Hey, again, let's get back into it.

In this video, we'll define a project,

define project management, and explain its value to an organization. Let's start by defining
exactly what a project is. A project is a unique endeavor, and usually includes a set
of unique deliverables. It's also a temporary pursuit,
it has a defined beginning and an end. To put it another way, a project is
a series of tasks that need to be completed to reach a desired outcome. Reaching that
desired outcome takes
collaboration and careful planning that keeps the project on track and on budget,
that's where project management comes in. Project management is critical to the
success of projects both big and small. So, let's break it down into the what,
the why, and the how. So, what is project management? Why is project management an
important
part of an organization, and how is it vital to a project's success? As I mentioned, project
management
is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to
meet the project requirements and achieve the desired outcome. Project management is
valuable to
businesses because it helps ensure that a project delivers the expected outcomes
both on time and within budget. To demonstrate what I mean, I'll take you through a real life
example of project management. Imagine a school district signs a deal
with a telehealth company to make sure students don't have to miss school, the deal will be
completed by
the end of the school year. The students can now interact with the
doctor through a tablet, smartphone, or computer while they're at school. Implementing
this technology into
the school's procedures is the project, it's got a clear outcome and
start and end date. So, how is that project managed? Well, this project has several tasks,
and each one has to be carefully planned out and tracked or managed in
order for the project to be completed. For example, to start you can
organize training sessions for faculty to get them better acquainted with
the technology, policies, and procedures. You can budget for tablets, computers, and other
vital equipment to
facilitate the virtual checkups. And you can maintain strong communication
with doctors, the telehealth company and school staff members, and so much more. To
successfully launch
the product in the schools, all of those things need to get done,
and that is project management. Seems pretty important to
an organization's success, right? More and more companies are starting to
understand how project management can save them lots of money and time. Poor project
management can lead to
trillions of wasted dollars every year for organizations around the world. More specifically,
poor project management can lead to 48%
of projects missing delivery dates, 43% missing budget targets, and 31%
failing to meet an organization's goals. As a company that serves so
many different purposes and communities, it's no surprise that project
management's a huge part of Google. But here, many of our project managers
are described as program managers because they manage multiple projects for
specific products, teams, or programs. There's thousands of people here
with the job of keeping projects and programs running smoothly. People like me, I'm a
responsible
innovation program manager. My team is responsible for
ensuring that the technology we produce, the research we pursue, and the
publications we put out are all done with Google's artificial intelligence
principles in mind. I review the processes for each of these
types of technologies, and I give ideas for how to continue innovating responsibly
to meet our organizational goals. So, my job adds value to Google through
the core aspects of project management we've mentioned, planning and organizing,
managing tasks and
budgeting and controlling costs. Hopefully, you have a better sense of what
a project is, what project management is, and why project management is
an important part of every company, and how it's vital to a project success. Next up, we'll
learn more about
what a project manager does.

Hey, so we've covered what

project management is and why it's important to organizations. Now, let's learn more about
what project
managers do on a day-to-day basis. Project managers usually follow a process
that involves planning and organizing, managing tasks, budgeting,
controlling costs and other factors. Everything they do helps make sure
the project can be completed on time and on budget. In broad terms, a project manager
also needs to make sure that the project outcome is
bringing value to the company. A project manager can add
value in many different ways. Whether that's creating a new service for
customers or modifying an old service so it's more tailored to
the customer's needs. No matter what the task is, a successful
project will always add value. And it's the project manager's job to make
sure that project is both valuable and successful. You may be asking yourself, well, if I'm a
project manager, how do I
add value to an organization every day? What does the day-to-day life
of a project manager look like? Well, a project manager's responsibilities
can vary, depending on the project, the industry, and
the company they're working in. Are you constructing a new building? Are you project
managing a renewable
energy product in a startup? Or are you setting up your
own event management company? Your tasks will be
different in each scenario, but here's a general overview of
what a typical day might look like. A project manager's daily responsibilities
always include some version of the following, planning and organizing. An example of that
might be gathering
requirements from teammates or customers. This means figuring out what exactly
your project's trying to accomplish. You might have a kickoff meeting or
send a survey. From here you may also work
on creating project plans. Creating project plans is a key
part of project management. It helps set the tone of the project,
keeps everyone on pace and aligned, and helps move tasks along. Which leads me to my
second point,
managing tasks. Once the project is underway, the project
manager helps manage tasks for the team members and communicates key milestones
to the larger team or customers. This helps keep team members, and customers updated on
how
the project is progressing. The third piece is budgeting and
controlling costs and other factors. Managing the budget and controlling costs
is a common responsibility that project managers have to understand to keep
the project on track and within budget. This is a full-time job because
the plan you've created and managed may change causing
unexpected costs to come up. And that's just to name a few. I could go on for days. But the
most important thing to know
about the day to day of a project manager is this: You'll use different tools, techniques and
methodologies every single day. There's never a dull moment. Personally, my favorite part
about being
a project manager is that I get to watch the project's growth from start to finish. It's really
special to create something
from nothing, working from the ground up. It's a really satisfying feeling. As a project
manager, you'll use a variety
of skills every day, and a lot of these skills you might already have, and
we'll discuss this more coming up. See you there.

