Project Initiation & Planning

Course Description

This course focuses on the two phases where most project success or failure is determined: initiation and planning. Learners build a project charter, define scope, construct a work breakdown structure, and build a realistic project schedule.

⭐ Who Should Take This Course

• New and aspiring project managers responsible for planning their first projects
• Team leads who need to scope and schedule work more effectively
• Business analysts who support project planning activities
• Learners progressing from Project Management Fundamentals

⭐ What You’ll Learn

• How to draft a project charter and define project objectives
• Scope definition and how to prevent scope creep
• Building a work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Fundamentals of project scheduling and sequencing tasks
• Identifying stakeholders and mapping their interests and influence
• Basic resource planning and estimation techniques

⭐ Course Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Draft a basic project charter that defines scope, objectives, and success criteria
• Break a project down into a structured work breakdown structure
• Build a simple project schedule using task sequencing and dependencies
• Identify key stakeholders and assess their level of influence and interest
• Apply basic estimation techniques to scope and schedule a project

⭐ Why This Course Matters

Poor initiation and planning are consistently cited as the leading causes of project failure. This course gives learners the practical planning skills that most directly affect whether a project starts on solid ground — skills that are immediately applicable on the job, not just theoretical.

⭐ Prerequisites

Completion of Project Management Fundamentals, or equivalent familiarity with basic PM terminology and the project lifecycle.

⭐ Course Format

• Virtual: Instructor‑led
• Real‑world examples and case studies
• Quizzes and knowledge checks
• Certificate of completion
• One-On-One Support (If required)