Do These Questions Sound Familiar To You?

• How do you gain experience when positions require experience?
• How can I tackle formal project management when it’s so loosey-goosey where I work?
• How can I make a great impression by producing excellent results as a project manager?

At the beginning of my project management career, I knew it was a perfect fit for me but was overwhelmed and confused about how to get started. Many people give up due to all the initial hurdles of gaining knowledge and experience. For instance, how do you gain experience when all of the positions you find require experience? And what about gaining knowledge of formal project management in the real world? It’s nice to read about it, but wouldn’t it be great if someone actually showed you how it’s done?

That’s where I come in.

About Josh Nankivel, BSc PM, PMP

Josh coaches new and aspiring project managers to achieve their career goals through various publications and training courses. He founded pmStudent in 2006 to help himself and others learn more about project management as a discipline and career.

He has been managing IT and non-IT projects in Computing, Financial Services, Telecommunications, and Aerospace for over a decade. Josh’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Project Management and he is PMP certified.

Josh lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA with his wife and 3 sons.

About This Training

• Available online from anywhere, anytime, including mobile devices
• Courses consisting of video lessons and audio discussions, about 40 hours in total
• Most courses qualify for PDU credit; 32 hours of Category B PDUs
• Worksheets and checklists where appropriate to augment lessons
• Bonus lessons and materials in response to student questions and feedback
• A members-only forum to have discussions with me and your fellow members

Video Sampler (from Course 2)

(720p High Definition available in full screen mode)

Course 1: Project Overview

01-Initiation (1-Business Case) 16:51
01 – Initiation (2-Business Case) 13:56
02 – Initiation (3-Project Plan) 18:16
03 – Initiation (4-Project Plan) 10:33
04 – Initiation (5-Project Plan) 13:25
05 – Planning (1-SMEs and Scope) 27:08
06 – Planning (1qa-Work Breakdown Structure) 18:37
07 – Planning (2-Schedule) 13:46
08 – Planning (3-Cost) 5:46
09 – Planning (4-Contingency & Baseline) 16:36
10 – Execution (1- Manage Resources) 9:07
11 – Execution (1bonus- Staff Allocation Management) 19:11
12 – Execution (2- Feedback) 20:55
13 – Execution (3- One-on-Ones) 6:35
14 – Execution (4-Project Team Meetings) 3:26
15 – Execution (5-Motivation) 8:52
16 – Execution (5bonus-Motivation) 19:11
17 – Execution (6-Acquisition&Conflict) 23:17
18 – Execution2 (1-Leadership) 8:17
19 – Execution2 (2-Risk Management) 23:45
20 – Execution2 (3-Config&Quality) 14:35
21 – Execution2 (4-PMB) 3:21
22 – Execution2 (5-Status Reporting) 16:39
23 – Execution2 (6-Closure) 6:57
24 – Discussion with Ron Rosenhead (1 hr 43 mins)

7 Hours = 7 Category B PDUs

Course 2: Project Management Career Coaching

01 – Starting Out (1-Intro) 9:54
02 – Starting Out (2-My Story) 12:27
03 – Starting Out (3-My Story) 13:29
04 – Starting Out (4-What is your starting point?) 14:55 [worksheet included]
05 – Starting Out (5-What is your starting point?) 12:02
01-Starting Out (6-Career Goals) 13:35
06 – Starting Out (7-Career Goals) 13:48 [worksheet included]
07 – Career Trajectory (1-Education) 12:11
08 – Career Trajectory (2-Certifications) 10:42
09 – Career Trajectory (2b-Certifications) 1 hr 20min
10 – Career Trajectory (3-Experience) 6:44
11 – Career Trajectory (3b-Experience Case Study) 5:08
12 – Career Trajectory (4-Experience P2) 13:43
13 – Career Trajectory (5-Plan Your Career) 9:17 [worksheet included]
14 – Project Manager Career Interviews (1 Hour)
15 – Professional Relationships (1-Professional Organizations and Networking Considerations) 23:34
16 – Professional Relationships (2-Online Networking) 9:15
17 – Professional Relationships (3-Offline Networking) 8:49
18 – Professional Relationships (4-Common Networking Mistakes) 11:38
19 – Professional Relationships (5-Organizations and Networking For You) [worksheet]
20 – Job Seeking (1-Researching Organizations) 16:28
21 – Job Seeking (2-Researching Organizations-Continued) 10:23
22 – Job Seeking (3-Resume Writing Process) 13:12
23 – Job Seeking (4-Resume Considerations) 10:53
24 – Job Seeking (5-The Truthful Resume) 14:12
25 – Job Seeking (6-Cover Letters) 14:45
26 – Job Seeking (7-Portfolio – Your Secret Weapon) 17:41
27 – Job Seeking (8-All About References) 10:57
28 – Job Seeking (9a-Interview Preparation) 14:05
29 – Job Seeking (9b-Interview Technique) 16:40
30 – Job Seeking (9c-Interview Questions) 16:48
31 – Job Seeking- (10-Offers) 6:33
32 – Discussion with Margaret Meloni (50 mins)
Note: This particular course does not qualify for Category B PDUs. This is due to the fact it does not correspond to a Knowledge Area from the PMBOK Guide, and is instead focused on Career Coaching for you.

New! Buy this entire course separately for just $47

Course 3: Project Charter

01 – Purpose of the charter (5:32)
02 – Purpose of the charter – part 2 (6:36)
03 – Purpose of the charter – part 3 (3:26)
04 – Elements of the charter (6:26)
05 – Elements of the charter – part 2 (5:59)
06 – Change Management (6:26)
07 – Review of Sample Project Charters (10:19)
08 – Review of Sample Project Charters – Part 2 (16:32)
09 – Review of Sample Project Charters – Part 3 (11:49)
10 – Creating a Project Charter From Scratch (9:40)
11 – Creating a Project Charter From Scratch – Part 2 (11:16)
12 – Creating a Project Charter From Scratch – Part 3 (9:25)
13 – Checklist and Sample Charter
14 – More Project Charter Resources
15 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson – Part 1 (9:42)
16 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson – Part 2 (11:23)
17 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson – Part 3 (8:53)
18 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson – Part 4 (13:31)
19 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson – Part 5 (7:56)
20 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson #2 – Part 1 (14:34)
21 – Project Charter Student Feedback Lesson #2 – Part 2 (10:02)
Discussion with Max Walker about Project Charter and Cottage PM (37 mins)

3 Hours = 3 Category B PDUs

Course 4: Project Management Plan

01 – Introduction (4:23)
02 – PM Plan Overview 01 (18:04)
03 – PM Plan Overview 02 (10:21)
04 – PM Plan Overview 03 (10:29)
05 – Needs and Scaling 01 (13:40)
06 – Needs and Scaling 02 (7:59)
07 – Needs and Scaling 03 (8:25)
08 – Creating the PM Plan 01 (16:09) – Purpose and Change/Quality
09 – Creating the PM Plan 02 (21:26) – Scope
10 – Creating the PM Plan 03 (34:48) – Schedule
11 – Creating the PM Plan 04 (17:13) – Cost
12 – Creating the PM Plan 05 (12:47) – Cost EVM
13 – Creating the PM Plan 06 (16:21) – Cost EVM Part 2
14 – Creating the PM Plan 07 (17:47) – Formatting in Word
15 – Creating the PM Plan 08 (19:30) – Human Resources Part 1
16 – Creating the PM Plan 09 (3:16) – Cross-Reference in Word
17 – Creating the PM Plan 10 (14:24) – Human Resources Part 2
18 – Creating the PM Plan 11 (8:32) – Human Resources Part 3
19 – Creating the PM Plan 12 (4:06) – Add Heading Style in Word
20 – Creating the PM Plan 13 (21:39) – Human Resources Part 4 – RACI
21 – Creating the PM Plan 14 (17:58) – Communication Part 1 – Approach
22 – Creating the PM Plan 15 (18:21) – Communication Part 2 – Standing Meetings
23 – Creating the PM Plan 16 (10:12) – Communication Part 3 – More Meetings & Status Reporting
24 – Creating the PM Plan 17 (11:00) – Risk Part 1 – Identification
25 – Creating the PM Plan 18 (12:36) – Risk Part 2 – Assessment
26 – Creating the PM Plan 19 (5:58) – Risk Part 3 – RAC Matrix
27 – Creating the PM Plan 20 (15:16) – Risk Part 4 – Planning & Execution
28 – Creating the PM Plan 21 (8:02) – Risk Part 5 – Risk Management Board (RMB)
29 – Creating the PM Plan 22 (12:25) – Procurement and Final Edits
6 Hours = 6 Category B PDUs

Course 5: Work Breakdown Structure

01 – What is a WBS? What is it not?
02 – Why do I need a WBS anyway?
03 – What do I need before I start?
04 – How do I structure my WBS?
05 – Tools (Excel)
06 – Tools (Mind Manager)
07 – Tools (MindMeister)
08 – Tools (Mindomo)
09 – Tools (Post-it Method)
10 – Tools (Visio)
11 – Tools (Word)
12 – How do I actually create my WBS?
13 – How do I use my WBS?
14 – Example Project
15 – Example Project (When the WBS Graphic Becomes Too Big!)
16 – Q & A
17 – Q & A (Deliverables, work packages, and tasks?)
18 – Q & A (Using MS Project to create your WBS?)
19 – Interviews (1 hr 44 min 5 sec)
6 Hours = 6 Category B PDUs

Course 6: Project Requirements

01 – Intro and Overview (7:39)
02 – Types Part 1 – FURPS (15:43)
03 – Types Part 2 – RUP and Special Types (12:15)
04 – Requirements Process Overview (9:20)
05 – Eliciting Requirements Stakeholder Identification (9:21)
06 – Eliciting Requirements Stakeholder Interviews (10:40)
07 – Use Case Intro (11:37)
08 – Use Case Example Part 1 (8:46)
09 – Use Case Example Part 2 (9:18)
10 – Use Case Example Part 3 (10:19)
11 – Requirements Specification – The Good Part 1 (11:00)
12 – Requirements Specification – The Good Part 2 (11:09)
13 – Requirements Specification – The Bad (10:20)
14 – Requirements Specification – The Ugly (11:13)
15 – Requirements Management (9:51)
16 – Requirements Specification Example (12:00)
17 – Requirements Verification and Validation (5:23)

