Project Initiation and Planning
Keep adding new skills with 10,000+ programs for $239 (usually $399). Save now.
Project Initiation and Planning
This course is part of Business Value and Project Management Specialization
16,492 already enrolled
Included with
Learn more
Ask Coursera
152 reviews
152 reviews
What you'll learn
Describe the concepts of project management, the key activities in the project life cycle and understand how AI is used in project management
Develop a project management plan that documents the actions necessary to define, coordinate, and measure all project activities
Identify necessary labor and material resources, estimate the required units to meet expectations, and demonstrate impact of changes to project scope
Demonstrate how teams are assigned and formed, describe the stages of team development, and optimize the project schedule
Skills you'll gain
- Risk Management
- Stakeholder Management
- Cost Estimation
- Agile Project Management
- Project Estimation
- Project Management Life Cycle
- Project Documentation
- Project Planning
- Project Schedules
- Project Scoping
- Waterfall Methodology
- Project Management
- Communication Planning
- Timelines
- Estimation
- Sprint Planning
- Scope Management
- Agile Methodology
- Stakeholder Communications
- Resource Management
Details to know
38 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
In todayβs competitive environment, learning to manage projects effectively is a critical skill. This course will focus on initiating and planning projects. The course will cover the more traditional linear process, such as the waterfall approach, as well as the dynamic, iterative approaches of agile and hybrid models, so learners can decide when one approach is more suitable for their projects to maximize the chances of a successful outcome. The course will also help you understand how AI is used in project management to support faster and better decision-making, and explore practical applications of AI chatbots in project initiation and planning.
You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course. In module 1, you will learn about the life cycle of a project when using the traditional model for project management. Why is it called waterfall, and how does that dictate the process? The focus will be on the first state of the project life cycle, project initiation.
What's included
29 videos8 readings12 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin
29 videosβ’Total 156 minutes
- Meet Your Instructorβ’3 minutes
- Why Study Project Managementβ’10 minutes
- Course Introduction - Welcome to Project Initiation and Planningβ’3 minutes
- Learn on Your Termsβ’1 minute
- Module 1 Overviewβ’1 minute
- Introductionβ’5 minutes
- What is a Project?β’9 minutes
- Two Different Approaches to Project Managementβ’7 minutes
- Waterfall Approach to Project Managementβ’4 minutes
- Initiating a Projectβ’7 minutes
- Meet Our Experts - Harshad Desai and Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta β’2 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Waterfall Approachβ’2 minutes
- Stakeholder Managementβ’11 minutes
- Meet Our Experts - Garrett Whitsitt and Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta β’1 minute
- Insight From an Expert on Managing Stakeholdersβ’3 minutes
- Project Scopeβ’12 minutes
- Scope Exampleβ’8 minutes
- Project Prioritiesβ’14 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Project Prioritiesβ’1 minute
- Work Breakdown Structureβ’12 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on the Importance of Planningβ’5 minutes
- How to Use Sticky Notes to Create a Work Breakdown Structureβ’3 minutes
- Introduction to ProjectLibre - How to Install for Mac β’4 minutes
- Introduction to ProjectLibre - How to Install for PC β’2 minutes
- Creating a Work Breakdown Structure Using ProjectLibreβ’5 minutes
- Organizational and Team Structureβ’12 minutes
- Meet Our Experts - Sean Bauer and Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta β’3 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Structuring the Project Teamβ’5 minutes
- Module 1 Takeawaysβ’2 minutes
8 readingsβ’Total 114 minutes
- Syllabusβ’10 minutes
- About the Discussion Forumsβ’4 minutes
- Glossaryβ’5 minutes
- Online Education at Gies College of Businessβ’10 minutes
- Updating Your Profileβ’10 minutes
- Module 1 Overviewβ’5 minutes
- Module 1 Readingsβ’60 minutes
- ProjectLibre and Excel Files Used in Examplesβ’10 minutes
12 assignmentsβ’Total 180 minutes
- Waterfall Approach - The Basics: Quizβ’30 minutes
- Orientation Quizβ’30 minutes
- What is a Project? Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Two Different Approaches to Project Managementβ’10 minutes
- Predictive Approach to Project Managementβ’30 minutes
- Initiating a Project Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Stakeholder Management Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Project Scope Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Scope Example Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Project Priorities Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Work Breakdown Structure Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Organizational and Team Structure Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
1 discussion promptβ’Total 10 minutes
- Getting to Know Your Classmatesβ’10 minutes
1 pluginβ’Total 15 minutes
- Demographic Surveyβ’15 minutes
In this module, you will learn about the planning phase of a project when using a waterfall approachβgetting the team on board and collaboratively building a plan for managing tasks, stakeholders, and risks. You will learn about how to create the foundation for developing a detailed project plan that includes budget and schedule.
