When it comes to the successful completion of important projects, what you don't know can hurt you – and your organization. Doing the work may be 90% of the job, but the initial planning will have an impact on the whole. A project well done is always a project well begun.

The topics discussed in this course will introduce you to many of the major issues involved with project planning and help you to void unnecessary pitfalls. At the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Distinguish project management from conventional management.
• Describe the general elements or phases of a project management process.
• Understand the benefits and obstacle to defining a project scope.
• Recognize the impact of communication and relationship building on project success.
• Evaluate the critical factors associated with starting projects and your readiness.