Microsoft Project White Belt® 2013: Virtual In-House Training This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project 2013. 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 This workshop serves as an introduction to the interface and features of Microsoft® Project 2013. 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 Navigate and use the Ribbon Use and customize the Quick Access Toolbar Modify general and display options Become familiar with major elements on the Project screen Navigate Gantt Chart, calendar, and network diagram views Search for a help topic Setting up a New Schedule Create new schedules Create a new schedule using existing information Enter and modify the schedule start date Enter and modify exception days in the calendar Entering, Modifying, and Outlining Task Data Enter, edit, correct, and clear information Enter unscheduled tasks Enter duration estimates for a single task or multiple tasks Organize tasks Set up a multi-level outline Add notes to tasks Creating Dependencies by Setting Links Identify a critical path in a simple schedule Understand how scheduling software calculates a critical path Describe dynamic schedules and dependencies Create links using various methods Display the critical path Entering and Assigning Resources Plan for resources Create a list of available resources Assign resources Formatting Gantt Chart View Format text and Gantt Chart bars Format a collection of items Configure print options
Intercultural Competence (Virtual) 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 Getting Started 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 Summary and Next Steps
Facilitating Effective Meetings (Virtual) Billions of dollars and exorbitant amounts of time are wasted annually across the globe because of organizations' meeting practices. This contributes to serious performance problems for both organizations and employees, and it has a serious impact on culture and morale. But despite the costs and consequences, every-day people in any role have the ability to change that. They can reduce cost, improve productivity, and enhance their workplace cultures by improving their meeting facilitation skills. And that is because facilitation skills start in the planning stage, not in the live meeting stage. In this course, participants will learn that their responsibility as a facilitator is to be a steward of time, money, relationships, and performance. To do that, they will learn to estimate costs of meetings and practice a variety of strategic thinking and analysis tasks to effectively plan results-aligned meetings. They will also apply several techniques and strategies to proactively prevent and deal with conflict in meetings, as well as give objective, constructive feedback to others in order to create behavior change during meetings. Participants must bring laptops with them and have internet access during the course (both virtual classroom and traditional classroom). The laptops are needed for specific activities. Also note that this course pairs well with IIL's Conflict Resolution Skills and Decision Making and Problem Solving courses, which go much deeper into related skills and tools that support effective meeting facilitation. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Estimate the financial and time costs of attendance for real-world meetings Use a performance formula to define the purpose of meetings Describe the responsibilities and qualities of an effective facilitator Analyze situations to determine when a meeting is necessary Articulate performance-driven meeting goals and results Align meeting goals and results Strategize to invite, involve, and exclude appropriate attendees Explain research-based best practices for meeting decisions and agenda development Create an effective agenda for a results-driven meeting Apply proactive tools and strategies for relationship-building dealing with meeting conflict Give constructive behavioral feedback using the Situation-Behavior-Impact® technique Getting Started The Business Case for Effective Facilitation Embracing the research on meetings Estimating the real costs of meetings Determining a meeting's performance value Clarifying the meeting facilitator's role Facilitating the Meeting Plan Determining if a meeting is necessary Aligning meeting goals with meeting types Identifying the right attendees Creating a strategically effective agenda Facilitating the Live Meeting Building relationships from the start Dealing with conflict proactively Giving feedback on unproductive behavior Summary and Next Steps
Estimating for Business Analysts: Virtual 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?