Welcome back. Let's

get right into it and explore the variety
of skills you'll use. Have you ever been tasked with planning a loved one's
surprise birthday party? There's usually a
lot of pressure and responsibility, but when you get it right, it feels amazing. That's still true
even if
there were a couple of issues. Maybe the guest of honor arrived home earlier than expected
and nearly ruined the surprise. But if you made
someone feel special on their birthday you probably planned a
successful project. As you chose a venue,
sent out invitations, and calculated your budget
based on your number of guests, you were using several
project management skills, like planning and
organizing, managing tasks, budgeting, and controlling
costs, and more. Or maybe you've never
planned a party. Have you ever worked
in the retail space, or in the service industry? Then you might have
experience that'll translate into the project
management field, too. For example, you
might have been in charge of managing several
employees' schedules. To do that, you had to plan and organize which
employees' work styles would complement each
other in a productive way. You also had to make sure that all duties and responsibilities
would be covered
during each shift. Plus, you had to be aware of
all employees' availability. Doesn't sound familiar? Well, have you ever had to
relocate for a new job and planned a big move? To successfully move
all of your belongings, you may have coordinated
friends and family to help. You would have had to budget and control costs for
moving companies, boxes, and
miscellaneous expenses. You probably packed your
boxes one room at a time and clearly labeled the boxes so that you knew
what each box was when you arrived at the new place. You had to manage all of
these tasks simultaneously. You've likely handled
several tasks like these in your lifetime. In studying project management, you'll learn to
further advance and sharpen these skills so that you'll be
equipped to manage even bigger, more daunting tasks. The abilities that helped you
complete these past projects are a great selling point for yourself as a future
project manager. So be sure to bring
up these examples in job interviews to
demonstrate your skills. For instance, if you're
asked questions like, "Tell me about a
time when you had to juggle several tasks at once", or "Tell me about a time when you had
to influence a
customer or a teammate." It's good to have
examples that demonstrate your skills with
time management and leadership in both
your everyday life and previous workplaces. Are you thinking about all of the skills that you
already have and can use in your future
project management role? Perfect. Up next, we'll learn more about the types
of project management roles that you'll be qualified
for after this program. We'll also discuss how
to start exploring the various job opportunities out there for you. See you soon.

Hey everyone, my name is X. Yes, just the letter. At Google, I'm a

Program Manager for a department called
Responsible Innovation. Most of us, in our everyday
life, use program management. When you have only a couple hours left in a day and you
have to figure out, well, do I clean my house or do I go to the grocery store? How long will
each
of those task takes? Those are just
different elements or variations of program management
and project management. My path to program management
is pretty non-traditional. I didn't go graduate
from a great college. In fact, I dropped out of high school and I
dropped out of college. So a GED is the highest
credential that I have. After I dropped out
of high school, I taught myself how to code. I built a whole
bunch of websites, but realized, like, I didn't have the responsible skills to
make me a "mature adult." So I ended up joining
the military. After spending eight
years in the Army, I traveled the world
building apps for really big companies and
governments around the world. When I came into Google, I realized I could
still be technical, but then I'm just using
the skills I already have. So how can I grow myself as a person by learning new skills? That's
when I heard about
the program manager role. The program manager role
at Google is super cool because it varies depending
on which team you're on. If you're a program
manager on Google Cloud, that could look
very different than being a program
manager in YouTube. That switch up and that change from coding all day long in
front of a computer screen was something that was really, really attractive to me. Some of
the biggest
skills from my past and my history that helped me become a program manager and make
that transition from somebody who was managed by
program and project managers, to actually becoming one myself, was taking a little bit more
accountability in
my personal life. There's lots of things I
want to learn in life. I started doing things
like making schedules to practice, like,
different instruments, like the bass guitar. Each of my roles, whenever I worked with a
project or program manager, I also made sure to
check in with them about why they were doing
what they were doing. I'm someone who doesn't
really learn from books if you can't tell by
me dropping out of school. So I always found somebody
who was willing to teach me why they were doing what they were doing,
because that's how I learn. I tend to be more kinetic. I learn as I go.
Program management to me was a natural calling. Not because I like to run around and tell
everybody what to do, but because I have a real personal passion
for bringing people together and getting everybody on the same page to move
towards the same goal. Whether that's convincing
all my friends to go to my favorite vegan
spot in downtown LA, like four times a week, or whether that's getting
us all together to resolve conflict or to work on an idea and collaborate on
projects on the side together. Those skills that you use in your everyday life
to keep your task together can apply to program and project management very easily. You
just have to be a
little bit more intentional around them and there's a
lot more paperwork involved.

