1051 PLA courses in Birmingham

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

Internet of Things training course description A concise overview course covering The Internet of Things and the technologies involved. Particular emphasis is placed on the high level architecture of IoT and the benefits achievable. What will you learn Describe the structure of the IoT List the technologies involved in IoT. Explain how IoT works. Internet of Things training course details Who will benefit: Non-technical staff working with IoT. Prerequisites: None. Duration 1 day Internet of Things training course contents What is IoT The Internet, what is IoT? IoT and M2M, IoT technologies, IoT architecture. Wired and wireless communication. IoT applications; Smart houses, smart cities, smart cars, wearable, environment, other domain specific IoTs. IoT architecture Physical objects, virtual objects, cloud computing, data capture, communications. Big data. Components Hardware, sensors, actuators, chips, firmware, embedded systems. Open source platforms. Power options: Battery, solar, PoE. IoT communication RF, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, RFID, WiFi, 802.11ah, mobile technologies. Wired. Arduino (as an example) Microcontrollers, the platform, development, Arduino software, reading from sensors, I2C, SPI. Arduino and the Internet, HTTP, WiFi, GSM. The cloud and IoT: Pachube, nimbits, ThingSpeak Security in IoT Authentication, Encryption, secure booting, firewalls.

Essential DHCP training course description Almost all businesses use DHCP. This course builds on delegates existing IP knowledge and focuses on IP Address management using DHCP. Also covered is the role of DHCP in plug and play environments. What will you learn Explain how DHCP works. Configure DHCP servers. Troubleshoot DHCP. Essential DHCP training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working with TCP/IP. Prerequisites: TCP/IP Foundation for engineers Duration 1 day Essential DHCP training course contents Introduction What is DHCP?, IP configuration: Address, mask, default gateway, DNS. History of DHCP: RARP, BOOTP. Hands on Client configuration, releasing and renewing. DHCP servers Installation. Base configuration: Scope. Lease period. DHCP options. Hands on Server setup, Impact of lease times. Server monitoring. How DHCP works Client states. Obtaining, renewing leases. DHCP messages: DISCOVER, OFFER, REQUEST, NAK, ACK, DECLINE, RELEASE, INFORM. Hands on Troubleshooting DHCP using Wireshark. DHCP architecture DHCP relay agents. Server platforms, resilience, DHCP fail over, split scopes. Dynamic DNS and DHCP. Hands on DDNS, routers, Troubleshooting.

Effective Negotiation Skills for Business Success: In-House Training Become skillful at dealing with unworkable differences - situations where there appears to be no acceptable compromise or acceptable solution. This interactive workshop shows you how to work towards agreements where all parties are satisfied that they have reached a wise outcome efficiently, and where they can come back to the table in the future because the relationship is intact. You will have the opportunity to re-visit a difficult / challenging negotiation that you experienced in the past as well as take part in progressively more challenging case studies that are tailored to the work you do. You will enhance your personal and professional life with powerful new negotiating skills. The goal of this workshop is to improve your negotiation skills by helping you to identify your own preferred negotiation style and strategies, and to learn about the need to plan for any upcoming negotiation. The workshop is also designed for you to experience typical negotiation situations at certain key points of the life cycle of a project, enabling you to develop an awareness of your effectiveness during negotiations at these stages. The majority of time is spent on practicing newly presented negotiation techniques and receiving feedback on application for further development and improvement. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Identify your preferred negotiation style and strategies Examine the Principled Negotiation Model Adapt your negotiation strategy to the progress of the negotiation Experience typical negotiation situations during the life cycle of a project Develop an awareness of your effectiveness during negotiations Improve your negotiation skills Negotiation Model Negotiation defined Negotiation phases Common approaches to negotiating Principled Negotiating Principled negotiation and the four rules Best alternative to a negotiated agreement Project Negotiation Simulation: Part 1 and Part 2 Project Negotiation Simulation: Part 1 Project Negotiation Simulation: Part 2 Negotiating Cases Negotiating cases

