Overview

One of the hottest developments to hit project management in recent years has been recognition of the central role project support offices play in contributing to project success. These offices are substantially different from traditional program offices used on military and construction projects. Their job is not to run projects, but rather to provide an environment that enables project teams to function more effectively. They do this in a number of ways: providing administrative support, establishing methods and procedures, maintaining standards, offering consulting and mentoring services, and helping in training efforts.

Establishing a Project Office explores these and other functions of project support offices and examines how such offices can be established and maintained.

Establishing a Project Office is based on the work of UMT professors Dr. J. Davidson Frame and Mr. Tom Block. Variations of this course have been taught to some 2,000 participants over the past few years. It provides insights based on Frame and Block’s work with project offices in more than 200 companies.

Free Review

You can review the first five complete modules of this course for free.

If you want take the Enrichment Package, and be eligible for 15 Professional Development Unit (PDU) credits, you can enroll at any time at a cost of only $495.

The enrichment material is designed to enhance the course presentation. It includes the following:

• An enrichment module describing different project office structures you can adopt
• Course Textbook: The Project Office, by Thomas R. Block and J. Davidson Frame
• Mentors Studio™ CD-ROM: Establishing a Project Office, featuring Thomas R. Block
• "Think and Review" section that helps you review key points of the modules
• Answers to the "Think and Review" section
• A final exam which contains multiple choice and true/false questions
• Certificate of Completion, which makes students eligible for 15 PDU credits (given upon exam completion).

By completing the full course, with the additional enrichment material, you will have covered the same content contained in our two-day Establishing a Project Office course when it is offered live in a classroom environment.

Objectives

To provide students with a thorough grasp of what project offices do and how they can be established and maintained. Both benefits and pitfalls of project offices are described.

PMBOK Knowledge Areas

• Project Human Resource Management
• Project Scope Management
• Project Communications Management

What You Will Learn

• What project offices do and who employs them
• How to establish and maintain a project office
• Current best-practices in employing project offices as determined through a survey of companies

Topics Covered

• Contemporary project offices vs. traditional program offices
• The project office as a service and support entity
• Services provided by large and small project offices
• Job descriptions of key project office players
• The project office role in promoting competency
• Steps to take to establish and maintain a project office
• Results of a survey of companies employing project offices

Enter Free Course

In order to enter the free course, please fill out the form below. This will allow you to take the course as a "Guest." There are instructions on the course site about how to sign up for the Enrichment Package.

If you have any questions, please send an email to training@umtweb.edu or call us at (703) 516-0035.

Take a Course

This course costs $495. You can begin the course today, with no application necessary. There are four easy ways to sign up:

• Secure Online Payment (VISA, Master & American Express)
• Registration Form [Word]. Mail the form with your check to: UMT, 1901 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209-1609.
• Fax the form to us at (703) 516-0985.
• Register by phone at (703) 516-0035.

Once the payment has cleared, you will be issued an ID name and a Password that will allow you to access the full course.

To access the course, log into the UMT online coursesite with your USER ID and PASSWORD at: coursesite.umtweb.edu.