Project Scheduling and Cost Management

Description
“Project Scheduling and Cost Management” provides a practical introduction to the planning, estimating, budgeting, and monitoring techniques that help keep projects on time and within budget. Participants learn how to build realistic schedules, identify critical paths, estimate resource costs, allocate budgets, and track performance using simple control tools. Real-world examples help learners understand how time, cost, scope, and resources interact, and how proactive decision-making can prevent overruns and delays.

Course Objectives
Explain the relationship between scope, schedule, cost, and resource constraints. Create basic project schedules with sequences, durations, and dependencies. Identify critical path tasks and schedule risk drivers. Estimate costs using common techniques (analogous, parametric, bottom-up). Build and manage a project budget with contingency and reserves. Monitor cost and schedule performance using simple control metrics. Interpret Earned Value Management (EVM) indicators at a high level. Apply corrective actions when variances appear. Communicate schedule and cost status clearly to stakeholders.

Target Audience
New project managers and coordinators. Team leads are involved in planning and resource allocation. Professionals transitioning into project roles. Business analysts supporting budget management. Engineers, IT staff, and operations roles contribute to schedules. Small business owners managing time-bound initiatives.

Basic Understanding
Basic familiarity with project work is helpful, not required.