New in 2026!
Certificate in Advanced Project Techniques - when sound project process and strategic concepts are needed.
This certificate series consists of 3 workshops:
Managing Project Risk – June 25, 2026
Mastering Agile with Scrum: A Practical Approach – August 12 – 13, 2026
Concepts for Planning, Establishing & Monitoring Project Portfolios – September 10 – 11, 2026
The top leaders in the organizations determine project needs and resource priorities, while project teams are launched, running full speed towards a goal.
With multiple goals and limited resources, teams often develop tunnel vision. It’s essential for someone to step back, see the bigger picture, make strategic decisions, and ensure alignment with the organization’s mission and values
It becomes critical that all projects sound project management processes, collaborate seamlessly across functions and be capable enough to utilize strategic concepts when needed all the while keeping the business objectives in mind.
Materials in this class are based on the current Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide).
The skills taught in this certificate have universal relevance: Everyone is a project manager in some way, regardless of title. Effective project management processes are developed to work around the constraints in every industry: Construction, Engineering, IT and Telecommunications, Aerospace, Banking and Financial groups, Manufacturing, City and State Government, the Health industry, Airlines and transportation, Energy and Utilities, Retail and service providers.
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of including project and program managers in strategic decisions—in fact, nearly 31% of American CEOs today have significant experience in project management (Dubourse, Archibald, Francois, Pailot, Poroli, & Prabhakar, 2011).
Risk Management can be described as an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project’s objectives. To a Project Manager, this is a fundamental and core practice within the project life cycle. Every project experience risk: but how risk is understood, identified and managed can help pave the way to success.
This practical, hands-on program will give you the techniques to understand, define and identify risks to your projects. You’ll also learn to analyze risk in relation to your projects and forecast outcomes in terms of probability. You will learn real solutions to handle and mitigate project risk. If you’re involved in projects, you cannot afford to miss this program. You’ll gain a fundamental understanding of the Risk Management Process and how it applies to your work.
Learning Points:
- Ability to properly identify and qualify project risks
- Understand how risks can affect your projects and identify actions required to minimize negative outcomes
- Develop strategies for managing project risk
- Ability to minimize the efforts required to manage high impact events
- Begin to use a Risk Management process that can provide immediate impact to schedule and budget expectations
Outline:
Project Risk Management
- What is Risk Management
- Types of Risk
- Risk Management categories and factors
- Risk Management planning
The Project Risk Management Process
Classroom Case Study
Risk Identification
- Inputs / Outputs / Tools / Methods
- Properly identifying / stating risk
- Classroom Exercise
Qualitative Analysis
- Inputs / Outputs / Tools / Methods
- The Risk Matrix
- Classroom Exercise
Quantitative Analysis
- Inputs / Outputs / Tools / Methods
- Decision Tree (EVM) analysis
- Standard Deviation analysis
- Probability analysis
- Classroom exercise
Risk Response
- Inputs / Outputs / Tools / Methods
- Classroom exercise
Risk Monitoring
- Inputs / Outputs / Tools / Methods
- Why monitor risk
- Errors in Risk Management
The Nature of Risk
Lessons Learned
Do your customers complain that their projects take too long to get completed?
Are you trying to understand and apply new Agile concepts on your own, but don’t know how or where to start?
Or are you trying to improve what you have started with your Agile process?
Are you ready to:
-
- Accept your customer’s requests for change easily and quickly
- Set up leaders and stakeholders for successful change
- Develop stronger, quicker acting teams
- Create a workplace culture that connects business and service groups
- Get more done
If you want to learn the nitty-gritty of what to do, and what not to do, with change driven projects, this interactive, hands-on class will bring Agile project management to life for you. You will return to your workplace ready to fully contribute and improve your existing teams to provide better project deliverables fast for your company. The class material can be applied quickly for far reaching benefits on your projects, and processes and can be leveraged in a broad spectrum of functional areas and for employees of all levels of responsibility.
Don’t settle for “business as usual”. Rise to the challenge and give yourself and your team a competitive edge!
To keep that momentum going once you are back at your workplace, each participant will receive a copy of the book “SCRUM: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time“, by Jeff Sutherland, and co-creator of Scrum J.J. Sutherland. This book will be a useful resource as you put the tools learned in the classroom into practice on the job!
Key concepts:
- Determining the right approach for each project.
- Creating success criteria with multiple stakeholders.
- Working hands-on with the Agile concepts, understanding each step of a basic process.
- Building and communicating measures for steady progress and successful deliveries.
- Creating high performance Agile teams.
- Gathering and grouping deliverables into a successful sprint.
- Defining quality/benefits for Agile projects.
- Building an Agile mindset and learn how to transfer to others.
