Work Breakdown Structures: In-House Training It's amazing how often project managers begin the project planning process by making an outlined list of every task they believe will be required to complete a project and then proclaim they have created the work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project. The result is a list of hundreds, or even thousands of tasks, many of them having durations of a few days or a few hours. Essentially, what they have done is create a 'to do' list, which they then use as a 'checklist' to measure progress. This approach leads to, and even encourages, micromanagement of the resources working on the project without consideration of more critical aspects of project management such as: requirements management, risk management, procurement management, estimating, scheduling, executing, and controlling. Further, it makes it impossible to see the big picture, at levels of detail, in keeping with the needs of sponsors, clients, project and functional managers, team leaders, and project performers. Join us for this exciting program and learn how to use the WBS to make better-informed business decisions. What You Will Learn You will learn how to: Describe the need for a project WBS Describe the WBS role in the project Gain practical experience in the development, decomposition, and use of the WBS Determine the appropriate level of detail in the WBS. Explain how the WBS integrates with project requirements, risk, procurement, estimating, scheduling, and overall project execution. Provide the basic tools to enhance efficient re-use of key information in your future projects Foundation Concepts Key definitions History of the WBS Importance of the WBS Overall structure Terminology Other breakdown structures WBS tools WBS & Scope Project scope management processes Specification of the project objectives WBS design based on project deliverable WBS decomposition process and 'The 100% rule' Work Packages and Control Accounts WBS & Risk Risk management planning and WBS Risk identification to enhance the WBS Risk analysis and the WBS Risk responses and updating the WBS Implementing risk response and Monitoring risks and the WBS WBS & Estimating Use of WBS in the estimating process Components and work packages Sizing and algorithmic estimates WBS & Scheduling Component Scheduling - High-Level Milestones WBS activity decomposition WBS elements dependencies Work Package Level Schedules Responsibility assignment matrix WBS & Execution and Control Earned Value Management and tracking of work performance Progress reports, forecasts, and corrective and preventive actions used to manage work performance Necessary information to close out a project
Use Cases for Business Analysis: In-House Training The use case is a method for documenting the interactions between the user of a system and the system itself. Use cases have been in the software development lexicon for over twenty years, ever since it was introduced by Ivar Jacobson in the late 1980s. They were originally intended as aids to software design in object-oriented approaches. However, the method is now used throughout the Solution Development Life Cycle from elicitation through to specifying test cases, and is even applied to software development that is not object oriented. This course identifies how business analysts can apply use cases to the processes of defining the problem domain through elicitation, analyzing the problem, defining the solution, and confirming the validity and usability of the solution. What you will Learn You'll learn how to: Apply the use case method to define the problem domain and discover the conditions that need improvement in a business process Employ use cases in the analysis of requirements and information to create a solution to the business problem Translate use cases into requirements Getting Started Introductions Course structure Course goals and objectives Foundation Concepts Overview of use case modeling What is a use case model? The 'how and why' of use cases When to perform use case modeling Where use cases fit into the solution life cycle Use cases in the problem domain Use cases in the solution domain Use case strengths and weaknesses Use case variations Use case driven development Use case lexicon Use cases Actors and roles Associations Goals Boundaries Use cases though the life cycle Use cases in the life cycle Managing requirements with use cases The life cycle is use case driven Elicitation with Use Cases Overview of the basic mechanics and vocabulary of use cases Apply methods of use case elicitation to define the problem domain, or 'as is' process Use case diagrams Why diagram? Partitioning the domain Use case diagramming guidelines How to employ use case diagrams in elicitation Guidelines for use case elicitation sessions Eliciting the problem domain Use case descriptions Use case generic description template Alternative templates Elements Pre and post conditions Main Success Scenario The conversation Alternate paths Exception paths Writing good use case descriptions Eliciting the detailed workflow with use case descriptions Additional information about use cases Analyzing Requirements with Use Cases Use case analysis on existing requirements Confirming and validating requirements with use cases Confirming and validating information with use cases Defining the actors and use cases in a set of requirements Creating the scenarios Essential (requirements) use case Use case level of detail Use Case Analysis Techniques Generalization and Specialization When to use generalization or specialization Generalization and specialization of actors Generalization and specialization of use cases Examples Associating generalizations Subtleties and guidelines Use Case Extensions The <> association The <> association Applying the extensions Incorporating extension points into use case descriptions Why use these extensions? Extensions or separate use cases Guidelines for extensions Applying use case extensions Patterns and anomalies o Redundant actors Linking hierarchies Granularity issues Non-user interface use cases Quality considerations Use case modeling errors to avoid Evaluating use case descriptions Use case quality checklist Relationship between Use Cases and Business Requirements Creating a Requirements Specification from Use Cases Flowing the conversation into requirements Mapping to functional specifications Adding non-functional requirements Relating use cases to other artifacts Wire diagrams and user interface specifications Tying use cases to test cases and scenarios Project plans and project schedules Relationship between Use Cases and Functional Specifications System use cases Reviewing business use cases Balancing use cases Use case realizations Expanding and explaining complexity Activity diagrams State Machine diagrams Sequence diagrams Activity Diagrams Applying what we know Extension points Use case chaining Identifying decision points Use Case Good Practices The documentation trail for use cases Use case re-use Use case checklist Summary What did we learn, and how can we implement this in our work environment?
