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Introduction to Project Management

Every organisation faces unique challenges: we understand this and adapt established methodologies to your specific environment by following this process:

Initial diagnostic

Evaluation of the maturity level of project management practices within your organisation to establish a path for improvement.

Training

Flexible training through lectures, workshops, and knowledge assessments.

Collaboration

Real-time collaboration, practical application and support

Project Management On Demand

On-demand project management

Project management training is complex, particularly for organisations new to these disciplines. Many companies invest in tools without a solid theoretical foundation, often leading to missed opportunities and inefficiencies. Our approach bridges this gap, focusing first on solid project management principles, then supporting your team in practical application – ensuring a seamless transition from theory to real-world implementation.

Designed for organisations with minimal or no internal expertise, this package provides training and hands-on guidance, ensuring teams not only understand project management concepts but also apply them effectively in their daily operations.

Benefits

Our offering stands out for:

  • Customised Approach

Adapting methodologies to the unique characteristics and challenges of each organisation.

  • Comprehensive Training and Mentorship

Basic training in project management combined with practical mentorship, ensuring concepts are applied effectively.

  • Building Internal Competencies

Empowering teams with the knowledge to manage projects independently.

  • Integration of Related Disciplines

Incorporating concepts such as product development, data culture, prioritisation, and clear communication.

  • Real-Time Collaboration

Working alongside your team on concrete projects to accelerate value generation and return on investment.

Each package is tailored to your company’s specific needs.

Book a FREE initial consultation and diagnostic phase
Example Investment

An example of an investment for a total of sixteen hours of in-person training, covering four topics with lectures, workshops, case studies, and subsequent remote collaboration and support, could look like this:

Phase Estimated Hours for the Company Duration
Assessment 4 One week
Training 16 Two weeks
Collaboration 10 Four weeks
Remote Support 8 Eight weeks

In the above distribution, phases can overlap or be spread out over time, depending on requirements. For example, it is recommended to include remote support availability even three to six months after training to address scenarios that may not have emerged earlier.

Subsections of Project Management

Analysis of existing project management methodologies

Our project management methodology maturity analysis service is designed to thoroughly assess the practices currently in use within your organisation. By collecting detailed data through a questionnaire and follow-up interviews lasting approximately 45 minutes with two or three key individuals – ideally including those who will take on future project responsibilities and training recipients – the consultant gains a clear understanding of the current state of organisational processes.

The analysis focuses on areas such as information collection and sharing, decision-making processes, and the use of data to maximise project value. Using the framework of the Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM), we tailor this methodology’s principles to your organisation’s specific needs, offering targeted and customised support.

The process includes a review of existing company materials, such as documents and databases, to identify connections between project management and the broader business context. The goal is not to analyse the overall organisational structure but to focus on the practical and operational aspects directly impacting project execution.

Benefits

  • Customised Approach: We tailor our methodology to the specific needs of your company, ensuring that suggestions and solutions align with your value chain and business context.
  • Building on Existing Practices: Rather than starting from scratch, our approach aims to recognise and optimise the project management concepts you already have in place, building on a solid foundation to maximise results.
  • Tailored Roadmap: Evaluating your project management maturity level allows us to define a clear, targeted action plan for subsequent modules, optimising applicability and minimising wasted time.
  • Increased Efficiency: Improving the maturity of project management methodologies enhances your organisation’s ability to tackle complex challenges and seize future opportunities.

The Questionnaire

The Project Management Maturity Assessment Questionnaire is a comprehensive tool designed to analyse the maturity level of project management practices within an organisation. Based on the ten knowledge areas of the PMBOK Guide, the questionnaire explores fundamental aspects such as integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risks, procurement, and stakeholder management. Each area includes detailed questions, explanations, and practical use cases, providing a clear picture of strengths and areas for improvement.

The model is grounded in seminal studies, such as Pennypacker and Grant (2002)1, which conducted an in-depth industry-wide assessment of project management maturity. It integrates principles from the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), developed by the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). It also incorporates elements of the Risk Maturity Model, highlighting the activities needed to establish a sustainable and repeatable risk management programme.

Thanks to its flexible and customisable structure, the questionnaire is suitable for organisations of any size and sector. The results help decision-makers define a strategic roadmap for optimising project management practices, improving the ability to achieve business objectives, reducing risks, and increasing operational efficiency. This approach, enriched by contributions from high-level academic models and research, provides a clear pathway to project management excellence.

