Key Parts of Project Initiation | Google Project Management Certificate

Summary

Welcome to the project initiation course with JuAnne, a senior program manager at Google. Learn the essentials of project management to kickstart your career. Discover how to define project goals, scope, deliverables, and success criteria, while engaging stakeholders and allocating resources effectively. Understand the importance of a well-planned initiation phase for a successful project outcome, and get ready to create your own project charter.

Takeaways

• 📚 The course focuses on initiating projects successfully and is ideal for those looking to start a career in project management.
• 🔍 It suggests reviewing foundational courses for a comprehensive understanding of project management basics.
• 🌐 The instructor, JuAnne, has extensive experience as a senior program manager at Google, working on diverse cross-functional projects.
• 🛠 The course will cover the steps for project initiation, including identifying project scope, goals, deliverables, and success criteria.
• 📈 Emphasis is placed on the importance of measuring project success to ensure requirements are met or exceeded.
• 🤝 Stakeholder identification is crucial, as they have a direct interest in the project's completion and success.
• 🛡 Tools for defining project roles, responsibilities, and resources are part of the course to streamline project management.
• 📝 Documentation is introduced as a means to prepare the team for project kickoff effectively.
• 💡 Initiation is the first phase of a project, critical for establishing a strong foundation and setting the project up for success.
• 💼 A cost-benefit analysis is essential to ensure the project's benefits outweigh its costs, involving discussions with stakeholders.
• 📋 The project charter is a key document that outlines the project's details, goals, and requirements, needing stakeholder approval to proceed.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the course introduced by JuAnne?

The course focuses on initiating a project successfully, providing foundational knowledge for starting a career in project management.

Why is the foundational course recommended for those who haven't taken it yet?

The foundational course is recommended because it covers the basics of project management, which is helpful for anyone wanting to start a career in this field.

What are some reasons people might be interested in this project management course?

People might be interested in the course for various reasons such as preferring a specialized certification over a four-year degree, looking for an affordable way to stand out, or being interested in a career change.

What is JuAnne's professional background according to the script?

JuAnne is a senior program manager at Google with eight years of experience, working on cross-functional projects involving various teams to build software for internal use and Google Cloud customers.

How did JuAnne's career in project management begin?

JuAnne began her career as a liaison between customers and engineers, documenting requirements on software development projects, and gradually took on larger projects, managing timelines and coordinating teams, eventually becoming a project manager.

What is the importance of the initiation phase in a project as described by JuAnne?

The initiation phase is crucial as it allows ideas to come together and form the beginnings of a plan for a project. It sets the stage for the project's success by establishing goals, scope, deliverables, and success criteria.

What is the purpose of identifying stakeholders during the initiation phase?

Stakeholders have a direct interest in the project's completion and success. Identifying them helps in making informed decisions and ensures that their needs and expectations are considered throughout the project.

What is a project charter and why is it important?

A project charter is a document that contains all the details of a project, including its goals and what is needed to accomplish them. It is important because it helps organize the project, set up a framework for what needs to be done, and communicate these details to others.

What is the role of a project manager during the initiation phase?

The project manager's role during the initiation phase is to help identify the project goals, resources, and other details based on initial discussions with stakeholders, ensuring that all important pieces are in place to get the work done.

Why is it important to perform a cost-benefit analysis during the initiation phase?

A cost-benefit analysis is important to determine if the expected value of a project, its benefits, outweigh the dollar cost. It helps ensure that the project outcomes will be worth the investment of time, money, and resources.

What are some examples of questions that might be asked to determine the benefits of a project?

Examples of questions to determine benefits include: What value will the project create? How much money could it save or bring in? How much time will be saved? How will the user experience be improved?

What are some examples of questions that might be asked to determine the costs of a project?

Examples of questions to determine costs include: How much time will people have to spend on the project? What are the one-time, ongoing, and long-term costs associated with the project?

