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Ben Howard

This course unravels the terminology used to describe projects, programs, and portfolios, allowing you to quickly understand the relationships that exist between of each of these artefacts.

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This course unravels the terminology used to describe projects, programs, and portfolios, allowing you to quickly understand the relationships that exist between of each of these artefacts.

In today's world, organizations are becoming increasingly focused on packing work into projects. As this becomes more common, there's a requirement to structure these projects into programs, and programs into portfolios. In this course, Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: What’s the Difference?, you'll learn, by way of real world examples, how to identify and classify a project, program, and portfolio. First, you'll learn how these entities all relate to each other. Next, you will discover the relationships and hierarchy that exist between them. Finally, you’ll discover some of the more common tools that are used to help manage them. When you’re finished this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to classify, identify, and talk confidently about portfolios, programs, and projects.

Organization management is the skill of getting people together on a common platform or task and making them work towards a common predetermined goal.

In this course, you will learn about what projects are, what programs are, what a portfolio is, and you will learn about specific management tools to help you keep organized.

This course is for anyone who wants to improve their organization skills.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Project management is the process of leading the work of a team to achieve goals and meet specific criteria.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview
Portfolio, Program, Project: Let’s Drill into the Detail
Complementary Project Management Terms and Tools!
Summary
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Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Provides a strong foundation for learners looking to build a baseline understanding of portfolios, programs, and projects
Teaches fundamental concepts that are applicable in various organizational settings
Builds a strong foundation for project management
Covers project, program, and portfolio management tools that are industry standard
Provides a detailed overview of terms, concepts, and tools used in managing projects, programs, and portfolios
Taught by Ben Howard, an experienced instructor in project management

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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 Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: What’s the Difference? with these activities:
Review the definition and characteristics of projects, programs, and portfolios.
This will help you recall and reinforce the key concepts from the course.
Browse courses on Project Definition
Show steps
  • Read through the course syllabus and identify the key terms.
  • Define each term in your own words.
  • Identify the key characteristics of each term.
Review the book "Project Management for Dummies" by Stanley E. Portny.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of project management concepts and best practices.
Show steps
  • Read through the book and highlight the key concepts.
  • Take notes on the most important information.
  • Complete the practice exercises at the end of each chapter.
Create a mind map of the relationships between projects, programs, and portfolios.
This activity will help you visualize and understand the hierarchical relationships between these concepts.
Show steps
  • Start with a central node for "Projects"
  • Add branches for "Programs" and "Portfolios"
  • Add sub-branches for different types of projects, programs, and portfolios
  • Use colors or symbols to differentiate between the different types
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Attend a project management workshop.
This will provide you with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field and gain hands-on experience.
Show steps
  • Find a project management workshop in your area.
  • Register for the workshop and attend.
  • Participate in the workshop and learn from the experts.
Complete a series of practice questions on project, program, and portfolio management.
This will help you test your understanding of the key concepts and apply them to real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on Project Management
Show steps
  • Find a set of practice questions online or in a textbook.
  • Read through the questions and identify the key concepts being tested.
  • Attempt to answer the questions using the information you have learned in the course.
  • Check your answers against the answer key.
Attend a project management networking event.
This will provide you with an opportunity to connect with other professionals in the field and learn about their experiences.
Show steps
  • Find a project management networking event in your area.
  • Register for the event and attend.
  • Network with other attendees and learn about their experiences in project management.
Volunteer on a project that involves project management.
This will give you practical experience in applying project management skills and knowledge.
Show steps
  • Find a volunteer opportunity that involves project management.
  • Contact the organization and inquire about volunteering.
  • Participate in the project and apply your project management skills.
Develop a project charter for a real-world project.
This will give you hands-on experience in applying the concepts of project management to a real-world scenario.
Show steps
  • Identify a real-world project that you are interested in.
  • Develop a project charter that includes the project scope, objectives, timeline, budget, and resource requirements.
  • Get feedback on your project charter from a mentor or instructor.

