Project Management for Consultants
Course Objective
=This course prepares students to manage consulting projects from initiation to delivery, with a focus on agile methods, stakeholder management, risk mitigation, and communication excellence. Emphasizing client-focused project structures and real-world deliverables, students will develop the ability to lead and execute high-impact consulting engagements.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply structured project management principles to consulting assignments.
- Create actionable project charters, work plans, and delivery frameworks.
- Manage client relationships, feedback loops, and timeline uncertainties.
- Lead teams, allocate responsibilities, and measure consulting outcomes.
- Present project findings clearly to clients and internal stakeholders.
Project Management for Consultants Syllabus T30
| Session No. | Topics | Tool/Reading/Activity | Skill Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Consulting Project Management | PMBOK vs. Agile Overview | Project Structuring |
| 2 | Defining Project Scope & Deliverables | Consulting Project Charter | Scope Clarity |
| 3 | Creating Workplans and Gantt Charts | MS Project / Excel Templates | Planning |
| 4 | Stakeholder Analysis & Engagement Planning | Power Mapping | Communication Design |
| 5 | Responsibility Matrix: RACI & Accountability | RACI Framework | Team Role Definition |
| 6 | Estimating Effort, Budget, and Resource Allocation | Consulting Work Breakdown | Cost & Time Efficiency |
| 7 | Risk Identification and RAID Logs | Risk Templates | Proactive Management |
| 8 | Client Kickoff and Expectation Setting | Presentation Simulation | Client Engagement |
| 9 | Workstream Management & Task Tracking | Kanban / Trello Board | Execution Control |
| 10 | Status Reporting and Progress Dashboards | Real-Time Update Templates | Performance Review |
| 11 | Handling Project Drift and Scope Creep | Change Management Toolkit | Flexibility |
| 12 | Running Mid-Project Review Sessions | Live Consulting Simulation | Checkpoint Assessment |
| 13 | Documenting Key Insights and Recommendation Drafts | Executive Summary Crafting | Insight Synthesis |
| 14 | Consulting Slide Building & Storyboarding | Strategy Deck Templates | Visual Storytelling |
| 15 | Client Workshops and Co-Creation Sessions | Mock Workshop Setup | Facilitation |
| 16 | Measuring Project Impact & KPIs | Impact Assessment Template | Value Realization |
| 17 | Final Deliverables and Closure Reports | Consulting Close-Out Checklist | Project Completion |
| 18 | Team Dynamics & Conflict Resolution | Roleplay Exercise | Consulting Leadership |
| 19 | Final Presentation to Client (Simulation) | Live Delivery Round | Professionalism |
| 20 | Debrief, Reflection & Consulting Best Practices | Feedback Session | Knowledge Retention |
Textbook & Resources
Primary Textbook:
- PMBOK (Project Management Institute)
- Harvard Consulting Toolkit
- Templates: RACI matrix, RAID log, Work Breakdown Structures