Developing Project Schedules and Budgets from Pluralsight

Effective project leaders bring their initiatives in on time and on budget, but that starts by creating a schedule and budget in the first place. Learn the fundamentals of project budgeting and scheduling and how they relate with one another.

Effective project leaders bring their initiatives in on time and on budget, but that starts by creating a schedule and budget in the first place. In this course, Developing Project Schedules and Budgets, you’ll learn the fundamentals of project scheduling and budgeting, and how you can put in motion the actions necessary to create new value. First, you’ll learn how scheduling and budgeting relate to one another, and how they are managed concurrently. Then, you’ll learn how to sketch out the big-picture outlook for your project’s work, using milestones and roadmaps. After that, you’ll explore the options available for acquiring and deploying resources to accomplish project objectives, and how they impact our scheduling and budgeting efforts. Then, you’ll learn about the interdependencies that exist between project activities, and how you can effectively sequence efforts in order to maximize value creation. Finally, you’ll learn what goes into assembling a project schedule and budget, and how to assess team performance against these benchmarks, bringing together the fundamental techniques you’ve learned along the way. By the end of this course, you’ll understand how project schedules and budgets are developed, and be ready to more effectively lead your project team.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Balancing Project Scheduling and Budgeting

Drafting a Project Roadmap

Selecting Project Resources

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a solid grasp of project scheduling and budgeting fundamentals for effective project leadership

Emphasizes the practical application of skills through its focus on creating real-world schedules and budgets

Covers essential topics such as roadmap creation, resource allocation, and activity sequencing for comprehensive project planning

Instructors Casey Ayers have expertise in project management, bringing valuable industry insights

Provides a strong foundation for those seeking to enhance their project scheduling and budgeting skills

Reviews summary

Foundational project scheduling and budgeting

According to learners, this course provides a strong foundation in project scheduling and budgeting, proving highly practical and directly applicable for those new to project management roles. Students frequently praise the clear explanations and the instructor's ability to demystify complex concepts like the interdependencies between schedule and budget. The content is lauded for being well-structured, covering essentials from drafting roadmaps to assessing performance. While many find it an excellent introduction and a great stepping stone for beginners, some experienced project managers note it can be too rudimentary, lacking advanced techniques or integration with specific project management software.

Perfectly suited for newcomers or those needing a fundamental refresh.

"Highly recommend this for beginners."

"Fantastic course for anyone new to project management or looking for a refresher on fundamentals."

"It's a great stepping stone for anyone wanting to build a strong foundation in this area."

"Good for someone completely new to the topic, but for an experienced project manager, it might be too rudimentary."

Offers clear, well-structured content on core scheduling and budgeting.

"Excellent course for understanding the core concepts of project scheduling and budgeting. The instructor's explanations were very clear..."

"This course delivers on its promise to teach fundamentals. It's concise and to the point."

"Very solid course that covers all the essentials... The content is concise yet comprehensive enough..."

"The course did an excellent job of demystifying project budgeting and scheduling. I now understand the 'why'..."

Delivers practical skills directly applicable to project work.

"I found this course incredibly helpful for my role. It provided practical techniques for drafting project roadmaps..."

"Clear, practical, and highly relevant. The course showed me exactly how to put together a project schedule and budget..."

"This course is a fantastic introduction to project planning fundamentals... Very applicable."

"I feel much more confident in my project planning abilities now, thanks to the practical insights."

Does not delve into specific project management software tools.

"I wished for more advanced case studies or specific software examples."

"The course material is academically sound but lacks practical implementation details for specific PM software or advanced scenarios."

"I was hoping for more specific techniques applicable to larger scale projects or more modern software tools."

Found too rudimentary by seasoned professionals seeking advanced topics.

"Highly disappointed. This course is strictly for absolute beginners. As a seasoned project manager, I found no new information whatsoever."

"For an experienced project manager, it might be too rudimentary. It didn't offer many new insights beyond what I already knew..."