Welcome back. Now that you have a general understanding of

what a project manager does, let's focus on the types
of jobs that you may be qualified for after
completing this program. To start, I've got
a question for you. How many open roles do you think are out there for
project managers? Hint: The answer is
a very big number. Project managers
are in high demand. In 2017, a study by the Project Management Institute found that by the
year 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people filling project
management-aligned roles. According to that same study, the industries with
the most growth are manufacturing
and construction, information services
and publishing, management and
professional services, finance and insurance, utilities, and oil and gas. Project management
plays a big part in helping all of these
industries grow. In some industries, you will find the term "project manager" grouped with a
more industry-specific qualifying word. For example: "construction
project manager" or "IT project manager," or "engineering project manager." Don't worry.
These are all
still project manager roles—they're just specific
to an industry. And it's important to keep in mind that the skills you learn in one industry can
be applied
to another industry. New projects are popping
up every single day. Across all industries, we noticed that new technology
is introduced, which leads to processes changing and a need to
manage those processes. So all kinds of companies need people
like you who can tackle a variety of projects
from start to finish, to help them navigate
these changes. By now, you might have noticed that you already have
some of those skills, like organizing or planning
an event, problem-solving, or even managing a budget, and you use them effectively
in your everyday life. Reflect on some of those skills we mentioned
earlier and ask yourself, what are some of the parts of project management
that you're drawn to? While you may not have
the answer just yet, thinking about these
things can help you find suitable roles later. As you keep going
in this program, try to keep track of the lessons and activities you prefer and the ones you
didn't like as much. This will help you
narrow your choices as you search through
job boards later. The beauty of project management is that you don't need to be an expert
on a focused
technical topic— you just need to be able
to manage projects. You could be a construction or technology project manager, or you
could enter the healthcare industry and
work in patient management. You could also enter
the energy sector and act as an environmental
project manager. The possibilities
are almost endless. What's equally exciting
is that you could even end up with a completely
different title altogether. For instance, there are roles
that entail a sequence of ongoing projects that are considered programs or
operations in the industry. In this case, the role may not be described as a project manager,
but instead something a
little more evergreen, like "operations manager"
or "program manager." Other titles that might
make sense for you can include "operations assistant," "project assistant," "project
coordinator,"
and "program assistant." When it comes to job duties, your responsibilities
might change depending on the type
of company you choose. For example, the workload and specific tasks at a small agency will
be different
from those at Google. It's also important
to keep in mind that as the world continues
to change and evolve, so do industries and the job opportunities
you'll find there. So be sure to cast a wide net. You'll be able to find
more and more jobs you're qualified for. In addition to
being qualified for project management-related jobs, there's plenty of other roles or paths
that may interest you. Internships can sometimes
be a good place to start. An internship is a
short-term way to get hands-on experience
in an industry. Plus, internships are a
great way to help boost your resume and set yourself
apart from other candidates. One of the key benefits
of internships is that you get real
work experience while simultaneously
networking with people in that industry. It's a win-win. Now some internships
in your field might not technically be
project manager roles, but a lot of roles are
easily transferable. For example, something like an "events manager
intern" role can become a full-time project
manager position later on. Internships aren't great
for everyone's lifestyle, but if you can make them work, they're a fantastic option. Another
path you can
take is contract work. Working for companies on
a contract means you'll work with them on a
project-by-project basis, but you won't be a
full-time employee. This kind of work is a great
way to get your foot in the door and build
your portfolio. Plus, it gives you the
flexibility to try your hand at a few
different projects at once, depending on the commitment
level required for that. Another benefit of contracting
is that it lets you explore different kinds of companies
and project types. Since it's a temporary position, you can explore what type of company is
the best fit for you. Maybe you find you
like working with a large or a small team, or you find you enjoy
specific types of projects. And if you find a
situation that suits you and the organization, your contract position might just lead to a
full-time position. As you keep charging forward, try thinking about the
type of job you might be interested in going after
when we're done here. Every new topic you
discover brings you one step closer to your first
role in project management, and one step closer to
where you want to be. In the next video, we'll learn how to identify
and search for job titles best-suited for a project manager.
We'll see you there.

