Project Management Capstone from Coursera

This capstone project course will give you the chance to practice the work that project managers do in real life when managing projects. You will assume the role of a project manager and gain hands-on experience managing a project from start to finish.

You will plan, execute, and close the project. By the end, you will have many artifacts that will showcase both your knowledge of predictive and adaptive methodologies, which can then be added to your portfolio to show employers.

As part of this course, you will produce common project deliverables. Artifacts you will create using a predictive methodology include a work breakdown structure, network diagram, budget, quality and communications management plans, and a risk register. Artifacts that showcase your adaptive methodology skills include user stories, examples of product and sprint backlogs, and a burndown chart analysis. You will also produce a project status report, a change form, and a closeout report.

This capstone course is a great way to build out your project management portfolio and showcase your skills to prospective employers.

What's inside

Syllabus

Initiating the Project

In this module, you will review and analyze a comprehensive scenario. You will also review a business case that serves as a key input to develop a project charter. Then, you will go through a Stacey diagramming analysis that supports the project scenario. You will also watch a video that revisits the project charter and stakeholder register templates and development criteria. In this module, you will also participate in a structured lab and create a project charter and stakeholder register, leveraging the given project scenario and business case. Additionally, you will be provided with a potential solution. Lastly, you will take a graded quiz to test your understanding of the key concepts and prepare for the CAPM certification test.

Predictive Project Planning

In this module, you will be introduced to some project planning activities, such as a work breakdown structure (WBS), network diagram, high-level budget, quality management plan, communications management plan, and risk register. This module will help you build the predictive project management plan using the project scenario, business case, Stacey diagram analysis and the project charter and stakeholder register developed in the previous module. Lastly, you will take a graded quiz to test your understanding of the key concepts and prepare for the CAPM certification test.

Adaptive Project Planning and Execution

Welcome to module three. Module three introduces the adaptive or Scrum portion of the course. You will develop user stories, a product backlog, and a sprint backlog to support your app development project introduced in module one and the supporting documents developed from module two. Then in the second lesson of the module, you will create a Kanban board using the materials developed in the first lesson of this module. You will also analyze a burndown chart example provided.

Predictive Monitoring and Controlling and Close Out

Effective status reporting, change management, and closeout are essential to a project’s success. Module four addresses predictive monitoring, controlling, and closeout activities. In this module, you will create a project status report. You will analyze a proposed change to the project and complete a change form to update the status. To close out the module and complete the project, you will complete a closeout report based on a “lessons learned” document.

Final Submission and Evaluation

Welcome to module 5. In this module, you will submit your project, which you have been working on developing in the previous four modules. You will also be required to peer-review another’s project based on the rubric provided. In the bonus content lesson, you will explore the importance of having a personal portfolio and a great resume. A personal portfolio is a great way to share who you are, showcase the work you have accomplished, and demonstrate that you have the skills to excel in a potential new role. Writing a resume can be a challenge. You need your resume to be impactful, share a compelling story, and capture the attention of the reader. In this module, you will learn some helpful tips on how to create an impactful resume and portfolio.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops practical and foundational skills in project management

Builds a portfolio of artifacts for showcasing project management skills

Aligned with the Project Management Institute's CAPM certification

Covers both predictive and adaptive methodologies, addressing real-world project scenarios

Provides hands-on experience in managing a project from start to finish

Students are expected to have basic project management knowledge and be comfortable with the industry terminology and concepts

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Project Management Capstone with these activities:

Project Management Fundamentals

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Provides a comprehensive overview of project management fundamentals, giving you a strong foundation for the course.

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Review the course syllabus and learning objectives
Attend the workshop
Complete the workshop assignments

Agile Project Management

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Introduces the concepts of agile project management, which can enhance your understanding of project management methodologies.

View Agile Project Management For Dummies on Amazon

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Read Chapters 1-3
Complete the practice exercises
Create a summary of the main concepts

Work breakdown structure

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Provides additional practice in creating a work breakdown structure, which is a key skill in project management.

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Identify the project scope
Break down the project into smaller tasks
Develop the work breakdown structure

Six other activities

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Stakeholder analysis

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Enhances your understanding of stakeholder management by practicing how to identify, analyze, and manage project stakeholders.

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Identify the project stakeholders
Analyze the stakeholder interests
Develop the stakeholder management plan

Create a Communication Management Plan

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Helps you develop your project management skills by applying what you learn in the Preparing a Project Communication Management Plan module.