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Project Management Course

The video script introduces a course focused on initiating projects successfully. JuAnne, the instructor, welcomes viewers and suggests reviewing foundational courses for project management basics. She highlights the course's relevance for those seeking a project management career, including those interested in specialized certifications or an affordable way to stand out in the job market. JuAnne shares her background as a senior program manager at Google, emphasizing her experience in cross-functional projects. The course will cover project initiation steps, including understanding project scope, goals, deliverables, and success criteria, as well as identifying stakeholders and utilizing tools for project management. The importance of a well-planned initiation phase is underscored, as it lays the groundwork for a project's success.

05:01

🔍 Key Components of Project Initiation

This paragraph delves into the importance of the initiation phase in project management, emphasizing clarity and alignment with stakeholders to avoid misunderstandings about project goals and outcomes. It discusses the necessity of a cost-benefit analysis to ensure project benefits outweigh costs, involving stakeholders in identifying value creation, savings, revenue, time saved, and user experience improvements. The paragraph outlines key components for successful project initiation, such as setting clear goals, defining project scope, establishing deliverables, determining success criteria, engaging stakeholders, and allocating resources. It also introduces the project charter, a document that encapsulates project details and requires stakeholder approval to proceed to the planning phase.

10:03

🎓 Completion and Further Learning Opportunities

The final paragraph of the script invites viewers to complete the video and access the full learning experience, which includes job search assistance and the opportunity to earn an official certificate. It provides a call to action to click on the icon for further engagement and to subscribe to the channel for more content from Google Career. This segment serves as a conclusion, encouraging viewers to continue their educational journey and make the most of the resources available to them.

Keywords

💡Project Management

Project Management is the process of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet the requirements of a project. In the video, it is the central theme, with the course aiming to teach foundational skills for a career in this field. JuAnne, the instructor, has a background in project management, emphasizing its importance in initiating and successfully executing projects.

💡Initiation

Initiation refers to the starting phase of a project where ideas come together to form the initial plan. It is a crucial step in project management, as it sets the stage for the entire project's direction and scope. The video script discusses the importance of a well-planned initiation phase, which is where the project's goals, scope, and deliverables are identified.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have a direct interest in the project's completion and success. They are essential in determining the project's goals, deliverables, and success criteria. In the script, JuAnne highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders during the initiation phase to ensure that their needs and expectations are understood and met.

💡Scope

The project scope defines the work that needs to be completed to achieve the project's goals. It sets the boundaries of the project and helps to prevent scope creep. The script mentions the need to clearly define the project scope during the initiation phase to ensure that all parties have a shared understanding of what the project entails.

💡Deliverables

Deliverables are the tangible and intangible outcomes that a project is expected to produce. They are a key part of the project's scope and are used to measure the project's success. The video script discusses how deliverables should be identified and agreed upon during the initiation phase to ensure clear expectations.

💡Success Criteria

Success criteria are the standards used to measure the project's success in achieving its goals. They provide a benchmark for evaluating the project's performance. In the script, JuAnne emphasizes the importance of establishing success criteria during the initiation phase to ensure that the project meets or exceeds the stakeholders' requirements.

💡Resources

Resources encompass the budget, personnel, materials, and other necessary items for a project's completion. The script highlights the importance of identifying and allocating resources early in the project to avoid potential issues down the line, such as running out of funds or manpower.

💡Project Charter

A project charter is a document that outlines the details of a project, including its goals, scope, deliverables, and resources. It serves as a formal approval to initiate the project and provides a framework for what needs to be done. The script mentions creating a project charter as a key step after establishing the project's core components.

💡Cost-Benefit Analysis

Cost-benefit analysis is a process used to evaluate the project's potential value by comparing the expected benefits to the costs involved. It helps in determining whether the project's outcomes will be worth the investment. The script describes this process as an essential part of the initiation phase to ensure that the project's benefits outweigh its costs.

💡Cross-functional Projects

Cross-functional projects involve collaboration among different departments or teams within an organization. They are common in complex projects that require diverse skills and expertise. JuAnne's background includes working on such projects at Google, which demonstrates the importance of coordination and communication in project management.

💡Career

The term 'career' in the script refers to a professional journey or occupation in a particular field. The video is aimed at individuals looking to start or advance their careers in project management, offering them the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this role. It suggests that a strong foundation in project management can lead to a successful career.

