Project Management for Small Businesses

Course Description

Small business management involves overseeing both small and large projects. Not all projects require extensive planning, but project management techniques can help teams of all sizes meet their goals more efficiently. This course introduces fundamental project management concepts, reviews common project pitfalls, and explains the importance of each of the five stages of the project life cycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Explain why project management is important in a small business setting
• Describe the stages in the project life cycle
• Create documents to initiate a project
• Describe the problem of scope creep
• Create a project plan
• Identify the importance of performance reports and reviews
• Explore ways to facilitate communication between project participants
• Distinguish between push and pull communications
• Explain the importance of monitoring progress, risks, and changes