What is the critical path method in project management?

The critical path method identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks, determining the shortest possible project duration and tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting completion.

How does agile project management differ from traditional project planning?

Agile uses iterative delivery, frequent feedback, and adaptable plans, while traditional planning typically defines scope, schedules, and responsibilities in greater detail upfront.

What is a stakeholder power-interest matrix used for?

It categorizes stakeholders by their influence and interest, helping project managers prioritize communication and engagement strategies.

Free Course Image Project Management Second Edition

Free online course Project Management Second Edition

Duration of the online course: 18 hours and 17 minutes

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Build job-ready project management skills with a free online course—plan smarter, manage stakeholders, handle risk, and earn a certificate of completion.

In this free course, learn about

Core project management concepts, project life cycle stages, and why PM matters for individuals
Critical Path Method (CPM) basics for scheduling and identifying tasks that drive project duration
Differences between projects, quasi-projects, and operations; when each applies
Agile project management principles and values (people/interactions over processes/tools)
Project selection models: screening, scoring, and multi-objective methods; choosing adaptable models
Financial evaluation tools for selection: NPV/IRR and interpreting profitability and trade-offs
Project manager role, key competencies, adaptability to change, and stress-handling attributes
Stakeholder management: identifying stakeholders and using power–interest grids to prioritize actions
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills; common conflict causes and practical resolution approaches
Organization structures (functional, matrix, projectized) and benefits of projectized structures
Human factors: building teams, motivation, and strategies for gaining commitment from members
Planning fundamentals: WBS/activity planning, responsibility assignment, and communication paths
Project charter and integration management essentials to align scope, goals, and coordinated control
Feasibility, budgeting (bottom-up), and risk management: qualitative/quantitative assessments over time

About the free online course

Strong project management is one of the fastest ways to improve results in any organization, whether you work in business, marketing, operations, tech, or consulting. This free online course helps you think and act like a project manager by connecting practical decision-making with the foundations that keep projects on time, on budget, and aligned with real business value.

You will learn how projects differ from routine work and why choosing the right initiative matters as much as delivering it. Through a clear progression from introductory concepts to real-world application, you’ll develop the ability to evaluate opportunities using selection models, weigh multiple objectives, and justify choices with financial and strategic reasoning. You’ll also strengthen your planning mindset, including how to structure activities, clarify responsibilities, and create the early documentation that prevents confusion later.

Modern delivery approaches are covered alongside traditional methods, so you can confidently navigate environments that use agile practices as well as those that rely on more predictive planning. You’ll understand what agile values prioritize, when it fits best, and how to frame work through a charter that aligns stakeholders around scope, goals, constraints, and success criteria.

Because project success is ultimately driven by people, the course places strong emphasis on leadership and human factors. You’ll explore the project manager’s role, the attributes that build trust under pressure, and the communication skills needed to resolve conflict and negotiate outcomes that protect relationships while maintaining momentum. You’ll also learn how to identify stakeholders, map their power and interest, and engage them intentionally to reduce surprises and increase support.

To help you deliver predictably, you’ll practice core management disciplines: integration, feasibility thinking, budgeting approaches such as bottom-up estimation, and risk management. You’ll learn to assess probability and impact, prioritize risks using practical tools, and understand quantitative approaches that model uncertainty over time. By the end, you’ll be better prepared to contribute to project work, lead initiatives with confidence, and add a recognized certificate to your professional profile.

Course content

Video class: Project Management 02m
Exercise: Why is learning about project management important for individuals?
Video class: Lecture 01: Introduction to Project Management - I 25m
Exercise: Which of the following best describes the 'critical path method' as mentioned in the course stages?
Video class: Lecture 02 : Introduction to Project Management - II 23m
Exercise: Which of the following best describes a quasi-project?
Video class: Lecture 03 : Agile Project Management 22m
Exercise: In agile project management, which of the following is considered more important than processes and tools?

Video class: Lecture 04 : Project Selection Models 27m
Exercise: In project management, which method is most suitable for selecting a project when considering multiple objectives and the potential for easy adaptation and modification?
Video class: Lecture 05 : Examples of Project Selection Models 37m
Exercise: Which of the following techniques is used to evaluate the profitability of an investment by determining the rate of return at which the net present value becomes zero?
Video class: Lecture 06 : Project Manager 31m
Exercise: In the context of project management, which skill is particularly crucial for a project manager when dealing with unexpected changes or challenges during the project lifecycle?
Video class: Lecture 07 : Attributes of Effective Project Manager 16m
Exercise: What is a key attribute of an effective project manager when dealing with stress according to the lecture on project management?
Video class: Lecture 08 : Managing for Stakeholders 28m
Exercise: In project management, which of the following tools is utilized to categorize stakeholders based on their level of power and interest in the project?
Video class: Lecture 09 : Resolving Conflicts 25m
Exercise: What is considered a key skill for a project manager in resolving conflicts effectively in a project setting?
Video class: Lecture 10 : Negotiation 30m
Exercise: What is one of the primary reasons conflicts arise within an organization, and how can they be effectively resolved?
Video class: Lecture 11 : Project in the Organization structure 32m
Exercise: What is the primary advantage of adopting a projectized organization structure?
Video class: Lecture 12 : Human factors and the Project Team 22m
Exercise: Which of the following statements best describes a key strategy for gaining commitment from project team members?

