Strategic Project Management

In today’s organizations, project work can be novel and unique, ranging in size and scope, and often complex, novel, dynamic, and ambitious while also full of uncertainty and risk. These projects can range from strategic initiatives, marketing studies, consulting jobs, audits, mergers and acquisitions, information technology implementations, improvements and change initiatives, and product development efforts. However, most projects actually fail to achieve all of their objectives in terms of duration, budget, performance, and stakeholder satisfaction. They cannot be managed with only the same techniques used to manage the more repetitive operations in an organization.

This course addresses some of the key challenges in managing projects, programs, and project portfolios. Participants will engage at both the higher levels of project selection, planning, and control where executive oversight is needed to properly launch and sustain successful projects and the level of project management methods and skills. Learn to think critically about alternative approaches to projects, such as agile and waterfall, and when (and when not) to plan projects in detail. Additionally, participants will learn foundational skills for project planning and scheduling. Faculty leader, Tyson Browning, will explore sources of uncertainty, risk, and opportunity for projects, and how to tell if a project is making real progress.

September 26-27, 2023
8:30am – 4:30pm

Cost: $1,895*
Certificates will be awarded based on successful completion of the 2-day training.

* A 20 percent discount will be given to companies that enroll two or more employees.
* A 30 percent discount will be given to TCU Alumni and TCU Faculty/Staff.
* A 10 percent discount will be given to U.S. veterans and employees of non-profit organizations.

Who Should Attend?

Executives, upper-level managers, and professionals responsible for meeting high-level goals and objectives by executing strategic initiatives and other large, complex, novel, dynamic projects
Current and aspiring project, program, and portfolio managers; anyone working in a Project Management Office (PMO)
Individuals involved in Strategy, Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Research and Development, Information Technology, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and Supply Chain Management

What You Will Learn

Insights into the unique nature and challenges of project work
An understanding of what makes a project valuable and worth the investment
Key questions to ask project selectors, planners, and managers about their projects
Foundational skills in project planning and scheduling
Leading-edge techniques and best practices
The capability to improve the leadership of projects in your organization

Topics

What makes projects different from other work in an organization?
The top reasons projects fail and what to do about them
The skills of a successful project manager
Planning vs. Doing
Understanding project stakeholders, objectives, and priorities
Planning a project: specifying activities, resourcing, scheduling
Resource contention
The implications of uncertainty, risk, and opportunity for project value and success
Measuring Project Progress with Metrics and KPI’s
Project control
Project adaptability, agility, and flexibility

Faculty Leader

Tyson Browning

Professor of Operations Management
Information Systems and Supply Chain Management Department

Dr. Browning is an internationally recognized researcher, educator, and consultant. He is a Professor of Operations Management in the Neeley School of Business at TCU, where he conducts research on managing complex projects (integrating managerial and engineering perspectives) and teaches MBA courses on project management, operations management, risk management, and process improvement. A sought-after speaker, he has trained and advised several organizations, including BNSF Railway, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Seagate, Siemens, Southern California Edison, and the U.S. Navy. He is also the co-author of a book on the Design Structure Matrix (DSM). He has given over 200 academic and industry presentations and workshops in 17 countries.

He earned a B.S. in Engineering Physics from Abilene Christian University before two Master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from MIT.

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