Project management job categories and

common roles
Introductory-level project management roles

Entry-level project management positions are a great opportunity to get your foot in the door
and learn the ins and outs of how a company operates and manages projects. The lessons you
learn from these experiences are extremely valuable to your growth in project management.
Some entry-level project management positions include:

 Junior Project Manager: Performs all aspects of being a project manager

alongside a more experienced professional.
 Project Administrator: Assists the rest of the project team with administrative
tasks.
 Project/Program Assistant: Supports team members working on a project
and offers administrative support. May perform research or create training documents
along with other jobs as assigned by program leaders.
 Project/Program Coordinator: Participates in hands-on project work and
administrative tasks. Works under a project manager to make sure projects are
completed on time and within budget.
 Project Support Specialist: Works alongside a project manager and team
members to oversee assigned projects. May also be responsible for training and
developing employees to perform designated tasks.

Traditional project management roles

Once you have gained some experience in introductory-level positions, you can explore
traditional project management roles, such as:

 Project Manager: Responsible for the initiating, planning, executing,

monitoring, and closing of a project. Includes industry-specific titles like IT project
manager, construction project manager, or engineering project manager, which utilize
skills that are transferable among industries.
 Project Analyst: Moves a project along by sharing information, providing
support through data analysis, and contributing to strategy and performance.
 Project Leader/Director: Drives core decision-making and sets the direction
for the project. Usually knowledgeable about the product or deliverable.
  Project Controller: Primarily responsible for project planning. You are likely
to see this job title in industries like engineering and construction.
 Technical Project Manager: Conducts project planning and management
for identified goals within a company. Ensures that projects are completed to the
requirements within a defined time frame and budget.
 Project Management Office (PMO) Analyst: Manages the progress of
complex projects to ensure timely execution and completion.

Program and portfolio management roles

As you have learned, project managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of
projects. They shepherd projects from start to finish and serve as a guide for their team.
Project managers must apply the right tools, techniques, and processes to complete the
project successfully, on time, and within budget.

After you have carried out projects successfully and feel you are ready for a step up in
responsibility, a program manager position may be the next step for you. While a project is
one single-focused endeavor, a program is a collection of projects. Program managers are
responsible for managing many projects. At Google, all project managers are called program
managers because they manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Successfully implementing programs as a program manager can eventually make you a great
fit for more senior positions, such as a senior program manager or a portfolio manager. A
portfolio is a collection of projects and programs across an entire organization. Portfolio
managers are responsible for portfolios of projects or programs for one client. Over the
course of your career, you might progress from project manager to program manager to
portfolio manager roles.

While project, program, and portfolio managers hold different types and levels of
responsibility, they are all project managers. In Course 4 of this certificate program, you will
learn more about differentiating projects, programs, and portfolios.

 Program managers: Manage a group of projects that are related or similar to

one another and handle the coordination of these projects. They facilitate effective
communication between individual project managers and provide support where
necessary. They also help create and manage long-term goals for their organization.
 Portfolio managers: Responsible for managing a group of related programs
within the same organization. They coordinate various programs in order to ensure
they are on track and that the organization is meeting its strategic initiatives. Portfolio
managers look at all projects and programs within the organization and prioritize
work as necessary.

Operational management roles

In operational management roles, you will get the opportunity to experience several different
departments and how they interact and operate. Operational management roles allow you to
work alongside peers and management from various business segments, giving you an
appreciation for what each segment does on a daily basis. Key elements of project
management include making sure a project is on budget and on schedule. This course, and
your experience as a project manager, will give you the tools to be able to apply those skills
to running a business. Some operational management positions include:

 Operations Analyst: Manages and coordinates research, investigates

workflows, creates business procedures, and recommends changes to improve the
project and company.
 Operations Manager: Oversees strategic decision-making and rolls out plans
of action based on financial, schedule, and resource reporting.
 Chief Operating Officer: Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day
administrative and operational functions of a business.

