Managing Global Projects

A global project is one that involves multiple locations, organizations, governments, vendors, team members, and/or business units around the world. These projects are complex—so complex that standard techniques of project management require review and enhancement. Traditional project management training targets a single project or program in one location or country or business unit. With the recent trend toward globalization or the “Flat World”, outsourcing, near-sourcing, supply chain management and mergers and acquisitions of international companies, global projects are more common. Chances are good that project managers will find themselves with an opportunity to manage teams that reach across the globe and must be ready for the challenges that will present.

Global projects typically involve a variety of business challenges and cultural diversity—people from different countries, regions, corporate divisions, even tribes; government regulations and legal issues; technology considerations; time and place issues; complex risks; and a multitude of political issues from internal and external organizations —all of which must be dealt with successfully to bring a global project to a successful completion.

In this highly interactive course, participants will contrast traditional project planning and control processes and review concepts, practical tools, techniques, and even the proper mindset for successfully completing global projects within time, budget, technical, and political constraints while managing the risks that such a project brings. By using case studies, exercises, role-plays and discussion, participants will learn how to plan for a global project and to identify appropriate leadership, management, and resource and control steps to keep the project on track. Techniques for gathering, analyzing, and communicating essential information with the project team across boundaries of time and space to keep the team cohesive, motivated, and committed to the project will also be covered. Conversations on best practices will be held with each student developing their own check list from the available tools, suggested practices and team input.

The course focuses on identifying “Best Practices” in connection with managing a global project; these are tried and trusted tools, tips and techniques that become participant “take-aways”. Included will be a global case study based on real issues.

Key Topics:

• Overview of Global Projects against standard Project Management Practices
• Key Differentiators of a Global Project for communications and management
• Defining and Initiating the Global Project to Gain Executive support and commitment
• The Global Project Leader
• Organizing the Global Project and Team – Understanding the resources challenges
• Planning the Global Project
• Using Technology to Global Advantage
• Managing Your Global Projects for Success through people and processes
• Effectively Managing the Playing Field – Political and Cultural Sensitivities and Valuing Difference
• Thinking about and dealing with diversity that is more intense in global projects

Upon completion of the course, the participant will be able to:

• Define global project management and become aware of its challenges
• Distinguish the unique characteristics of a global project vs. traditional project management
• Enhance the use of project management techniques for defining requirements and plans for global projects and initiating a global project across international borders
• Stress the global project needs across PMI’s PMBOK’s nine knowledge areas
• Tailor and apply project management tools to challenges inherent in global projects including work breakdown structures, project scheduling techniques, communication plans, resource assignment approaches, risk management plans, and procurement plans
• Discuss the organization and team structure for global projects
• Better manage global procurement – vendor and supplier relationships
• Incorporate global project environmental factors into the risk management plans
• Review technology and its application to global communications
• Understand how to deal with cultural diversity, cultural sensitivity, inclusion issues, legal and political factors present in global projects
• Discuss best or proven practices for key areas

Who should attend?

• Personnel who are, or will be, assigned responsibilities for managing global projects and have a background in traditional project management.

» All materials are included
» PDUs: 16
» Price: $495 per person