3 Hours = 3 Category B PDUs

Course 7: Basis of Estimates

01 – What is a Basis of Estimates (BOE)? (10:05)
02 – BOE Considerations (15:11)
03 – Task Decomposition Overview (8:07)
04 – Task Decomposition using Mind-Mapping (15:38)
05 – Estimating Challenges(18:25)
06 – Estimating – What Works(14:31)
07 – Estimating – Probability Distributions (9:14)
08 – Estimating – Probability Distributions Part 2 (11:11)
09 – Estimating – What Works Part 2 (13:52)
10 – Estimating – Assumptions & Resources (12:49)
11 – Estimating – Planning Poker (15:44)
12 – Estimating – Story Boarding (10:10)
13 – Basis of Estimate in Excel Part 1 (10:14)
14 – Basis of Estimate in Excel Part 2 (16:58)
15 – Basis of Estimate in Excel Part 3 (7:28)
16 – Agile Basis of Estimate Example (12:34)

3 Hours = 3 Category B PDUs

Course 8: Scheduling

01 – Scheduling Course Objectives (3:44)
02 – Universal Scheduling Concepts Part 1 (10:24)
03 – Value Stream and Scheduling-Induced Waste (9:37)
04 – Prerequisites to Scheduling and Crashing (11:30)
05 – Common Scheduling Mistakes To Watch Out For (14:16)
06 – Waterfall Scheduling Concepts (17:51)
07 – Waterfall Scheduling Example with MS Project (24:32)
08 – Considerations for Crashing a Project Schedule (4:23)
09 – Scheduling Discussion with Neil Posnansky (32:28)
10 – Kanban Overview and Sample #1 (10:01)
11 – Kanban Overview and Sample #2 (16:31)
12 – Kanban Overview and Sample #3 (16:31)
13 – Managing Kanban Flow, Predictive Scheduling, Status, and Change (21:31)
14 – Scrum Scheduling and Workflow #1 (13:58)
15 – Scrum Scheduling and Workflow #2 (16:38)
16 – Critical Chain Scheduling (25:20)

4 Hours = 4 Category B PDUs

Testimonials From Customers

Josh,

I really enjoy the training – it’s a great place to learn more about project management. Key things which I find good:

1) Really great trainer/mentor experienced in both . I know you, Josh, from pmstudent.com blog, WBS Coach, your mailing lists and direct e-mail communication with. I know you’re doing a great job in teaching about very pragmatic content about PM in quite engaging way.
2) You’ve been always open for feedback and I’ve always had my questions answered.
3) Online training benefits: I can watch the lessons whenever it’s convenient for me from anywhere.
4) A great (and always growing) amount of very well structured video lessons.
5) Open-ended & always improving: I’m happy to see new materials are continuously getting added, and the site is getting improved. Student’s suggestions are taken into account for improvements and for new topics to be covered in lessons.

Best regards,

Yavor Nikolov
Sofia, Bulgaria

Initially, as with most products I had my reservations. I wanted to be very sure that I was making a wise investment. But soon, after watching the first series of videos regarding 01-Starting Out and 02-Career Trajectory and downloading the worksheets and documents I knew I was getting an excellent ROI!
Your videos have answered many of the questions I had regarding how I can position and prepare myself to make the career transition to IT Project Manager.
Thanks again for everything!
Sincerely,
Mark Bradford, MS, MBA
Detroit, USA

Hello Josh,

After going through all the topics in the “Develop Project Management Plan” course, I could not withhold my appreciation and gratitude. Although I have masters in Project Management, this course enhanced my knowledge especially with the application of Microsoft word. I have never regretted a bit of being a paid member of the PMStudent community. I hope people will take advantage of this enormous knowledge you giving out. Keep the good work you are doing.

-Kwame Sintim Aboagye BSc.,MPM

Woodbridge, VA

Dear Josh,

I was reading an article regarding to WBS and when reading the comment posts, yours caught my attention. I visited WBSCoach.com site on Sunday morning (yesterday) and purchased the training package. By 8 pm I already went through all the training package. Please allow to congratulate you for developing a such complete, extensive, clear and effective training package! It really gave some light on understanding how the WBS is composed by deliverables and their difference between activities and tasks.

Leonardo Gil
Venezuela

Josh,

I love your WBS Coach product, it’s the best $$ I ever spent!

Jorge Lamus, PMP
Florida, USA

Hello Josh:

Just finished the WBS Coach. Let me say this: your training is by far the best I have seen on the subject, by far! Also, I feel it is a great value. As a Director of Project Management, I’ll recommend and use your material for training of my Program Managers.

Thank you for developing this great program!

Kai Schüler
Arkansas, USA

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