Career center

Learners who complete Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: What’s the Difference? will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Managers oversee the development and management of investment portfolios. The ability to differentiate between projects, programs, and portfolios will be important in this role. Additionally, you will find the information on management tools in this course to be helpful for managing your portfolio.
Program Manager
Program Managers lead teams in the planning, implementation, and control of programs. This course will help you understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios better, which are all areas Program Managers need to be familiar with. The course's discussions about management tools will also be helpful to you in this role.
Project Manager
Project Managers lead teams in completing projects, ensuring tasks are properly coordinated. This course will help you understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios better, which are all areas Project Managers need to be familiar with. Especially in the course's discussions about management tools, you will find information that you can use to help manage your projects.
Product Manager
Product Managers oversee the planning, development, and launch of new products. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to manage their products more effectively. Information from this course about management tools will also be helpful to you in this role, particularly as they pertain to managing teams.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts work with stakeholders to define and document business requirements. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts work with users to define and document system requirements. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Network Administrator
Network Administrators design, develop, and maintain computer networks. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create documentation for software applications, hardware devices, and other technical products. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Software Developer
Software Developers design, develop, and test software applications. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Quality Assurance Analyst
Quality Assurance Analysts test software applications to ensure that they meet the requirements of their stakeholders. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Data Scientist
Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators design, develop, and maintain databases. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
IT Project Manager
IT Project Managers lead teams in the planning, implementation, and control of IT projects. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better manage their projects. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
IT Consultant
IT Consultants provide advice and assistance to organizations on the use of information technology. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better serve their clients. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.
Web Developer
Web Developers design, develop, and maintain websites. They need to be able to understand the relationship between projects, programs, and portfolios, as this knowledge will help them to better understand the needs of their stakeholders. This course will also help you to improve your organizational skills, which are essential in this role.

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: What’s the Difference?.
Is the official guide to the PMBOK® standard, which is the most widely used project management standard in the world. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about the best practices of project management.
A widely popular guide to the basics of project management, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the field, covering topics such as project planning, execution, and closure. It is written in an easy-to-understand style and great starting point for those new to project management.
Classic guide to Scrum, one of the most popular agile methodologies. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to use Scrum to improve their project management practices.
Provides a comprehensive guide to the Lean Six Sigma methodology, covering topics such as process improvement, waste reduction, and quality control. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to apply Lean Six Sigma to their projects.
Provides a comprehensive guide to agile project management, covering topics such as Scrum, Kanban, and Lean. It great resource for those looking to learn more about agile methodologies and how to apply them to their projects.
Comprehensive guide to Kanban, a popular agile methodology that helps teams visualize their work and improve their workflow. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to use Kanban to improve their project management practices.
Classic guide to Lean thinking, a philosophy that focuses on waste reduction and continuous improvement. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to apply Lean thinking to their project management practices.
Introduces the concept of the Lean Startup, a methodology for developing new products and services quickly and efficiently. It valuable read for entrepreneurs and product managers who want to learn more about how to bring their ideas to market.
Study of the Toyota Production System, one of the most successful manufacturing systems in the world. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to apply the principles of the Toyota Production System to their project management practices.
Discusses the challenges of bringing a new product or service to market and provides strategies for overcoming them. It must-read for entrepreneurs and marketers who want to learn more about how to successfully launch a new product.
Novel that teaches the principles of the Theory of Constraints, a management philosophy that focuses on identifying and eliminating constraints in order to improve performance. It valuable resource for those who want to learn more about how to apply the principles of the Theory of Constraints to their project management practices.
Explores the challenges that large companies face in innovating and provides strategies for overcoming them. It valuable read for business leaders who want to learn more about how to create a culture of innovation in their organizations.
Provides a framework for developing and evaluating strategies. It valuable read for business leaders who want to learn more about how to create a winning strategy for their organizations.
Provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of running a startup. It valuable read for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about what it takes to build a successful company.
Provides a contrarian perspective on building a successful company. It valuable read for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to create a truly unique and valuable product or service.

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