Analysis Process

Initial Information Gathering

The process begins with sending a questionnaire to the company representative (client). The client may choose to complete it personally or delegate it to 1-2 key individuals, preferably those who will be involved in future project management. Once completed, the questionnaire provides a detailed overview of current project management practices, collecting qualitative and quantitative information to reflect the current maturity level.

Questionnaire Analysis and Discussion

The consultant analyses the responses received to evaluate the maturity level of project management practices and identify strengths and areas for improvement. Subsequently, one or two interviews lasting approximately 45 minutes are conducted with designated individuals. These sessions aim to discuss the questionnaire results, explore the reasons behind the current state, and gather additional details useful for the evaluation process.

Report Preparation and Sharing

Based on the collected data, the consultant drafts a detailed report, including an analysis of the current state of project management, a maturity assessment using the PMMM framework, and operational recommendations for improvement. The report may propose actions such as specific training, redefining the project management structure, introducing new tools or processes, and integrating best practices. Finally, the report is shared with the client in a dedicated meeting where results are discussed, and the next operational steps are agreed upon.

  1. Pennypacker, J. S. & Grant, K. P. (2002). Project management maturity: an industry-wide assessment. Paper presented at PMI® Research Conference 2002: Frontiers of Project Management Research and Applications, Seattle, Washington. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. ↩︎

Project Management Training

Program 'Practical Project Management'

A practical and human-centric training program that moves beyond standard methodologies to focus on the soft skills, mindset, and proactive strategies required for project success.

The trainer designs interactive training sessions with variable duration and distribution, tailored to the project’s needs. There is no predefined syllabus; instead, it is built around the department’s intended focus, which aligns with the organisation’s objectives. The training can prioritise operational excellence, focusing on strategies for efficiency, quality control, and waste minimisation. Alternatively, it can emphasise execution modularity, concentrating on concepts like Agile Project Management and iterative development rather than waterfall methodologies. If the department is designed for collaboration across separate locations, the training covers methodologies for sharing plans, information, and working asynchronously.

The training is conceptually divided into modules and topics, and practically into modes of interaction with the trainer. Ideally, each topic includes a theoretical introduction, a case study demonstration, and a collaborative analysis of the case study, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in the approach. Where possible, the topic is applied and discussed in relation to an actual scenario within the organisation. Case study materials are provided in advance whenever feasible, allowing the team to familiarise themselves with the context and streamline group sessions.

Project Charter

Structured and practical approach to guide organisations in creating and reviewing the project charter.

Stakeholders Analysis

A short seminar on stakeholder analysis reporting during a project.

Subsections of Training

Program 'Practical Project Management'

About This Program

This training program is the result of over 10 years of experience in project management. It moves past textbook theories to deliver practical tools and actionable advice for creating real value from your projects.

This is a proposed approach that will be customized for your organization. We will begin with a diagnostic to understand your specific needs, objectives, and goals, and then tailor the program to best suit your team.

Topics

  • Proactive Planning and Adaptability: Learn to anticipate project needs, embrace change, and balance meticulous planning with agile execution.

  • Navigating Organizational Dynamics: Master the art of managing unspoken priorities, hidden agendas, and stakeholder relationships.

  • Effective Communication and Influence: Develop the skills to communicate clearly, build trust, and lead teams without relying solely on formal authority.

  • Mitigating Biases and Assumptions: Understand how cognitive biases affect decision-making and learn to challenge assumptions to ensure project objectivity.

  • Delivering Strategic Value: Discover how to read between the lines of assumptions/requests/expectations, how to identify true sponsor needs, and how to deliver “augmented results” that exceed expectations.

Module #1: The Human-Centric Project Manager

This module focuses on the personal and interpersonal skills that define an effective project manager, emphasizing that the role is more about influence and adaptability than pure management.

Proactivity and Creativity

The project manager’s role requires a hands-on, curious, and creative approach. We will discuss why asking questions, running simulations, and exploring new methods are often more valuable than formal training.

The Myth of Flexibility

Debunking the idea that project management is a “flexible” career. We’ll explore how the work is tied to the schedules and needs of stakeholders and team members, requiring a different kind of discipline.