What's included
17 videos2 readings10 assignments
17 videosβ’Total 119 minutes
- Module 2 Overviewβ’2 minutes
- Project Kick-offβ’6 minutes
- Kick-Off Meetingβ’3 minutes
- Communication Planningβ’7 minutes
- Responsibility Matrixβ’4 minutes
- Risk Management: Identify and Assess Riskβ’15 minutes
- Risk Management: Develop Responseβ’9 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Risk Planningβ’4 minutes
- Scope Creepβ’8 minutes
- Task Dependenciesβ’9 minutes
- Illustration of Precedence Relationship Types in ProjectLibreβ’4 minutes
- Estimating Time and Costβ’16 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Time and Cost Estimationβ’4 minutes
- Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)β’11 minutes
- Creating a Network Diagram in Excelβ’7 minutes
- Creating Precedence Diagram Using ProjectLibreβ’7 minutes
- Module 2 Takeawaysβ’2 minutes
2 readingsβ’Total 65 minutes
- Module 2 Overviewβ’5 minutes
- Module 2 Readingsβ’60 minutes
10 assignmentsβ’Total 120 minutes
- Waterfall Approach - Get the Project Going: Quizβ’30 minutes
- Project Kick-Off Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Communication Planning Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Responsibility Matrix Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Risk Management: Identify and Assess Risk Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Risk Management: Develop Response Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Scope Creep Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Task Dependencies Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Estimating Time and Cost Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Precedence Diagramming Method Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
In this module, you will learn several techniques that will help you develop a detailed project plan. The project plan will reveal the critical tasks. Managing projects using a waterfall approach is a start-to-finish approach to getting things done and making projects more successful. The critical path has a significant impact on both the cost and schedule of a project.
What's included
13 videos2 readings7 assignments
13 videosβ’Total 79 minutes
- Module 3 Overviewβ’2 minutes
- Gantt Chartβ’4 minutes
- ProjectLibre Basic Operations β’6 minutes
- Critical Path Method (CPM) - Forward Passβ’8 minutes
- Critical Path Method (CPM) - Backward Passβ’8 minutes
- Critical Path Method (CPM) - Floatβ’7 minutes
- CPM - An Illustrated Example in Excelβ’11 minutes
- CPM - An Illustrated Example in ProjectLibreβ’3 minutes
- PERT - Program Evaluation and Review Techniqueβ’9 minutes
- PERT - Exampleβ’11 minutes
- PERT - Calculating Expected Time and Standard Deviationβ’3 minutes
- PERT - Project Completion Time Analysis β’5 minutes
- Module 3 Takeawaysβ’1 minute
2 readingsβ’Total 65 minutes
- Module 3 Overviewβ’5 minutes
- Module 3 Readingsβ’60 minutes
7 assignmentsβ’Total 90 minutes
- Waterfall Approach - Create a Plan for Action: Quizβ’30 minutes
- Gantt Chart Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Critical Path Method - Forward Pass Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Critical Path Method - Backward Pass Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Critical Path Method - Float Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- PERT Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- PERT Example Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
In this module, you will learn about agile project management - the methodology best used when project requirements are not well defined and nd change frequently. This module will focus on the roots of agile and show how to initiate and plan projects using Scrum. You will also learn about artificial intelligence and explore how AI is being applied in project management to help project managers make faster and more effective decisions. This section will also introduce specific AI chatbot applications that can support project initiation and planning activities.
What's included
14 videos4 readings9 assignments1 plugin
14 videosβ’Total 103 minutes
- Module 4 Overviewβ’2 minutes
- Agile Project Managementβ’11 minutes
- Agile Methodologies - Kanban Frameworkβ’11 minutes
- Agile Methodologies - Scrum Frameworkβ’10 minutes
- Scrum - Initiating a Projectβ’9 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on the Role of the Product Ownerβ’3 minutes
- Scrum - Sprint Planningβ’12 minutes
- Story Point Meetingβ’4 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Story Pointsβ’5 minutes
- Project Manager vs Scrum Masterβ’5 minutes
- Insight From an Expert on Servant Leadershipβ’3 minutes
- AI in Project Managementβ’15 minutes
- AI Applications in Project Initiation and Planningβ’13 minutes
- Module 4 Takeawaysβ’2 minutes
4 readingsβ’Total 85 minutes
- Module 4 Overviewβ’5 minutes
- Module 4 Readingsβ’60 minutes
- Congratulations on completing the course!β’10 minutes
- Get Your Course Certificateβ’10 minutes
9 assignmentsβ’Total 150 minutes
- Agile - Initiating and Planning for Dynamic Projects: Quizβ’30 minutes
- Agile Project Management Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Agile Methodologies - Kanban Framework Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Agile Methodologies - Scrum Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Scrum - Initiating a Project Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Scrum-Sprint Planning Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- Project Manager vs Scrum Master Practice Quizβ’10 minutes
- AI in Project Management Practice Quizβ’30 minutes
- AI Applications in Project Initiation and Planning β’30 minutes
1 pluginβ’Total 15 minutes
- Course End Surveyβ’15 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Build toward a degree
This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.ΒΉ
Instructor
Explore more from Leadership and Management
- Status: Free TrialU
University of California, Irvine
Course
- Status: PreviewA
AI CERTs
Course
- Status: Free TrialC
Coursera
Course
- Status: Free TrialL
L&T EduTech
Course
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Learner reviews
- 5 stars
84.86%
- 4 stars
10.52%
- 3 stars
2.63%
- 2 stars
1.31%
- 1 star
0.65%
Showing 3 of 152
Reviewed on Feb 16, 2022
The teacher was very good. Well stated information and enthusiasm. The tests were a little odd sometimes.
Reviewed on Feb 22, 2022
Very useful, the speaker was perfect, the timeline and content was ideal.
Reviewed on Jan 31, 2022
5β star course........Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta, Ph.D., PMP is one kind of a teacher........it was an honour being impacted by her wealth of knowledge in this course................
Frequently asked questions
Once you enroll for a Certificate, youβll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
You will be eligible for a full refund until 2 weeks after your payment date. You cannot receive a refund once youβve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the 2-week refund period.
Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.
More questions
Financial aid available,