Emotional Intelligence: In-House Training Emotional Intelligence is a set of emotional and social skills that collectively establish how well we: Perceive and express ourselves Develop and maintain social relationships Cope with challenges Use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way It is a skill set that transfers across all categories of relationships. It is also a predictor of success - both in life and at work. This highly-interactive course delivers a practical approach to developing, improving, and sustaining effective and mutually beneficial relationships. The design of the course involves individual reflection and paired activities, interwoven with small and large group interactions. The EQ-i 2.0® assessment reports will be debriefed over the course of the two days. In addition, participants will delve into their personal strengths and blind spots, and will explore topics including: the neuroscience of emotion, the connection between empathy and performance, and how communication styles impact our perceptions of self and other. Role-play activities give participants the opportunity to try out new behaviors and techniques. The program includes: A personal behavioral profile, the results of which you will bring to your training 2-day highly interactive workshop and experiential learning Optional professional coaching activities initiated in class that can continue over the four months after class ends What you will Learn Recognize your interpersonal strengths and potential blind spots regarding Emotional Intelligence Identify the five domains within the EQ-i 2.0 assessment model Summarize what neuroscience research has discovered about emotions and actions Recognize ways that human beings are physiologically impacted by stress Articulate ways to develop and maintain strong working relationships Describe how emotional intelligence translates into high performance Make use of the EI model and associated competencies Employ strategies for enhancing leadership through Emotional Intelligence Foundation Concepts The biology of emotion Why Emotional Intelligence matters The impact of EI on performance The EQ-I 2.0 Model Overview of the EQ-i 2.0 framework Exploring your report Balancing your EI domains Self: Awareness and Sensitivity Self-awareness and empathy Perception vs. reality Acting by choice, not impulse Other: Communication and Relationship-Building Elements of effective communication Communication styles Communication techniques Neuroscience and Behavioral Change Insights from social neuroscience Making a change

WiFi demystified training course description A concise overview aimed at less technical staff requiring an overview of WiFi networks. The course covers the technologies at a high level allowing delegates to discuss WiFi networks with others recognising the buzzwords used. The course will also allow the delegates to recognise the issues involved in planning and installing WiFi networks as well as securing them. What will you learn Recognise the different WiFi technologies available. Describe the architecture of WiFi networks including the role of Access Points. Recognise the distance limitations of WiFi networks. Describe the buzzwords used in WiFi. Recognise the security issues of WiFi networks. WiFi demystified training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working with WiFi networks. Prerequisites: None. Duration 1 day WiFi demystified training course contents Introduction When to use wireless, when to use wired, WiFi technologies: 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, WiFi speeds and distances, comparison to other wireless technologies, 802.15 (Bluetooth), 802.16 (WiMax). Simple WiFi networks Network cards, Antennae, Access Points, WiFi routers. Enterprise WiFi networks SSIDs, Multiple WiFi networks, Repeaters, Wireless bridges, Controller based access points, Wireless switches, Power Over Ethernet. RF site surveys Steps and techniques, tools, analysing the feasibility of WiFi, range, performance, roaming. Security How safe are WiFi networks? Encryption, Authentication, WEP WPA WPA2. 802.1x, EAP, RADIUS.

Leading Cross-Cultural Virtual Teams: In-House Training High-performing teams are a must in this world of intense competition and higher expectations. Global virtual teaming has become a necessity as organizations become increasingly distributed and suppliers and clients actively engage in joint projects. Teams work across geographical and organizational boundaries to deliver solutions and services to global users where distance and differences, both geographic and cultural, amplify the effect of issues and factors that are relatively straightforward when managing a team of people in the same location. This course delivers practical concepts and techniques that participants will start using immediately on their global projects. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Define relationships among foundational concepts (leadership and three dimensions of diversity) and explain their potential impacts on project performance Describe key components of successful project leadership and build selected Transformational Leadership skills Prepare to convert project challenges stemming from personal or cultural diversity into potential competitive advantage Implement selected best practices to meet key challenges facing virtual project teams Foster and grow an environment that supports continued success for CCVTs Foundation Concepts Basic definitions Critical success factors for leading cross-cultural virtual teams (CCVTs) A roadmap to success for leading CCVTs Leadership Excellence in Any Project Environment Leading effectively in a global environment Transformational leadership The four components of Transformational Leadership Leveraging Personal Diversity Overview of personal diversity Mind styles The theory of multiple intelligences Connecting Transformational Leadership and personal diversity Embracing Cultural Diversity Introduction to cultural intelligence The impact of culture Cultural Dimensions Theory The Culture Map Managing Virtual Diversity Overview of virtual diversity Virtual time management Virtual processes and technology Virtual leadership Creating an Environment for Success Supporting a cross-cultural virtual-team (CCVT-) friendly environment Building a foundation of trust Developing a team charter Recap and review Summary and Next Steps Personal action plan