Highlights

Introduction to the course on initiating a project successfully.

Recommendation to check out the foundational course for project management basics.

The course is designed for those looking to start a career in project management or seeking specialized certification.

Instructor JuAnne introduces herself with eight years of experience as a senior program manager at Google.

JuAnne's background includes working on cross-functional projects and managing timelines and teams.

The importance of a strong foundation in project management for a successful career.

Overview of the project initiation phase, which is crucial for forming the beginnings of a project plan.

Identification of project scope, goals, and deliverables as key components of initiation.

The necessity of measuring the success of a project to meet or exceed requirements.

Discussion on identifying stakeholders who have a direct interest in the project's success.

Introduction to tools for defining project roles, responsibilities, and resources.

Importance of proper initiation to avoid misunderstandings and ensure project success.

The role of the project manager in helping identify goals, resources, and details based on stakeholder discussions.

Consequences of improper initiation, such as underestimating resources or misaligned expectations of success.

The process of conducting a cost-benefit analysis to ensure project outcomes outweigh costs.

Key components of initiation including goals, scope, deliverables, success criteria, stakeholders, and resources.

The significance of creating a project charter to define the project and outline what is needed for its accomplishment.

The next steps in the course, including learning more about project charters and creating one.

Encouragement to access the full learning experience and earn an official certificate.

Transcripts

JUANNE: Hi, there.

Welcome.

This course is all about initiating a project

successfully.

If you haven't gone through our foundational course yet,

we recommend checking it out.

It covers the foundations of project management

and contains lots of helpful information

for anyone wanting to start a career in this field.

There are lots of people around the world like you

who are hoping to learn the skills to get a project

management role.

Maybe you'd prefer to take a specialized certification

rather than a four-year degree.

Maybe you're looking for an affordable way

to stand out among competition.

Maybe you're interested in changing your career.

Whatever your reason for being here,

we are glad you've joined us.

This program is rooted in the belief

that a strong foundation in project management

can help anyone start a great career as a project manager.

Before we begin this course, let me introduce myself.

My name is JuAnne, and I'll be your instructor

for this course.

As a senior program manager at Google for the past eight

years, I have worked on cross-functional projects

involving product managers, software engineers, user

experience designers, network operations, customer support,

and more to build software used at Google

and used by Google Cloud customers.

I began my career working as a liaison between customers

and engineers, documenting requirements

on software development projects.

As I became involved in larger projects,

I started to manage the timelines of the projects

and coordinate the work of the different teams that had to get

involved to finish the project.

Before I knew it, I was the de facto project manager.

I have accumulated my knowledge through formal and informal

training, finding practical application in finance,

insurance, and tech companies.

I'm super excited to be sharing with you more about the project

management discipline.

During this course, you'll learn all the steps

for kicking off a project.

We'll start with an overview of initiation,

which is the phase that allows ideas to come together and form

the beginnings of a plan for a project.

You'll identify the individual components of initiation,

like the project scope, goals, and deliverables.

You'll also learn how to measure the success of a project.

This is a super important piece of the puzzle.

After all, you want to be able to meet or exceed

all of the requirements for a successful project, right?

Later, we'll talk about how to identify stakeholders.

Stakeholders have a direct interest in the project's

completion and success.

We'll teach you about some really helpful tools

you can use to define project roles and responsibilities

and more tools and resources you typically

need to complete the work of a project.

Finally, we'll introduce documentation

that can help your team prepare for project kickoff.

Exciting, right?

The skills you'll learn in this course

will help you start projects of your own.

We can't wait to get into these topics with you.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC]

Because initiation is the first phase of the project,

it's really important to get it right.

A well-planned initiation results

in a strong foundation for your project

and sets it up for success.

Initiation begins after a problem or opportunity

has been identified within an organization.

Often, stakeholders like senior leaders at a company

will initiate a project to address a specific need

for the business.

For example, perhaps the company would

like to roll out a new product, improve employee well-being,

or reduce costs in a certain department.