Manager as a Coach

The qualities of a great manager, including empowering teams, coaching for career development, and expressing genuine concern for team members’ well-being.

Techniques for encouraging healthy, productive conflict and the various approaches to conflict resolution (e.g., confronting, compromising, avoiding).

Module #2: Unspoken Dynamics and Priorities

This module explores the hidden signals and political realities that shape project success, particularly in how priorities are set and communicated.

Understanding Priorities

Analyzing how real priorities often deviate from formal plans. We will cover how to read subtle cues from top management, such as a sudden increase in update requests or last-minute meeting changes, to anticipate and adapt to new priorities.

Meetings and Agendas

Every meeting has both an explicit agenda (the official discussion points) and a hidden agenda (underlying political or personal objectives). We will discuss how to track both to ensure all objectives are met and to navigate the project’s political landscape.

Meetings and Trust

Examining how a lack of trust can lead to inefficient, micromanaged meetings where no one can provide real value. We will discuss building a high-trust environment.

Module #3: Foundational Planning and Execution

This module covers the core tools and frameworks for project planning and execution, emphasizing a modular and proactive approach.

Think Slow, Act Fast

We will discuss how dedicating significant time and effort to thorough planning, followed by swift and decisive execution, helps deliver results more predictably.

Delegating Outcomes, Not Actions

A critical management skill is empowering team members by delegating responsibility for a desired outcome rather than just a specific action.

Modularity in Projects

Drawing on the concept from “How Big Things Get Done,” we’ll discuss the benefits of turning working procedures into documented, reusable “LEGO blocks” to improve efficiency and reduce turnover costs.

The Project Charter

A key planning document that defines a project’s purpose, scope, and objectives.

Stakeholder Management

A deep dive into identifying, analyzing, and engaging stakeholders. We’ll cover tools like the power/interest grid and the RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) to define roles and communication plans.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The foundational planning tool for decomposing a project into manageable parts. We’ll discuss how to create a WBS that is detailed enough to be useful without becoming micromanagement.

Module #4: Advanced Prioritization and Documentation

This module provides an in-depth look at sophisticated prioritization techniques, behavioral biases, and documentation practices.

Behavioral Biases in Project Management

An overview of key biases such as optimism bias, the planning fallacy, and anchoring. We will discuss how to identify and mitigate them to make more objective decisions.

Prioritization and Decision Techniques

We will explore practical frameworks for making better decisions, including the 80/20 Rule, identifying bottlenecks, the 6-hats workshop, using ballpark estimates, and developing a “Theory of Change” to ensure your actions lead to your goals.

Documentation and Checklists

Exploring different documentation methods, such as Amazon’s 6-page narrative and the role of checklists. We’ll also challenge the conventional view of checklists, suggesting they can be a tool for growth by including tasks that push the team outside its comfort zone.

Quality Management

Defining and implementing a quality policy. This section will cover the importance of customer satisfaction, continuous improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Act), and management responsibility.

Lessons Learned

The importance of conducting a formal review at the end of a project to document successes, failures, and best practices for future projects.

Creating the Project Charter

The Project Charter is an essential document for initiating a project with solid foundations and ensuring alignment among various stakeholders. Our consultancy and training service provides a structured and practical approach to guide organisations in creating and reviewing this crucial tool, leveraging over a decade of experience and the robust theory derived from the Project Management Institute’s CAPM® certification.

Key Strengths of the Service

  • A Decade of Experience: Our team has worked on numerous complex projects across diverse sectors, ensuring a deep understanding of organisational dynamics and best practices for drafting an effective Project Charter.
  • Certified Theoretical Foundation: The methodologies we use are based on globally recognised standards and include the latest updates in project management.

What We Offer

Planning for Drafting and Reviews

We teach you how to structure the drafting process of the Project Charter, including the steps needed to gather and organise relevant information, identify key stakeholders, and establish a roadmap for periodic reviews.

Organising Team Alignment Workshops

Learn how to facilitate collaborative workshops involving cross-functional teams and stakeholders. We demonstrate techniques to foster dialogue, resolve conflicts, and achieve a shared agreement on project objectives, roles, and responsibilities.

Benefits

By leveraging this service, you will be able to:

  • Create a clear and comprehensive Project Charter that serves as the foundation for project management.

  • Quickly align teams and stakeholders on goals and expectations.

