What I Have Learned

Kaplan University

IT 301 – 01

Through 7 weeks of Project Management I have gained new knowledge on some key business concepts which I hope to use in my studies as well as my future employment prospects. From reading through A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) I have started to learn the field of project management and the terminology and theory behind this emerging field. This started with what is a project, what is project management then onto key concepts of the field. By following the PMBOK learning the responsibilities of a PM and the process involved with documenting a project proposal or charter. I have been able to form a foundation where I have learned how to create a project utilizing the nine knowledge areas along with the 5 project groups associated with these knowledge areas allowing me to properly get a project started and its scope defined.
Once I became familiarized with the above information I learned to create a project charter, a document that formally authorizes a project by documenting initial requirements that satisfy the stakeholder’s needs and expectations. I have learned how to create a project scope and how to identify production stages decomposing them into definable steps which can be then calculated into man hours and estimate costs and materials. Learning all these procedures has taught me how to break down a large project into groups or teams of skilled individuals who can be assigned specifically to a WBS and if organized properly can produce a product or service which meets the stake holders and customers’ needs and requirements. The next area of learning after creating the charter and scope and getting project approval from the project sponsor comes executing the project plan. This involves performing activities to accomplish project requirements; specifically achieving the project deliverables, monitor and control project work which involves open and active communicating to all team members and establishing a communication management plan which addresses project changes and risk assessing. I have also learned about time management, quality management, cost management, human resource management and this very week have learned about providing a thorough communication plan all of these areas have required I provided an assignment which dealt with each management area and showed I had an understanding of the concepts involved as offered by the PMBOK.
While I cannot accurately say how I will use this new information in my future studies or employment I certainly see more than one area of knowledge gained so far in this course which can be of benefit. Specifically my ability to write a proposal has improved through this course. I am also much more proficient at breaking down complex or involved