"The course description should make it clearer who the target audience is."

"I was hoping for more specific techniques applicable to larger scale projects or more modern software tools."

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 Developing Project Schedules and Budgets with these activities:

Review Project Management Fundamentals

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Brush up on the basic concepts and principles covered in the course to ensure you have a solid understanding before diving into the details.

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Review project management books or articles to refresh your knowledge of the core concepts.
Summarize the key concepts in your own words to reinforce your understanding.

Create a Sample Project Schedule

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Solidify your understanding of project scheduling by creating a sample schedule for a project of your choice.

Browse courses on Work Breakdown Structure

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Define the project scope and objectives.
Break down the project into smaller tasks.
Estimate the time and resources required for each task.
Create a timeline or Gantt chart to visualize the project schedule.
Review and adjust the schedule to optimize efficiency.

Attend Industry Events on Project Management

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Expand your professional network and stay updated on industry best practices by attending industry events focused on project management.

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Identify relevant industry conferences, workshops, or meetups.
Attend events and engage with professionals in the field.
Share your knowledge and experiences with others.

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Career center

Learners who complete Developing Project Schedules and Budgets will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Project Manager

Project Managers perform a variety of tasks to ensure a project’s successful completion. These tasks include planning, organizing, and directing a project's resources, ensuring that it's completed within budget and on time. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets can help you succeed in this role because it provides a foundational understanding of budgeting, project management strategies, and the proper sequencing of project activities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Program Manager

Program Managers are responsible for supervising and managing an entire program and the multiple projects within it. They develop budgets, allocate resources, and establish timelines for successful program completion. The principles you will learn in Developing Project Schedules and Budgets are directly applicable to the work of Program Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for defining and managing a product throughout its lifecycle. This often involves setting a product vision and strategy, as well as planning and executing the product roadmap. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets is an excellent resource for those seeking a career in product management as it helps establish time and resource constraints to successful product development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Construction Manager

Construction Managers oversee all aspects of a construction project. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets can be particularly helpful for those working in construction management as it provides grounding in scheduling and budgeting—integral to ensuring a project's success.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns to promote products and services. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets can be helpful for aspiring Marketing Managers, as it provides a solid understanding of budgeting and planning for successful campaigns and initiatives.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts are responsible for analyzing business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. They often work with project teams to implement new systems and processes. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets can provide Business Analysts with a deeper understanding of project scheduling and budgeting, enabling them to effectively collaborate with project teams.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts help businesses make informed financial decisions. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be helpful for those pursuing a career in Financial Analysis as it provides a foundation in budgeting concepts and practices.

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Operations Manager

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a business, including planning, executing, and controlling processes and activities. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets can provide Operations Managers with a better understanding of planning, scheduling, and budgeting—all of which are essential to effective operations management.

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Quality Assurance Manager

Quality Assurance Managers are responsible for ensuring that products and services meet quality standards. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be useful for those working in this field by providing a framework for planning and executing quality assurance processes.

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Sales Manager

Sales Managers oversee sales teams and are responsible for achieving sales goals. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be helpful for Sales Managers as it provides insights into planning and managing sales activities and resources.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of human resources for an organization. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be helpful for those working in human resources, as it provides a foundation in planning and budgeting for human resource initiatives.

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Consultant

Consultants provide expert advice and guidance to businesses on a variety of topics. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be helpful for aspiring Consultants as it provides a solid understanding of project management principles that can be applied to consulting engagements.

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Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be beneficial to aspiring entrepreneurs, as it can help them develop the skills necessary to plan, schedule, and budget for their own ventures.

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Executive Assistant

Executive Assistants provide administrative and managerial support to executives. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be of some help to those seeking a career as an Executive Assistant, as it provides a basic understanding of project management principles and practices.

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Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistants provide administrative and clerical support to organizations and individuals. Developing Project Schedules and Budgets may be marginally helpful for Administrative Assistants, as it can provide some insights into project planning and scheduling.

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