  • Integrate internationally recognised best practices into your organisation.

Stakeholders Analysis

Reporting

A short seminar on stakeholder analysis reporting during a project. Clear instructions, practical tips, a real-world example, and a downloadable template allow project managers to keep track of stakeholder dynamics and their contribution to the project’s success.

  • Structured Framework for Reporting

Provides clear sections to document stakeholder information, such as their role, relationship with the project, controlled resources, and their level of engagement and interest.

  • Annotated Instructions

Offers step-by-step guidance on completing each section of the report, ensuring consistency and accuracy in the process.

  • Best Practices for Use

Includes recommendations on how to make the best use of the report during various project phases, including regular updates and key decision points.

  • Real-World Example

Presents a stakeholder matrix report applied to a real case, demonstrating how to use the template effectively in practice.

  • Downloadable Template

A ready-to-use, downloadable template that can be easily integrated into project management processes.

Why It Matters

  • Provides a structured approach to consistently reporting on stakeholder dynamics.
  • Simplifies the process of updating critical stakeholder information.
  • Helps ensure alignment, anticipate potential conflicts, and maintain project momentum.
  • Supports informed decision-making.
  • Facilitates communication on stakeholder engagement.

Support for Ongoing Projects

A collaboration programme to:

  • Apply the concepts covered during training to real-world projects, establishing and initiating a structured approach to project management.
  • Receive remote support for implementing theory using your preferred tools.

Collaboration

Once the theoretical framework has been understood, the trainee will apply the concepts to real scenarios within the organisation.

The trainer will be available synchronously (via video conferencing or instant messaging) to assist in applying concepts, migrating existing materials, and planning and organising the initial work.

Remote Support

At this stage, the trainee will be autonomous but may require occasional support if new, previously unaddressed scenarios arise during practice. The trainer will be available asynchronously (via email or instant messaging during predefined time slots) to provide clarifications, explanations, and support for problem-solving.

Project Management On Demand

The Service

We provide a dedicated project manager as a service (PMaaS) tailored to your needs, focused on delivering the desired outcomes without requiring specific training beyond what is strictly necessary for the initiative.

Tip

This solution allows organisations to focus on their business priorities by delegating project management to a specialised partner.

Ideal for those lacking internal resources to manage an urgent and critical initiative, the project manager will apply proven methodologies from established literature (such as the Project Management Body of Knowledge), adapting them to your company’s specific requirements.

Examples of Application

Whether you need resources for short or long-term projects, we offer expertise and flexibility in:

  • Recovering Troubled Projects

Quickly diagnosing critical issues, course-correcting, and getting projects back on track.

  • Interim Leadership

Managing PMOs or similar organisations for short or long periods, with the option to transition back to your control when ready.

  • Filling Skills Gaps

Providing support in specialised areas such as risk management to complement your team’s expertise.

Execution

The project manager will proceed with execution following standard project management procedures, tailored to the current project stage and your organisation’s unique circumstances.

Typical activities include:

  • Selecting the project management methodology based on resources and expected outcomes (e.g., Agile, waterfall, hybrid)
  • Defining the project scope
  • Drafting the project charter for financial planning and scheduling
  • Risk assessment and alternative scenario evaluation
  • Resource allocation
  • Preparing the project plan
  • Execution
  • Periodic communications
  • Project closure
  • Archiving all project documentation within your repository

The project manager can also take over ongoing projects that need to be continued, reviewed, or redirected towards different objectives.

Advantages of the On-Demand Solution

Speed and Simplicity in Initiating New Projects

PMaaS avoids the costs and delays associated with recruiting, selecting, and onboarding new resources, providing an operationally ready team to hit the ground running.

Performance Optimisation and Transparency

The service offers advanced tools to monitor timelines, performance, risks, and accrued value, improving visibility and decision-making support.

Focus on Strategic Goals

Enables organisations to concentrate on quality outcomes and achieving business objectives by delegating complex tasks such as training, HR management, and project monitoring.

Attention to Critical Priorities

With a dedicated project manager, critical tasks are handled with care and efficiency, reducing operational complexity and ensuring the project remains aligned with strategic objectives.

Simplified Decision-Making

An experienced project manager streamlines decision-making by providing clear analysis, progress visibility, and data-driven recommendations, allowing organisations to focus on long-term strategies.