developed, sharpened, and improved. What You Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Identify what stress feels like and what the typical symptoms and reactions are to stress Analyze your own responses to stressful events and the consequences of those reactions Organize your work structure to reduce stress and build resilience Recognize activities that drain you and those that give you energy Generate relief from stressful events Cultivate a mindset of resilience Better manage your time, work commitments, and personal boundaries in order to be most effective at your job Getting Started What is stress? Beliefs and thinking errors Work-life balance Drainers and energizers Stress reduction techniques Time management Summary and Next Steps

This course presents an approach for dealing with security and privacy throughout the entire software development lifecycle. You will learn about vulnerabilities that undermine security, and how to identify and remediate them in your own projects.

How to be a Great Executive Sponsor: In-House Training This three-hour course provides key tips and techniques for becoming an actively engaged, and impactful, Executive Sponsor of projects and programs. It will explain not just what your role is, but the very specific actions you can, and must, take to increase your project's probability of success. This three-hour course provides key tips and techniques for becoming an actively engaged, and impactful, Executive Sponsor of projects and programs. It will explain not just what your role is, but the very specific actions you can, and must, take to increase your project's probability of success. And, it will highlight the key personality and other traits that are found in successful Sponsors. Regardless if you're sponsoring an Agile software development project, a construction megaproject, or any other type of project in between, this course will help get you 'hit the ground running' and being an 'impact player' on day one. Various activities and discussions will acquaint you with this important role and what you need to do to become a great executive sponsor. What you Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Define project success so everyone is 'singing from the same sheet of music' Immediately apply the ten key attributes of a great sponsor on your project Recognize great sponsorship and determine if you're the right fit for the role Practice Sponsorship over the course of the project life cycle by engaging in very specific actions and activities Be a better investment manager by analyzing the behaviors of successful activist investors Foundation Concepts The quantifiable benefits of being an actively engaged Sponsor Sponsor defined Clarence Kelly Johnson and the SR-71 Blackbird: An example of the power of Sponsorship Defining Project Success Project success: More than meeting the triple constraints Benefits management: The Sponsor's focus The Investment - Life-cycle vs. the Project Life-cycle The three questions Sponsors need to ask to define project success 10 Key Attributes of a Great Sponsor 10 Key Attributes of a Great Sponsor The Makings of a Great Sponsor The most important skills and competencies of an executive sponsor What great Sponsors do and when Four Things a Great Sponsor Can Learn from an Activist Investor The story of Outerwall, Inc. and Glen Welling of Engaged Capital, LLC Sponsors and Activist Investors Sponsorship of the 2nd Avenue Subway in Manhattan: A classic textbook example