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Gather information from the project
Identify the project's communication needs
Develop the communication plan
Implement the communication plan
Monitor and evaluate the communication plan

Project initiation document

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Helps you understand the purpose and importance of a project charter, which is essential in project management.

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Identify the project
Define the project
Establish the project scope
Identify the project stakeholders
Document the project initiation document

Project Management Plan

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Provides an opportunity to develop a comprehensive project management plan for a simulated project.

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Define the project scope
Develop the project schedule
Identify and assess the risks
Develop the project budget
Create the project management plan

Create a risk assessment matrix

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Allows you to apply your knowledge of risk management by creating a risk assessment matrix for a real-world project.

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Identify the project risks
Analyze the project risks
Develop the risk assessment matrix

Contribute to a project management open-source project

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Allows you to apply your project management skills in a real-world setting.

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Find an open-source project to contribute to
Join the project community
Make a contribution to the project

Career center

Learners who complete Project Management Capstone will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Project Manager

Project Managers implement and maintain efficient project policies and procedures to ensure that all aspects of a project run smoothly. As a Project Manager, you will use the skills and knowledge gained in this course to develop and implement project plans. You will manage all phases of the project lifecycle including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling and closeout. This course will help you gain the skills you need to succeed in this role by allowing you to assume the role of a Project Manager and gain hands-on experience managing a project from start to finish. This is a great way to build your portfolio and showcase your skills to potential employers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Project Coordinator

Project Coordinators work with project stakeholders to define project scope, develop project plans, and track project progress. They also ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. You will gain the skills you need to succeed in this role from this course, which will teach you about the predictive and adaptive methodologies used by Project Coordinators. You will also produce common project deliverables and create a project status report, a change form, and a closeout report.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Coordinator

Scrum Master

Scrum Masters are responsible for facilitating Scrum teams and ensuring that they are following Scrum principles and practices. They work with the team to define sprints, track progress, and remove obstacles. This course will help you gain the skills you need to be a successful Scrum Master by providing you with experience planning, executing, and closing a project using Scrum.

See salaries and explore the career path for Scrum Master

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products and services. They work with a variety of stakeholders to define product requirements, develop product roadmaps, and track product progress. You will gain the skills you need through this course to be successful in this role, which will teach you about user stories, product backlogs, and sprint backlogs.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts work with stakeholders to define business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs. They also help to ensure that projects are aligned with business objectives. This course may be useful for Business Analysts, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to understand business needs and develop effective solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and test software applications. They work with a variety of programming languages and technologies to create software that meets the needs of users. This course may be useful for Software Engineers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to design, develop, and test software applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to identify trends and patterns. They use their findings to make recommendations that can help businesses improve their operations. This course may be useful for Data Analysts, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to collect, clean, and analyze data, and make recommendations that can help businesses improve their operations.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers oversee the human resources operations of a company. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement human resources plans. This course may be useful for Human Resources Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to oversee the human resources operations of a company, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement human resources plans.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a company. They work with a variety of stakeholders to ensure that the company is running smoothly and efficiently. This course may be useful for Operations Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to oversee the day-to-day operations of a company, and work with a variety of stakeholders to ensure that the company is running smoothly and efficiently.

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Information Technology Manager

Information Technology Managers oversee the information technology operations of a company. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement information technology plans. This course may be useful for Information Technology Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to oversee the information technology operations of a company, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement information technology plans.

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Supply Chain Manager

Supply Chain Managers oversee the supply chain operations of a company. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement supply chain plans. This course may be useful for Supply Chain Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to oversee the supply chain operations of a company, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement supply chain plans.

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Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts are responsible for ensuring that software products meet quality standards. They test software products to identify and fix defects. This course may be useful for Quality Assurance Analysts, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to test software products and identify and fix defects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst

Financial Manager

Financial Managers oversee the financial operations of a company. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement financial plans. This course may be useful for Financial Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to oversee the financial operations of a company, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement financial plans.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns to promote products and services. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement marketing plans. This course may be useful for Marketing Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to develop and execute marketing campaigns, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement marketing plans.

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Sales Manager

Sales Managers develop and execute sales strategies to generate revenue for their companies. They work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement sales plans. This course may be useful for Sales Managers, as it will help you to develop the skills you need to develop and execute sales strategies, and work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and implement sales plans.

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