It's your responsibility as the project manager

to help identify the project goals, resources,

and other details based on initial discussions

with the project stakeholders.

Even though someone else might come up

with an idea for the project, it's

still your job to figure out all the important pieces that

need to come together in order to get the work done.

The initiation phase is a crucial time

for asking stakeholders to write questions,

performing research, determining resources, and clearly

documenting the key components of a project.

Doing this will help you solidify the scope

or the boundary of the project.

If this seems a bit overwhelming, don't worry.

We'll talk more about project scope later on in this course.

If a project isn't initiated properly,

things can go wrong pretty fast.

For example, without sufficient understanding

of the project's goals, you might

underestimate what resources you need

or how long the project might take.

Or, without agreeing with stakeholders

on what success looks like, you might

think the project was completed successfully

while the stakeholders might think it

didn't accomplish their goals.

Getting on the same page and gaining clarity

during the initiation phase can save a lot of time

and extra work for everyone throughout the project.

Proper initiation also helps ensure

that the benefits of the project outcomes

will outweigh the costs of the project.

To determine this, you'll do what's

called a cost-benefit analysis, which

is the process of adding up the expected

value of a project, the benefits,

and comparing them to the dollar cost.

To do this, you will work with stakeholders

to consider a few questions.

To determine the benefits of a project,

those questions might include--

what value will this project create?

How much money could this project save our organization?

How much money will it bring in from existing customers?

How much time will be saved?

How will the user experience be improved?

And to determine the costs of a project,

those questions might include--

how much time will people have to spend on this project?

What will be the one-time costs?

Are there any ongoing costs?

What about long-term costs?

The benefits of a project should always outweigh the costs.

So it's really important that you consider these questions

early on.

Coming up, we'll talk more about the initiation phase

and explore the key components of initiating a project.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC]

There are several key components of initiation

that you need to consider in order for your project

to be successful--

goals, scope, deliverables, success criteria, stakeholders,

and resources.

First, you need to consider the goals of a project.

The goal is what you've been asked to do

and what you're trying to achieve.

All projects should have clear goals,

and often, those will be determined by senior company

leaders with your help.

From there, you would begin to consider the project scope.

This is the process to define the work that needs to happen

to complete the project.

You also need to consider project deliverables.

These are the tangible and intangible outcomes

of a project.

Once the goals, scope, and deliverables are determined,

you need to consider success criteria.

Success criteria are the standards

by which you measure how successful a project was

in reaching its goals.

Another important consideration is your stakeholders.

Stakeholders are key to making informed decisions

at every step of the project, including the initiation phase.

They are the people who both have an interest in and are

affected by the completion and success of a project.

As a result, they are often instrumental in determining

the goals, objectives, deliverables,

and success criteria of a project

from coming up with the idea, to outlining their expectations

of its results.

As you move through the initiation phase,

it's your job to ensure that you understand

the needs of the project's stakeholders early on.

It's also your role to ensure that all stakeholders are

in agreement on the goals and overall mission of the project

before moving on to the next phase.

Now, let's talk about resources.

Resources generally refer to the budget, people, materials,

and other items that you'll have at your disposal.

It's super important to think carefully about those pieces

early on.

No one wants to get started on a project only

to realize halfway through that they

don't have enough money or enough people to complete

the work.

That would be a mess.

Finally, once you've established your goals, scope,

deliverables, success criteria, stakeholders, and resources,

it's time to create a project charter.

A project charter is a document that contains

all the details of a project.

Project charters clearly define the project and its goals

and outline what is needed to accomplish them.

A project charter allows you to get organized, set up

a framework for what needs to be done,

and communicate those details to others.

Once you've drafted the charter, you

would then review the document with key stakeholders

to get their approval to move into the planning stage.

Coming up, you'll learn more about project charters

and even get the chance to create one yourself.

ROWENA: Congratulations on finishing this video

in the Google Project Management Certificate.

Access the full learning experience, including

job search help, and start to earn your official certificate

by clicking on the icon.

To view the next course in this video, click here.

And subscribe to our channel to learn more from Google Career