BGP training course description A study of BGP for non engineers working in the Internet. The course starts with a review of the basics of routers and routing tables and then moves on to a simple overview of how BPG works with a focus on BGP metrics influencing the route traffic takes through the Internet. Hands on with routers follow the major sessions to reinforce the theory. Note these hands on sessions are more demonstrations by the trainer but some can be followed along and done by delegates (e.g. looking at Internet routing tables.) What will you learn Explain how routing tables influence Internet traffic. Describe how BGP works. Explain the methods BGP can use to influence Internet traffic. Use traceroute, peeringdb, route collectors and looking glasses to analyse traffic flows. Explain the difference between bi lateral and multilateral peering using a route server. BGP training course details Who will benefit: Non technical staff wishing to know more about BGP. Prerequisites: None. Duration 1 day BGP training course contents Networks, routers and routing tables What is a network, what is a router, routing tables, static routes, routing protocols. When an ISP uses static routes and when they use BGP. IP addresses, subnet masks, groups of IP addresses. IPv6. Hands on: Showing a full routing table. Seeing traceroute being used. Basic BGP What's BGP? BGP versus other routing protocols, ASs, AS numbers. RIPE database, peeringdb. Hands on: Finding AS numbers. Showing simple BGP configuration and routing tables in an EVENG example. How BGP works Simple walk through of BGP incremental updates and how routes change when links go down. Hands on: Showing packets and route changes when a link goes down/comes up. BGP path selection Transit, peering, routing policy and route filtering. Longest matching rule in routing tables, route selection order, Local preference, AS prepend, MEDs. Hands on: Seeing BGP influencing traffic. Looking at peering policies in RIPE and peeringdb. Route servers What are route servers? LINX route servers, route server policy control and communities, What are route collectors, Looking glasses. Hands on: Seeing the LINX route server details in peeringdb, using a looking glass.
We communicate daily in many ways, including email, phone, text, Zoom, Teams, Google Meets, Slack, and even that old-fashioned thing, what was it now... oh yes, talking face-to-face. But, when we look at communication closely and really drill down into what we are doing in conjunction with how our brain works (neuroscience), how internal, organisational, and social politics control what we believe we can say, how hierarchical positioning impacts our honesty and how the lack of psychological safety means we say what we know others want to hear rather than what they need to hear…. It is oh so complicated! This workshop not only explores the concept of excellent communication, but we also want to hear what you believe it is too. We also delve into how organisational culture influences our perception of speaking up. Factors that hinder open and honest communication, and we work collaboratively towards removing these barriers to achieve a communication style that fosters trust and transparency, creating psychological safety. This workshop is particularly relevant to our Emotional Intelligence workshop (EI and Me). We firmly believe that developing emotional intelligence is the key to unlocking Clean Communication, a skill that is crucial for all of us, regardless of our roles and responsibilities, so that we thrive in our professional environment. If you want to see if we are correct, why not have us facilitate a workshop for you and see what you get by the end of it? LENGTH - Normally, one day. But please contact us to discuss your specific needs, or we can offer advice. NEXT WORKSHOP START - Please ask for more information as we deliver bespoke closed events for your people at your location or a mutually suitable location. WORKSHOP DELIVERY - The best environment for this workshop is face-to-face, but we can facilitate this workshop online. Suitability - Who should attend? Who Should Attend and Why? Who? - Perhaps think of this another way… who shouldn’t attend to ensure we can attain Clean Communication? There’s your answer. Why? - Every person needs to understand what we are saying above about how we get trapped in this organisational formatting which changes how we communicate and how it prevents us from communicating cleanly. EVERY organisation has this, despite what our values profess. And 'Values', that’s a whole other story. Workshop Content Using the 'Moccasin Approach'® to clean our personal and organisational communication LaPD’s Communication Cycle and what we must consider. (Can you work out what the ? represent above? Accountability and Responsibility raises its head in Communication. It has to. Bias, unconscious bias and its impacts on our communication. The conundrum of communicating with others and their styles (The TRAP). How would my perfect Manager/Leader communicate with me? Nonverbal communication (body language), rapport, Clean Communication. Negative communication can go viral (Self-Fulfilling Prophecy). Reflections, findings and goals (individual and team). Meeting our workshop objectives by listing five areas for development. Workshop delivery and venue This workshop is usually one day in duration, and it focuses solely on how we communicate with each other. It can also be a two-day event incorporating aspects of Emotional Intelligence (EI) with group, and individual activities to allow discussions about the various communication we need in your organisation. When you consider the content we deliver, we are sure you will understand why we always prefer to deliver our workshops, courses and programmes face-to-face. Face-to-face workshops and courses can be held at a location of your choice or, if you wish, a central UK location, such as the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham, located directly across from the Birmingham New Street train station. We can deliver our workshops, courses and programmes online, although this will mean splitting elements into manageable learning events to suit the online environment.
