Modules & Learning Objectives

Identify tools and approaches for creative problem solving and decision making.
Discuss how to use decision making techniques in current challenges through classroom exercises.
Develop basic negotiation skills for problem solving and issue resolution.

Identify how each personality trait leads to effective leadership in problem solving, communications and teamwork.
Describe the correlation between communication skills, personal leadership strategies and high performing teams.
Illustrate techniques for effective oral and written communications.
Distinguish between listening and hearing.
Identify strategies to conduct effective meetings.

Identify the importance of pre-planning and its correlation with a company's bottom line.
Outline the pre-planning process.
Discuss pre-planning and planning tools.
Demonstrate team building techniques within the pre-planning process.

Discuss information required to evaluate and select subcontractor and vendor services and material and equipment purchases.
Demonstrate how to prepare documents for the purchase of the services mentioned above.
Describe how these documents aid in maintaining a project within budget, on schedule and with reduced claim potential.
Identify effective techniques for dealing with new subcontractors vs. experienced subcontractors.

Identify the project manager's role in cost control.
Discuss the importance of tracking job costs.
Examine sample report forms used throughout the project in order to demonstrate the need for meaningful cost budgets.
Illustrate cost analysis through the use of examples.
Explain how good cost control practices and forecast probable final project cost.

Examine the various types of project records that must be generated, tracked and stored to increase project efficiency and prevent legal issues.
Analyze the project manager's role in ensuring that project records are being properly maintained to avoid future conflicts and support claims.
Discuss capabilities of various software packages to assist with the recordkeeping process.

Identify reasons for low job site productivity.
Discuss the impact of low job site productivity on the project contractor, craftsperson, project owner and designer.
Identify practices to ensure each worker is part of the overall project team.
Analyze models to measure, predict and improve job site productivity.
Identify environmental factors that impact productivity.
Describe how to apply short interval schedules and job schedules to increase field productivity.
Develop a work plan to increase field productivity.

Illustrate techniques for completing projects with a minimum amount of disputes using effective document control.
Examine specifications and contract language.
Identify a process for managing change orders.
Describe the difference between arbitration, mediation, litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

Identify ways to plan and schedule work more efficiently using Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling.
Analyze modern scheduling techniques including the CPM schedule, bar charts, computer printouts and plots.
Identify how to use the CPM schedule as a tool for avoiding or documenting future claims.
Discuss the importance of regular updates to the CPM schedule.

Discuss the significant legal implications project managers face.
Identify actions, or lack thereof, that can have far-reaching legal consequences for the project manager, their company and many others.
Identify specific areas where caution is necessary in order to avoid legal problems.

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