Time Management and Productivity: Virtual In-House Training Effective time management reduces stress and helps you better adhere to commitments. This course is designed to help you identify personal and organizational priorities and gain better control of where you focus your attention. You will explore the importance of planning and organizing, and you will practice sorting through and setting priorities. You will also learn how to set better time boundaries and manage the demands of others. Working with a time management framework, you will use a set of practical techniques to organize and manage your work to better deliver on your commitments. Techniques for overcoming procrastination will be addressed, as well as strategies for dealing with information overload. 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
Microsoft® Project White Belt® 2016: Virtual 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
The Art of Delegation and High-Impact Feedback: Virtual In-House Training Whether you are a project manager, an executive, or simply someone involved in leading or helping others, a critical part of your work must involve delegating and giving feedback. These two skills, however, are not as simple as they seem. How do you know what to Partcipant? What kinds of feedback should you give? Knowing this and practicing this are two different things. Ultimately, delegating and giving feedback are skills that must be done mindfully, strategically, and meaningfully. They must be done in ways that not only positively impact performance, but also inspire growth, engagement, and motivation. When done poorly, they can create significant problems. But when done well, they can generate value for everyone and benefit future endeavors. In this course, you will learn to think more deeply about the importance of delegating and discover how to give better feedback. You will have opportunities to apply best practices and methodologies that you can use in the real world, ultimately paying off for you and for others. What you Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain why common excuses for NOT delegating are short-sighted Identify what needs delegating by using a proven methodology Utilize best practices in real world scenarios, delegating in a way that benefits you and the individual to whom you Partcipant Summarize key lessons learned in brain science which enhance the feedback-giving process Recognize the critical connection between feedback and performance Apply a proven model to deliver feedback that inspires growth, engagement, and motivation Getting Started What is delegation? What makes delegation hard? What do I Partcipant and why? How to Partcipant effectively Feedback Exploring the feedback process Why feedback is hard to give...and receive Why giving feedback effectively is important Feedback models
Introduction to Project Management: Virtual In-House Training This course provides practical insights into what is project management and how it is performed in a structured manner. This course provides practical insights into what is project management and how it is performed in a structured manner. You will learn how projects are selected, initiated, planned, executed, monitored and control, as well as closed, which could serve you ubiquitously. The goal of this course is to provide a minimally essential orientation to practical project management concepts, tools, and techniques. You will be provided with enough of these that can be applied from both a project manager and a key stakeholder perspective. What you Will Learn You will learn how to: Articulate on the basics of the project management profession Explain project management terms and concepts in practice Speak on how projects originate in mature organizations Employ a disciplined approach to initiating, planning, and managing projects to closure Identify and describe the roles and responsibilities of key project stakeholders Consider standard project processes to implement based upon the PMBOK® Guide Getting Started Introductions Course orientation Participants' expectations Foundation Concepts Key terms and concepts Organizational framework Leadership framework Originating and Initiating Originating projects Initiating projects Planning Planning overview Scope and quality planning Resources and risk planning Schedule and cost planning Project baselining Executing and Controlling Executing Monitoring and Controlling Closing Project closing overview Closing administratively Closing financially Summary and Next Steps Review of goals, objectives, key concepts, and expectations Evaluations
The Art of Delegation and High-Impact Feedback (Virtual) Whether you are a project manager, an executive, or simply someone involved in leading or helping others, a critical part of your work must involve delegating and giving feedback. These two skills, however, are not as simple as they seem. How do you know what to delegate? What kinds of feedback should you give? Knowing this and practicing this are two different things. Ultimately, delegating and giving feedback are skills that must be done mindfully, strategically, and meaningfully. They must be done in ways that not only positively impact performance, but also inspire growth, engagement, and motivation. When done poorly, they can create significant problems. But when done well, they can generate value for everyone and benefit future endeavors. In this course, you will learn to think more deeply about the importance of delegating and discover how to give better feedback. You will have opportunities to apply best practices and methodologies that you can use in the real world, ultimately paying off for you and for others. What You Will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain why common excuses for NOT delegating are short-sighted Identify what needs delegating by using a proven methodology Utilize best practices in real world scenarios, delegating in a way that benefits you and the individual to whom you delegate Summarize key lessons learned in brain science which enhance the feedback-giving process Recognize the critical connection between feedback and performance Apply a proven model to deliver feedback that inspires growth, engagement, and motivation Delegation What is delegation? What makes delegation hard? What do I delegate and why? How to delegate effectively
Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving (Virtual) 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 Getting Started 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 Summary and Next Steps