AgilePM® Practitioner: In-House Training This course offers preparation for the Practitioner-level examination to gain the APMG-International™ / Agile Project Management Practitioner Certification. Agile Project Management (AgilePM) is the result of collaboration between APMG-International and The DSDM Consortium. DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method) is the longest-established Agile method, launched in 1995, and is the only Agile method to focus on the management of Agile projects. The method has evolved over the years and the DSDM Agile Project Framework is the latest version of which AgilePM is a subset. DSDM has always operated predominantly in the corporate environment and has consistently demonstrated its ability to successfully work with and complement existing corporate processes. APMG-International is a global Examination Institute accredited by The APM Group Ltd. It is one of the Examination Institutes accredited by AXELOS. APMG-International has regional offices located in Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Their portfolio of qualifications includes the Best Practice qualifications of ITIL®, PRINCE2®, MSP®, M_o_R®, and P3O®. AgilePM is one of their specialist management qualifications, which also include Change Management and Service Catalogue. The course covers all the Practitioner elements of the AgilePM Handbook v2 with: Clear explanations of the method and practical examples provided by your course tutor Sample exam paper for the Practitioner-level exams to enrich your knowledge and understanding A case study to allow you to practice the application of the method to an agile project The Traditional Classroom option includes the Practitioner exam to provide you with the right opportunity to verify your new skill set by way of a professional qualification The Virtual Classroom option includes a Practitioner exam voucher to allow you to choose the date and time of your online exam to verify your new skill set by way of a professional qualification What You Will Learn You will learn how to: Identify and apply the concepts, tools, and techniques described in Section 2 (Digging Deeper) of the APMG-International's Agile Project Management Handbook (v2.0) to agile projects Tailor and customize AgilePM to suit the needs of different projects Use AgilePM in conjunction with other project management methods such as PRINCE2® Prepare yourself for the Practitioner exam in AgilePM Roles and Responsibilities - The PM View The roles Key project manager relationships Agile Project Management - Through the Lifecycle The DSDM process and the project lifecycle Project management focus phase by phase The Effective Use of Products The products Deliver on Time - Combining MoSCoW & Timeboxing Ensuring effective prioritisation Bringing MoSCoW and timeboxing together People, Teams, and Interactions Effective communication Collaboration Requirements and User Stories What is a requirement? User stories Estimating - How and When Coping with uncertainty Estimating through the lifecycle Project Planning through the Lifecycle Planning in a DSDM project Planning activities phase by phase Quality - Never Compromise Quality What do we mean by quality? Solution and process quality Risk Management Project risk How DSDM helps mitigate project risk Tailoring the Approach The project approach questionnaire Summary and Next Steps
Overview Having a detailed understanding of financial statements is critical to assessing financial risk, and the rate of change in financial statement standards makes this a continuing challenge for users. This course brings together the key elements of financial statement analysis to help participants develop their skills in this area and enable them to ask the right questions to really get under the skin and see the real risks facing businesses and investors in these challenging times. The reference reporting framework used will be IFS.
Overview The course begins by introducing credit risk, its components and its drivers. The course then dives into business risk assessment and group structure risks. After examining financial statements, including accounting concepts and principles, the course concludes with a review of financial analysis and its four main risk areas.
Overview The training objective is to build on existing knowledge of Strategic Public Relations, Apply the tactical skills required for working in Strategic Public Relations, Capitalise on developments in technology, Manage the key aspects of protocol, Learn tips, tools and techniques to arrange business travel, Meet the expectation of those involved in protocol and travel arrangements.
Overview This five-day workshop provides a detailed review of significant IFRS requirements for the upstream oil and gas sector, including regulatory reporting and the diverse accounting practices that arise from the many commercial and contracting arrangements which are unique to it. It includes coverage of IFRSs, hands-on case studies, examples, exercises, and benefits from the interactive participation of the attendees. The program includes the latest pronouncements, and participants are brought up-to-date on all topics. In addition, participants are provided with information to assist them in researching accounting issues and monitoring future changes.