Video class: Lecture 13 : Traditional Project Activity Planning 33m
Exercise: In the project planning phase, which element is crucial for ensuring that tasks are completed successfully by establishing clear responsibilities and communication paths?
Video class: Lecture 14 : Agile Project Planning, Project Charter 29m
Exercise: Which element is NOT typically part of a project charter?
Video class: Lecture 15 : Coordination through Integration Management 21m
Exercise: What is a critical aspect of project integration management that ensures successful project outcomes?
Video class: Lecture 16 : Project Feasibility Analysis 28m
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a primary component of project feasibility analysis?
Video class: Lecture 17 : Estimating Project Budgets 37m
Exercise: What is the main advantage of using bottom-up budgeting in project management?

Video class: Lecture 18 : Project Risk Management 21m
Exercise: Which of the following steps in project risk management involves determining the probability and impact of risks on project objectives using tools like risk matrix and ranking?
Video class: Lecture 19 : Quantitative Risk Assessment Methodologies 42m
Exercise: Which of the following techniques is primarily used to evaluate the risk associated with the sequence of events over time in project management?
Video class: Lecture 20 : Critical Path Method (CPM) 25m
Exercise: Which of the following accurately describes the Critical Path Method (CPM) in project scheduling?

Video class: Lecture 22 Risk Analysis with simulation for scheduling 30m
Exercise: In project management, what method allows us to manage uncertainty by considering all possible values for each variable in a project scheduling model?
Video class: Lecture 23 Gantt Chart 29m
Exercise: Which of the following statements accurately describes a benefit of using a Gantt chart in project management?
Video class: Lecture 24 Crashing a project 29m
Exercise: In project management, what term is used to describe the process of reducing project time by allocating additional resources, often resulting in increased costs?
Video class: Lecture 25 Resource Loading 39m
Exercise: In project management, what is the primary purpose of resource loading?
Video class: Lecture 26 - Resource Levelling 15m
Exercise: What is the primary objective of resource leveling in project management?
Video class: Lecture 27 - Goldratt’s critical chain 32m
Exercise: In Goldratt's Critical Chain Project Management, what is the primary purpose of the project buffer?

Video class: Lecture 28- Planning monitoring controlling cycle 26m
Exercise: What is considered to be the most crucial element to monitor in the planning, monitoring, and controlling cycle of project management, despite being highly prone to change?
Video class: Lecture 29- Earned value analysis 35m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of using earned value analysis in project management?
Video class: Lecture 30- Agile tools for tracking project 29m
Exercise: In agile project management, which tool utilizes columns to track the progress of tasks from to-do to completion?
Video class: Lecture 31-Three types of Project Controlling 20m
Exercise: Which of the following is not a type of project control discussed in the course?
Video class: Lecture 32 - Control of change scope and scope creep 17m
Exercise: What is the main reason for implementing a formal change control system in project management?
Video class: Lecture 33 - Project Audit 23m
Exercise: What is one of the main purposes of conducting a project audit during a project's life cycle?
Video class: Lecture 34 - Essentials of an audit evaluation 16m
Exercise: What is one of the key responsibilities of an audit team during a project audit?

Video class: Lecture 35 - When to close a project ? 24m
Exercise: Which project closure method involves redistributing the project’s resources back into the parent organization and making its outputs a standard part of operations?
Video class: Lecture 36 - Benefits realization, Case study on the success of Chandrayan 3 26m
Exercise: What is a crucial element in effectively realizing benefits in a project management process?
Video class: Lecture 37 - Software for Project Management 24m
Exercise: Which feature of Microsoft Project allows users to visually track the progress of tasks and their dependencies within a project?
Video class: Lecture 38 - Demo on project management software 33m
Exercise: What effect does allocating more resources typically have on the duration of a project activity using MS Project management software?
Video class: Lecture 39 - Simulations Software for Project Management 31m
Exercise: What is the primary benefit of using simulation software in project management?
Video class: Lecture 40 - Course Summary 25m
Exercise: Which project management methodology focuses on flexibility, collaboration, and adapting to change during the project lifecycle?

Video class: Lecture 21- Programme Evaluation And Review Technique PERT 25m
Exercise: What is the main distinction between the Critical Path Method (CPM) and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) in project scheduling?