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Project Management Fundamentals

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Project Management Fundamentals

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6

583 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6

583 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

  • Gain an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of project management.

  • Identify and analyze various approaches to project planning for effective execution.

  • Discuss the value and benefits that a Project Management Office (PMO) can provide to an organization.

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Assessments

20 assignments

Taught in English

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  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

The Project Management Fundamentals course provides a comprehensive overview of essential concepts and skills behind project management, leading you through the role of a project manager. There is a focus on the processes and methodologies used to ensure effective project management as well as different approaches to ensure smooth planning and execution to realize business goals.

After completing this course, you’ll be able to: • Describe the basic concepts and principles of project management • Identify and analyze the different approaches taken to project planning • Discuss the value and benefits that a project management office (PMO) can bring to an organization This is a great way to prepare for the industry-recognized PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam, a global standard in project management certification.

In this module, you will review the pivotal role of a project manager, exploring the responsibilities and skills required to navigate the complexities of project execution. You will then review the foundational principles that guide project management practices, providing you with a solid understanding of the core concepts that drive successful project outcomes.

What's included

11 videos9 readings5 assignments1 discussion prompt

11 videos•Total 62 minutes
  • Course introduction: Project Management Fundamentals•4 minutes
  • A day in the life: The evolving role of the project manager•4 minutes
  • Welcome to Generative AI for everyone•6 minutes
  • Understanding the Capabilities of Generative AI for Business Functions•9 minutes
  • Generative AI - Under the hood•8 minutes
  • The potential pitfalls and shortcomings of GEN AI•6 minutes
  • What is the role of a project manager? •4 minutes
  • Project manager leadership skills and competencies•5 minutes
  • Project management principles and values•5 minutes
  • Portfolios, programs, and projects •4 minutes
  • Module summary: Introduction to project management and the PMP•7 minutes
9 readings•Total 85 minutes
  • Course syllabus: Project Management Fundamentals•10 minutes
  • How to be successful in this course•10 minutes
  • Generative AI Terminology•10 minutes
  • Generative AI in Business•10 minutes
  • External factors in project creation•10 minutes
  • Career progression for project managers•10 minutes
  • The 12 project management principles and performance domains•10 minutes
  • Portfolio, program, and project comparison•10 minutes
  • Additional resources: Introduction to project management and the PMP•5 minutes
5 assignments•Total 90 minutes
  • General knowledge quiz•15 minutes
  • Knowledge check: The role of a project manager•15 minutes
  • Practice stop: Portfolios, programs, and projects•15 minutes
  • Knowledge check: Project management principles•15 minutes
  • Module quiz: Introduction to project management and the PMP•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • Discussion prompt: What do you hope to learn?•10 minutes

In this module, you will develop the skills to identify and describe the five project management process groups. You will learn how the 49 processes integrate with process groups and be introduced to the concept of analyzing problems so that you can suggest good solutions and contribute to making smart decisions.

What's included

13 videos9 readings9 assignments

13 videos•Total 85 minutes
  • Process-based approach to project management•4 minutes
  • The tailoring process•7 minutes
  • Benefits management•5 minutes
  • Benefits management plan•5 minutes
  • Subsidiary management plans•6 minutes
  • Project success measures•6 minutes
  • What is the project environment?•7 minutes
  • Governance•7 minutes
  • Organizational structures•6 minutes
  • Development approaches•7 minutes
  • Lifecycle and phase definitions•8 minutes
  • Iterative and incremental development approaches•6 minutes
  • Module summary: Project management process groups•9 minutes
9 readings•Total 85 minutes
  • Process-based approach to project management•10 minutes
  • Project and business documents•10 minutes
  • Project success and benefits realization•10 minutes
  • Organizational structure types•10 minutes
  • Project management office•10 minutes
  • Considerations for selecting a development approach•10 minutes
  • Iterative and incremental development approaches with example case studies•10 minutes
  • Practice stop: Development approach characteristics•10 minutes
  • Additional resources: Project management process groups•5 minutes
9 assignments•Total 180 minutes
  • Practice stop: Processes and process groups•15 minutes
  • Activity: Applying the tailoring process•15 minutes
  • Knowledge check: Project processes and process groups•15 minutes
  • Activity: Plan assessment•30 minutes
  • Knowledge check: Project management plan•15 minutes
  • Knowledge check: The project environment•15 minutes
  • Activity: Identifying development approaches•30 minutes
  • Knowledge check: Development approaches•15 minutes
  • Module quiz: Project management process groups•30 minutes

As you work your way through this module, you will focus on the people involved in a business project and learn how to identify their interests, expectations and how much they can influence the project.