Agile projects
- What’s what in Agile methodologies
- Graphs showing the difference in project management methods
- Change-driven methods:
- Agile
- Lean
- Kanban
- Scrum
- Test-Driven Development
- Extreme Programming
- SAFe
- Case studies
Value to the business
- How to size Agile projects for the correct number of team members
- Understanding the value of now
- Forecasting costs plus tracking benefits
- Eliminate waste
- Determine early the point of no added value
Stakeholder and management oversight
- Key roles defined for all Agile team members
- Contributing to and monitoring Agile projects
- When to stay out and when to step in
- Leveraging ongoing stakeholder involvement
High level processes
- Scope
- Backlog development
- Sprints setups
- Design, build and configurations
- Test and deploy
Requirements
- Storyboards for Agile
- User stories and other techniques
- Elicit Agile size deliverables
- Grouping deliverables – the negotiation dance
- Determining the point of “good enough”
- Testing user stories
Quality
- Demoing, testing – Live feedback loop
- Success criteria
- Get out of jail free card
Using different Agile approaches
- Principles and practices
- Tools and techniques
- Change driven life cycles
The whole team
- The Agility and lean mindset blend
- Agile leaders characteristics
- Logistics and daily activities
- Tight team dynamics
- How to improve Agile teams
Team meetings
- Determine sprint size and daily meetings
- Agile “poker” cards for estimating
- Re-prioritizing the remaining work plan (backlog)
- Retrospective reviews
Burn-up or burn-down charts
- Define key agile metrics
- Graphing methods and tools
- Cadence – velocity
- Pick up the pace
- Successes early and late
Integration topics
- Frequent collaboration
- Number of outstanding defects
- Change management
- Procurement
Other project management deliverables
- Project charters
- Risks
- Issues
- Communication plans
Portfolio Management is learning to establish criteria to select the right projects to work on at the right time. Included are both monitoring and evaluating results as the project wraps up.
Learn how to build your unique experience in portfolio management needed to earn your PfMP Certification from PMI.
You will be able to summarize:
- How you have operationalized portfolio management concepts.
- How the concepts were applied.
- Why these concepts were implemented and how to document the results of the portfolio.
See what Project Portfolio Management can do for your organization for both traditional, hybrid, and agile portfolios for optimal business value. Gain a strong basis to springboard your study for PMI’s PfMP Certification.
Key concepts;
- Creating success criteria with multiple portfolios strategies.
- Defining benefits for Portfolios, such as risk vs. return.
- Identifying, selecting, and forming the right projects to put into your Portfolio.
- Working hands-on with the Portfolio concepts, understanding each step of a basic cycle: planning, executing, and monitoring.
- Building and communicating measures for steady progress and successful throughput of projects in the different types of portfolios.
- Key items to train and incentivize project managers of the project within the portfolio.
What you will learn:
Introduction to Portfolio Management
- Definition and importance of a portfolio management
- Key term and concepts from PMI.org
- Process of Portfolio management: Planning, executing, and monitoring
- Steps to assess current Portfolio maturity, gathering data
Types and Goals of Portfolios
- Projects vs. Products
- Investment improvement and stability over time
- Working with Stakeholders initially and ongoing.
Portfolio Diversification
- Concept and benefits of diversification
- Possible attributes to include for shaping powerful criteria
- Risks associated with lack of diversification
- Strategic and Tactical Levels and how to balance both
Portfolio Risk Management
- Understanding risk and return
- Risk assessment techniques
- Risk mitigation strategies for long term stability and return
Portfolio Performance Evaluation during execution and feedback
- Performance metrics
- Benchmarking
- Performance improvement strategies
Portfolio Optimization
- Modern portfolio theory
- Asset allocation strategies including resources
- Portfolio rebalancing isn’t just for investment portfolios
Communication
- Methods, recipients, vehicles, & frequencies for effective communication to stakeholders
- Engage Stakeholders and maintain communication
- Verify accuracy, consistency, and completeness of portfolio communication
Governance of Portfolio
- Input from different roles: BA, CIO, CISO, CFO, PMS, and Resource Manager
- Build and tach the Governance for your environment
- Pitfalls to avoid on Governance, especially nonvalue added activities
Case Studies and Practical Applications
- Real-world examples of successful portfolio management
- Hands-on exercises for portfolio creation and management
- Preparing your Project and Resource Managers to contribute fully
- Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
Future Trends in Portfolio Management
- Impact of technology on portfolio management including AI
- Emerging trends and challenges
- Preparing for the future of portfolio management
very important
about PMP/PMI
how to gain additional knowledge so you are ready to test
Take next two certs – Gain a Master Certificate in PM
Take the exam.
Complete Cert 1 – Fundamentals
Complete Cert 2 – Communication
Complete Cert 3 – Advanced tools
BOOM! Master Certificate
Substitutions are free and must be done prior to the start of the class or certificate program.
Cancellations or rescheduling must be received in writing and full refunds will be given up to four business days prior to the start of class.
Any cancellation or reschedule submitted with three or less business days notice is subject to a $35 charge on 1 or 2 day classes and a $75 charge on certificate programs.
No refunds after the first day of the class or certificate program.
Bring any of these topics onsite to your project teams. Each team member benefits from the synergy and having a subject matter expert to coach and guide them. Contact Denise.Sherman@wichita.edu or Paula.Seiwert@wichita.edu to explore the possibilities.
Materials in this class are based on the most current Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide).