In many organizations, professionals find themselves managing projects without formal training, often out of necessity or as a natural progression of their responsibilities. This training provides you with a clear and structured method for planning your projects with confidence, whether you are new to project management or want to update your practices.
Using a real project from your workplace, you will explore the fundamentals of effective planning using a predictive approach, which is widely used in Quebec. You will learn how to define the project content, build a realistic schedule, anticipate risks, and structure costs. At each stage, you will apply the tools directly, allowing you to progress in a concrete and consistent manner.
The training focuses on practical workshops, role-playing, and guided discussions to facilitate understanding and integration of best practices. You will leave with a comprehensive plan, simple tools you can reuse, and a solid approach that will guide you in your future projects.
Objectives
At the end of these four modules, participants will be able to plan a project in four fundamental knowledge areas (Content, Schedule, Cost and Risk) according to best practices, in a predictive approach.
Is it for you ?
Project managers (project manager, project director, program manager, project coordinator), PCO (Project Control Officer), project support functions (engineering, procurement, human resources, etc.).
Your benefits
Content
This training program is designed to help you acquire or strengthen the essential foundations of project planning, even if you already act as a project manager without having received formal training. It enables you to adopt a clear and structured approach suited to professional realities where one often has to learn along the way.
Through a guided progression, you advance a real project taken from your work environment. Practical workshops, peer discussions, and guidance from the instructor make it easier to integrate recognized best practices in project management while helping you quickly understand how to apply them in your daily work.
The training is structured around four major competency areas for planning a project using a predictive approach:
- defining the project scope,
- building the schedule,
- anticipating risks,
- structuring costs.
Each module introduces the key principles in an accessible manner, then guides you to apply them immediately to your own project. The training is spread over several weeks so that you can revise the data and further your reflection between sessions, within the reality of your workplace.
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MODULE 1 – HOW TO PLAN PROJECT SCOPE
This module immerses you in defining the scope of a project. You will learn how to clarify stakeholder needs, formalize the scope in a requirements document, and structure deliverables using a breakdown structure. Everything is built around your own project so that the tools and templates quickly take shape.
How to gather and structure needs and expectations
You analyze and organize the real needs of your project based on guided discussions and collection grids.
Activities and tools used:
- project charter analysis,
- stakeholder mapping,
- traceability matrix,
- collection methods used in the workshop
How to define the scope and formulate the requirements document
This step helps outline what will and will not be delivered, supported by concrete examples and case studies.
Activities and tools used:
- description of deliverables,
- formulation of exclusions and constraints,
- creation of the requirements document based on a business template
How to build the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
You translate the requirements document into structured deliverables using the Work Breakdown Structure.
Activities and tools used:
- decomposition workshop,
- creation of the WBS dictionary,
- peer validation exercises
MODULE 2 – HOW TO BUILD THE PROJECT SCHEDULE
This module guides you in transforming the project scope into a coherent and realistic schedule. You will learn how to break down the work, establish sequencing logic, estimate effort, and determine overall durations. All exercises are applied directly to your real project.
How to break the project down into activities or milestones
You identify how to structure your project using a deterministic or probabilistic approach.
Activities and tools used:
- project type analysis,
- activity‑based breakdown workshop (deterministic approach) or milestone‑based breakdown (probabilistic approach)
How to sequence project components
You organize the activities or milestones according to a clear and understandable logic, using several methods to visually represent project flow.
Activities and tools used:
- ADM method (arrow diagram),
- PDM method (precedence diagram),
- PERT method,
- creation of a flowchart built collaboratively to visualize the optimal project sequence
How to estimate the required effort
You explore different estimation strategies while accounting for available resources and risks.
Activities and tools used:
- effort‑duration analysis,
- consultation of internal databases,
- workshop for developing the RBS (resource breakdown structure),
- collective review of possible variances
How to determine project durations
You translate effort into realistic durations and validate the impact of organizational constraints on your schedule.
Activities and tools used:
- duration estimation (by activity or between milestones),
- adjustments based on organizational structure,
- scenario testing
MODULE 3 – HOW TO PLAN PROJECT RISKS
This module provides a clear method to identify, analyze, and address risks. You will learn how to anticipate uncertainties that could affect scope, schedule, or costs, then structure effective responses. Everything is applied directly to your project.
How to identify potential risks
You create a structured inventory of risks using exploratory techniques and guided discussions.
Activities and tools used:
- category‑based analysis,
- risk identification workshop,
- creation of the risk register
How to conduct qualitative risk analysis
This step helps evaluate probability and impact, then determine priority risks.
Activities and tools used:
- evaluation grid,
- probability‑impact matrix,
- discussions on human factors,
- register updates
How to conduct quantitative risk analysis
You quantify the impact of risks on scope, schedule, and costs.
Activities and tools used:
- simulations,
- calculation of gross and net impacts,
- determination of contingencies,
- register adjustment
Defining risk responses
You develop response strategies for each type of risk based on its nature and significance.
Activities and tools used:
- strategies for negative and positive risks,
- fallback plans,
- assignment of risk owners
MODULE 4 – HOW TO PLAN PROJECT COSTS
This module helps you structure the project budget by estimating, allocating, and establishing a coherent cash flow. You will see how to link the budget to the schedule and how to present a clear financial overview.
Estimating costs
You evaluate your project’s costs using structured methods and contingency concepts.
Activities and tools used:
- estimation of labor, materials, and equipment costs,
- comparison of estimation types,
- use of complementary tools
Allocating costs and establishing cash flow
You address how to distribute costs over time to create a realistic cumulative budget.
Activities and tools used:
- link between costs and schedule,
- cash‑flow modeling,
- budget consistency analysis
💡 Useful information
Our training sessions are offered in Montreal or Quebec City, in person or in virtual format. Dates and locations are provided when you select your session below. If you have any questions regarding registration, schedules, the language of instruction, or cancellation policies, please consult our FAQ .
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Private or personalized training
Do you have several employees interested in the same training course? Whether in person at your offices or remotely in virtual mode, we offer private training courses tailored to your team's needs. Group rates are available. Contact us for more details or request a quote online.
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