What's included

8 videos6 readings4 assignments

8 videos•Total 47 minutes
  • The sponsor role•6 minutes
  • Introduction to models, methods, and artifacts•7 minutes
  • Change models•6 minutes
  • Commonly used artifacts•4 minutes
  • What is product management?•6 minutes
  • Product life cycle intersecting with project management•6 minutes
  • Product management job roles •7 minutes
  • Module summary: Project delivery components•5 minutes
6 readings•Total 55 minutes
  • Situational leadership models•10 minutes
  • Communication models•10 minutes
  • Motivation models•10 minutes
  • Common methods•10 minutes
  • Detailing on commonly used artifacts•10 minutes
  • Additional resources: Project delivery components•5 minutes
4 assignments•Total 105 minutes
  • Activity: Adapting to change•30 minutes
  • Knowledge check: Models, methods, and artifacts•15 minutes
  • Activity: Project management versus product management•30 minutes
  • Module quiz: Project delivery components•30 minutes

In this module, you will put your skills into practice. You will reflect on the key learning points that you reviewed during the course and complete the final assessment and hands-on activity.

What's included

1 video2 readings2 assignments1 plugin

1 video•Total 6 minutes
  • Course recap: Project Management Fundamentals•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 25 minutes
  • About the final assessment•10 minutes
  • Exercise: Project charter•15 minutes
2 assignments•Total 120 minutes
  • Self-review: Project charter•30 minutes
  • Course quiz: Project management fundamentals•90 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
  • Exemplar: Project charter•15 minutes

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Instructor ratings
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337 Courses•2,614,121 learners

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Showing 3 of 583

HG
·

Reviewed on Jul 10, 2024

I wasn't expecting Microsoft to give this professionalism for this course. Amazed by the content.

RS
·

Reviewed on Jul 7, 2025

It is an excellent course. It has provided me valuable insights regarding project management.

RS
·

Reviewed on Mar 9, 2025

It is an excellent course for the PM professionals to explore more in depth .

Frequently asked questions

You'll learn how projects are started, planned, delivered, and closed, and how a project manager helps keep that work aligned with business goals. It starts with core ideas like the project life cycle and the role of the project manager, then builds into process groups, development approaches, and the value of a PMO. You'll apply the ideas through scenario-based activities and a final charter activity.

No, you don't need prior project management experience to start. The course begins with what projects are, what project managers do, and how projects move from idea to execution before getting into more detailed planning and governance topics. Some general comfort with business or team-based work can help, but it doesn't assume you already know PMP terms or project methods.

Yes, this is beginner-friendly if you want a broad introduction to project management rather than training on a specific tool. The lessons explain core concepts clearly before moving into process groups, project documents, and common delivery approaches like predictive and adaptive. It may feel less suitable if you're looking for advanced certification drills or deep training in one methodology.

Expect about 17 hours of work in total, which many learners could spread across roughly two weeks at around 8 to 10 hours a week. The workload is broken into short lessons, readings, quizzes, and guided activities, so it feels more steady than intense. The course includes lessons, readings, practice exercises, quizzes, and a final project activity.

Yes, but the hands-on work is guided rather than tool-heavy. You'll work through scenario-based quizzes and practice activities, such as comparing development approaches, analyzing project situations, and drafting a project charter for a smartwatch project. That makes it a good fit if you want to apply each concept as you learn it without needing specialized software.

You'll cover how projects move from idea to delivery, including the role of the project manager, project documents, and measures of project success. The course also explains process groups, PMOs, governance, and how teams work with predictive, adaptive, and hybrid approaches. Together, those topics help you understand how projects are organized, guided, and connected to business goals.

After finishing, you should be able to explain core project management concepts and follow how a project moves from initiation through closure. You should also be able to analyze a basic project scenario by identifying objectives, scope, milestones, stakeholders, risks, and a suitable delivery approach. A practical example is creating a simple project charter that brings those pieces together.

It's more concept-first than project-heavy. Most of the learning comes from lessons and readings on principles, process groups, governance, and delivery approaches, with guided quizzes and scenario exercises to reinforce the ideas.

This course is a strong choice if you want a broad view of project management instead of a narrow focus on one tool or one method. It connects the project manager's role, process groups, PMOs, governance, and delivery approaches, then reinforces that with guided scenarios and a project charter exercise. Choose it if you want clear project management language, practical planning context, and content that also supports early PMP exam preparation.

Financial aid available,