BACKGROUND | PROGRAM DETAILS | CURRICULUM | COST & TIME | SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
One of the World’s Most Advanced Online Project Management Training!
A Virtual Simulation-Based Course Developed
by and for
NASA Program and Project Managers
In an on-demand world, highly interactive
web-based skills training courseware
delivers immediate results.
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Curriculum
Return to Mars consists of 14 episodes with each comprised of access quizzes, exercises based around a business case study, job aids and tools, lessons learned movies from the simulated team, and problem-solving scenarios and activities. There is a final test for PDU credit. Do you or your team have the knowledge, experience and ability to successfully complete this course? If so, advance your career! Gain recognition! And enjoy an educational and entertaining learning experience that you will never forget!
Episode 1: Understanding the Project
- Identify and define the stages of a project
- Understand the role your subsystem plays in meeting mission objectives, by familiarizing yourself with the project context
- Identify and describe the start-up/planning stage
- Set the stage for effective, collaborative teamwork
Episode 2: Managing Communications
- Lay the groundwork for quality communication between team members and stakeholders so that risks, problems, and needs can be identified, addressed and resolved before they get unwieldy
- Establish communication standards and formats
- Develop a detailed Communication Plan
Episode 3: Working with Stakeholders
- Determine the needs and expectations of all of your project stakeholders so that you can build a productive working relationship and meet their criteria for success
- Gain the customer's commitment to the project's success
Episode 4: Building the Team
- Know the principles and criteria of teamwork so that you can assemble a skilled, committed, and dynamic team
- Use appropriate and comprehensive criteria in selecting team members
- Prepare a Start-Up Meeting
- Identify Barriers to Teamwork
Episode 5: Defining the Project
- Create a document that defines the project/task so that your team will understand work scope and purpose, become willing to take responsibility for achieving objectives and remain committed to mission success
Episode 6: Scheduling
- Produce a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and a preliminary schedule indicating the time frame in which the tasks from the WBS will be performed
- Sequence tasks for scheduling
- Estimate Resource Effort
- Estimate Task Duration
Episode 7: Resources
- Understand how resources will be used and what will be needed to meet your project's schedule, cost and quality objectives
- Develop a Resource Management Plan
- Develop a Procurement Plan
- Develop a Staffing Plan
- Create a Team Member Development Plan
Episode 8: Budget
- Develop accurate estimates and effective controls for costs so that you can create a sound and reasonable project budget
- Determine an approach to managing project costs, developing a preliminary budget, and integrating budget and schedule requirements. Variables such as design changes, testing, refinements, and technical resources (mass and power, for example) must be watched closely to ensure success later
Episode 9: Risk
- Develop risk management skills so that you can identify, analyze, and control risk factors throughout the life-cycle of your project
- Identify internal and external risks
- Quantify risks
- Develop a risk response plan
Episode 10: Quality
- Know how to use formal and informal monitoring methods in order to ensure that your project is meeting quality objectives in its product, production, and management processes
- Define Quality Objectives
- Develop Quality Strategies
- Develop Quality Standards and Procedures
Episode 11: Monitoring Project Progress
- Determine the impact of change activity
- Analyze and manage changes
- Monitor the project schedule
- Monitor resources
- Monitor project costs
- Perform a staff level and work effort analysis
Episode 12: Monitoring Customer and Team
- Know how to use formal and informal monitoring methods to ensure that your project is meeting quality objectives in its product, production, quality and management processes
- Manage Customer Expectations
- Maintain Team Focus and Commitment
- Maintain a Positive Working Climate
- Develop a Team Improvement Plan
Episode 13: Project Control
- Learn how to work with the customer to maintain a successful and productive partnership as the project develops
- Learn how to focus, work with and assess your team's progress and performance so that commitments are met and overall project success is assured
- Manage trade-offs
- Identify the sources of baseline changes
- Implement baseline revisions
- Communicate project progress
- Conduct project status reviews
Episode 14: Project Close-out
- Know all of the procedures involved in formally closing out your project so that you can bring the project to completion in a way that is meaningful, instructive and beneficial to you, your team members, and your customer
- Close project-related contracts
- Discontinue project-related financial procedures
- Monitor resources
- Conduct a post-project review, emphasizing "lessons learned"
- Execute the final project communication plan
The world’s most advanced online project leadership training course, Return To Mars will take you through processes that are educational, challenging and highly entertaining. If you have the experience and a basic understanding of project management concepts, if you are ready to advance to another higher level in your professional career, accept the challenge. Bring your team or try it yourself first – to enroll, visit http://www.returntomarslearningsite.com/info.html
Advance your career! Gain recognition! And enjoy an educational and entertaining learning experience that you will never forget!
Qualifies for 14 PDUs / 1.2 CEUs
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