Agile roles

We will discuss the Agile project management approach in depth later, but here are a couple
of the positions you may see that are related to that approach:

 Scrum Master: Coordinates and guides the Scrum team. Knowledgeable in

Agile framework and Scrum and is able to teach others about the Scrum values and
principles. May also be listed as a Technical Program Manager or Technical Project
Manager.
 Product Owner: Drives the direction of product development and progress.

Industry-specific management roles

As you search for project management roles, you may see positions with titles like
“engineering project manager” or “construction project manager.” Keep in mind that the
skills you learn in one industry can be applied to another industry. For example, you may
have experience as a software engineer but are interested in pursuing a career in project
management. You will be able to apply what you’ve learned working in a technical field, as
well as with the skills you have picked up in this certification course, to a project manager
position in multiple industries. Having experience working on a team to achieve a task and
understanding how to execute an effort on schedule and on budget are aspects of your
professional experience—combined with your project management knowledge—that make it
possible for you to move between industries.

Key takeaway
Project management is a career path with a great deal of potential!

With each step along your career path, you are building yourself up to be a significant
contributor to any company. We have discussed a number of possible job titles for you to
search for when you start exploring project management roles. Regardless of the industry in
which you currently work, you have gained transferable skills. Transferable skills are
abilities that can be used in many different jobs and career paths. Your transferable skills can
likely be utilized in project management roles in many other industries.

Hi again! Let's
discuss how to search for a job in the project
management field. It's no secret that job
searching can be a challenge. Even the most detailed, specific job listings
can leave you wondering what the company is really seeking in a candidate. Don't worry,
we've all been
there, and we're here to help you sort through the
lingo and the confusion. The more job listings you find, the more buzzwords you'll
likely notice, too— words like "data-driven,"
"team player," "self-starter." Understanding all
the buzzwords in job listings will help figure out if a job
is right for you. Up to now, we've discussed
project management as a role, but many companies
actually list it as a skill. Here's some
more good news. You'll soon be qualified for a position as a project manager, and a position
that lists
project management as a skill. Here's the even better news. If you have the skills
to manage projects, you'll be qualified for program manager or
operational roles that require you to
manage an end-to-end system or department, too, which asks for the
same skill set. Now, let's check out
different types of jobs that use your project
management skills. When job hunting, keep
your options open. As I just mentioned, you don't have to
limit yourself to just project manager titles. There's lots of other titles
you're qualified for, too. You'll know what's
a good fit for you by reading the job descriptions, so cast a wide net. Depending on the
field you choose, you might find roles
like Operations Manager, Program Manager, Operations Associate,
or Project Assistant. All of these could be a
great fit for your skills. For example, let's say you're searching a job board for
project management roles when you notice a Community
Operations Manager role for a small city open up. The job title isn't
project manager, but you'll notice that the job
functions match your skill set, and your years of experience also match
the job requirements. The job description
may include a list of required skills like
organizational management, strong planning and
communication skills, budget preparation
and monitoring. Sound familiar? Maybe you'll
even start to notice that the job's responsibilities seem like tasks you've
covered in this course, like creating monthly
status reports, helping to implement new
and necessary technologies, tracking work plans and
performance metrics, assisting other members of the operations team
on given projects, and ensuring timely responses to requests for information. These duties
are
nearly a perfect match for your project
management skills, and there are plenty more
listings like these, too. How great is that? The skills that go into
project management are used in all kinds of
roles and professions. Believe it or not, we've
all worked with or learned from a project manager at
some point in the past. Can you guess who that is? It's your teachers!
Think about it. Everything that goes into being a teacher takes project
management skills: Designing a curriculum
that's accessible to students with unique
needs; managing a budget; communicating with
others like parents, department heads,
or school admins; developing processes
to make things run efficiently in the
classroom; and so on. For example, when I went for my first
interview at Google, I highlighted my experience as the founder and advisor to
a student leadership group. I told them about how I
assembled and led a team of 20 students to plan and execute
events like fundraisers, community gatherings, and
academic assemblies for over 300 students during
the academic year. I even kind of surprised myself, looking back at how much relevant
project management
experience I had. Now, I'm sure you'll think back on your own experiences and
feel the same thing. One more thing to call
out is networking. Networking is when you
meet other people in a professional setting
with the goal of learning, sharing knowledge, and creating
new business connections. This plays a big
role in job hunting, so it is a great tool to start
learning and perfecting. The skills you learn
here will prepare you for all kinds of project
management jobs. Knowing how to search for jobs will make it even easier to match those
skills with the
best opportunities for you.