Project Initiation Starting a Successful Project

This is the second course in the Google Project Management Certificate program. This course will show you how to set a project up for success in the first phase of the project life cycle: the project initiation phase. In exploring the key components of this phase, you’ll learn how to define and manage project goals, deliverables, scope, and success criteria. You’ll discover how to use tools and templates like stakeholder analysis grids and project charters to help you set project expectations and communicate roles and responsibilities. Current Google project managers will continue to instruct and provide you with hands-on approaches for accomplishing these tasks while showing you the best project management tools and resources for the job at hand.Learners who complete this program should be equipped to apply for introductory-level jobs as project managers. No previous experience is necessary.

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

• Understand the significance of the project initiation phase of the project life cycle.
• Describe the key components of the project initiation phase.
• Determine a project’s benefits and costs.
• Define and create measurable project goals and deliverables.
• Define project scope and differentiate among tasks that are in-scope and out-of-scope.
• Understand how to manage scope creep to avoid impacting project goals.
• Define and measure a project’s success criteria.
• Complete a stakeholder analysis and explain its significance.
• Utilize RACI charts to define and communicate project team member responsibilities.
• Understand the key components of project charters and develop a project charter for project initiation.
• Evaluate various project management tools to meet project needs.

• Understand the significance of the initiation phase of the project life cycle.

• Understand the key components of project charters and develop a project charter for project initiation.

• Complete a stakeholder analysis and utilize RACI charts to define and communicate project team member responsibilities.

• Evaluate various project management tools to meet project needs.

Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Fundamentals of project initiation
Week 2
Defining project goals, scope, and success criteria
Week 3
Working effectively with stakeholders
Week 4
Utilizing resources and tools for project success

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I subscribe to this Certificate?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

What is a project manager?

A project manager is someone who helps manage projects for organizations in an orderly and  efficient fashion. Project managers oversee plans, budgets, and resources, and they use data to make well-informed decisions. Companies rely on project managers to build workflow processes, launch new projects, and deliver cost savings.

Why start a career in project management?

Project managers are in high demand. In fact, a study by the Project Management Institute found that, by the year 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people to fill project management-related roles. As the workplace continues to grow and evolve, project managers serve as a pivotal piece of an organization’s ability to adapt and remain agile.

Project managers are natural problem-solvers. In addition to setting the plan and guiding teammates through the project, they are tasked with managing changes and risks. Each day is dynamic and different for a project manager because they are at the center of the project, building relationships, prioritizing tasks, and delivering results! Using various tools and templates, as well as a unique skill set, the project manager brings order to chaos.

Which jobs will this certificate help me prepare for?

One of the most exciting parts about joining the field of project management is the large number of job opportunities available. In fact, the Project Management Institute estimates that employers will need to fill nearly 2.2 million new project-oriented roles each year through 2027. 

The Google Project Management Certificate helps you develop essential project management skill sets and business acumen. By learning and practicing the project management approaches included in this program, you’ll prepare yourself for introductory-level project manager roles across a variety of industries. Some common titles include Program Manager, Junior Project Manager, Project Coordinator, Scrum Master, and more. Project management is a skill that lends itself to many different types of roles in numerous industries with many opportunities for career growth. 

What tools and platforms are taught in the curriculum?

Spreadsheets (e.g., Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, etc.), word processing applications (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Word, etc.), and presentation applications (e.g., Google Slides, Microsoft Powerpoint, Keynote, etc.) will be used. Additionally, learners will have the option to use Asana and to learn about other common work management tools.

Do I need to take the course in a certain order?

We highly recommend completing the courses in the order presented, as the content in each course builds on information from earlier lessons. This is the second course in a series of six courses that make up the Google Project Management Certificate.

Will completing this certificate help prepare me for Project Management Institute certifications?

Google is an approved member of the Project Management Institute’s Authorized Training Partner Program, which ensures practitioners have access to consistent and high-quality training experiences. Those who complete the Google Project Management Certificate will qualify for over 100 hours of project management education that apply directly to requirements for globally-recognized PMI credentials, like the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification.

Reviews

Great information and tools here in Course 2. Love the layout. Google has done very well with offering both auditory or visual learning. The instructors so far have been pleasant presenters.

The course was simple and easy to learn.

It would have been nice if it included a little more video session about the one of the popular Project Management software like Jira or Basemecamp.

It was very good course I developed and learned so many skills in this course which fundamentals for Initiation of project. Like project charter, shareholders analysis, RACI charts and so much more.

I appreciate the information presented in course and the way it's presented. I'm however disappointed that my final peer review lost a mark because a reviewer deviated from the rubric.