Decision Making and Problem Solving: In-House Training We may live in an era of fast technology and increasing reliance upon automation, but our human abilities to think critically, make careful decisions, and solve nuanced problems are more important than ever. Our personal lives depend on those things, and so do the lives of our organizations. Since business is now conducted at remarkable speeds, we put our organizations at great risk daily when we have weak competencies with decision-making and problem-solving. Decisions and solutions that are executed impulsively and without structured approaches can create more problems or make existing ones worse! This course aims to help participants improve their skills so they can execute well and add value to the workplace. Learners will experience multiple decision-making and problem-solving models, tools, and techniques meant for the real world. They will learn how to align their growing toolboxes with the right situational contexts so that they can transfer that skill to the workplace. They will also discover how indecision, cognitive bias, and default thought processes can create obstacles to effective decision-making and problem-solving. What you will Learn Recognize the importance of making a sound decision in a timely manner Infer types of cognitive biases and obstacles that impact decision-making Separate facts, requirements, ideas, and perceptions when making a decision or solving problems Apply structured decision-making and problem-solving approaches Conduct cause and effect and Force Field analyses Evaluate alternative solution methods using various techniques Analyze real world situations to determine the best aligned decision-making and problem-solving models, tools, and techniques Implement decision-making and problem-solving models, tools, and techniques Foundation Concepts Contextualizing decisiveness and problem-solving Discriminating between decisiveness and problem-solving Understanding Decision-Making Decision-making challenges and impacts Key drivers of good decision-making Thought processes and obstacles Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) Decision-Making Models and Supporting Tools Decision-making models, tools, and guidelines Tools to evaluate alternatives Translating requirements into action Problem-Solving Defining the problem Problem-solving models Cause and effect analysis Quick hit vs. innovative problem-solving Summary and Next Steps Course summary Personal action plan

Introduction to Design Thinking: In-House Training Innovation is the cornerstone of highly successful companies, especially those that continue to be successful over the years and decades. Design thinking practices fuel this continual innovation, as they are the critical links from inspiration to delivery, concept to showroom floor, and start-up to global business. Design thinking is a structured approach to promoting innovation and creative problem-solving. It is not a new approach. It has been around for centuries, as the art, architecture, and inventions of mankind illustrate. By examining the steps to achieving great design and maximum utility of product, design thinking approaches provide a framework in which to develop new solutions to problems and new products to sell. This highly interactive course is designed to help participants think like designers to generate innovation, and to help teams to produce more innovation and creativity. Since design thinking is based on doing rather than thinking, we participants are challenged to apply the techniques, in the classroom, to create new ideas and solutions to a case study project. What you will Learn At the end of this program, you will be able to: Explain the underlying principles and value of using Design Thinking for innovation Describe the basic concepts of the Stanford Model for Design Thinking Evaluate a set of basic Design Thinking techniques for application to your projects Apply tools, techniques, and skills aligned with the 5 stages of the Stanford Model Drive innovation through Design Thinking at some level in your work environment Foundation Concepts Problems and solutions The Design Thinking difference Design Thinking skills and abilities Design Thinking mindset Design Thinking frameworks Stages of Design Thinking Problems and solutions The Design Thinking difference Design Thinking skills and abilities Design Thinking mindset Design Thinking frameworks General Practices Team formation Visualization Improvisation Personalization Empathize Practices Overview of Empathize techniques Observation Engagement Interviews Define Practices Overview of Define practices Unpacking techniques Defining the customer techniques Integrating the Define experience Ideate Practices Overview of Ideate practices Reusable techniques for the Ideate stage New Ideate techniques to explore Prototype & Test Practices Overview of Prototype practices Examples of prototypes Overview of Testing practices Forms of testing techniques Adopt and Adapt Design Thinking Overview of Design Thinking implementation Design Thinking implementation challenges Success in implementing Design Thinking Summary and Next Steps Workshop summary Next steps: Personal Action Plans

This interactive course has been designed to help participants manage their time more efficiently and to develop the skills for effective workplace planning