PARTICIPANT’S GUIDE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT

Contents

1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COURSE .................................................................. 3

1.1 Course contents ......................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Overall objective ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Specific objectives ...................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Participants’ profile and prerequisites ..................................................................................... 5
1.5 Duration ....................................................................................................................................... 6
1.6 Key dates ..................................................................................................................................... 6
2. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................ 6
2.1 Course methodology .................................................................................................................. 6
2.1.1 Videos .................................................................................................................................. 6
2.1.2 Readings .............................................................................................................................. 6
2.1.3 Case study........................................................................................................................... 7
2.1.4 Discussion forums .............................................................................................................. 7
2.1.5 Experts on air ...................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Performance evaluations .......................................................................................................... 8
2.2.1 Questionnaires .................................................................................................................... 8
2.2.2 Case study........................................................................................................................... 8
2.2.3 Participation in forums ....................................................................................................... 8

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 2.3 Grades ......................................................................................................................................... 8
2.4 Course certificates ..................................................................................................................... 8
2.4.1 Verified identity certificate ................................................................................................. 8
2.4.2 Certified Professional Development Units (PDUs) ........................................................ 9
2.4.3 Time commitment certificate ............................................................................................. 9
3. COURSE INSTRUCTORS................................................................................................................ 9
4. POLICIES .......................................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 IDBx accessibility policy .......................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Academic integrity policy......................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Privacy policy ............................................................................................................................ 10
4.4 Late assignment delivery policy ............................................................................................. 10
5. TECHNICAL INFORMATION YOU NEED TO CONSIDER ..................................................... 11
5.1 How do we change the language of the edX platform? ..................................................... 11
5.2 What technical requirements do you need to take a course in edX? ............................... 11
5.3 Can I access the course from a smartphone or tablet? ..................................................... 11
6. PARTICIPANTS SUPPORT SERVICES ..................................................................................... 12
6.1 edX help center......................................................................................................................... 12
6.2 Frequently asked general and technical questions ............................................................. 12
6.3 Participants support ................................................................................................................. 12
7. HOW CAN YOU TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS COURSE? ........................................ 13
7.1 Follow a study plan .................................................................................................................. 13
7.2 Take advantage of all learning resources ............................................................................ 13
7.3 Answer all questionnaires ....................................................................................................... 13
7.4 Participate in all forums ........................................................................................................... 14
7.5 Get a study partner .................................................................................................................. 14
7.6 Apply what you have learned ................................................................................................. 14

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Dear participant:
One of the challenges faced by public institutions, non-governmental organizations,
development agencies and other actors that promote economic and social development
in Latin America and the Caribbean is how to transform proposals into practical actions
improving the well-being of society, and making sure that these results are achieved in
time and with the available resources.
This course presents concepts and tools that can be applied in project management and
that can generate a substantial change to reach the proposed objectives. In this way, this
MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) aims to strengthen the capacity of development
projects management in the Region, so that they can be executed efficiently and
effectively.
The contents of the course are aligned with the guidelines and standards of good project
management practices presented in the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK®) by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The conceptual basis of this
course is the PM4R (Project Management for Results) methodology, developed by the
IDB's Inter-American Institute for Economic and Social Development (INDES), which is
accredited as the PMI's Registered Education Provider (REP). The PM4R methodology
adapts international good practices to the management of development projects.
The course includes practical cases that help you understand key concepts and tools for
project management, presentations made by experts with extensive experience in the
subject and who have the PMI’s PMP (Project Management Professional) certification,
selected discussion forums and readings, among other activities.

1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COURSE

1.1 Course contents

The contents of this course are based on the PM4R methodology developed by
the IDB based on its operational experience and the adaptation of international
best practices, tools, and standards on project management to the world of
development. Among the best practices the following can be mentioned: Project
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 Management Institute (PMI), Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE),
International Project Management Association (IPMA), Association for Project
Management (APM).
The course content is structured in the following nine modules:
• Module 1: Project charter
• Module 2: Scope planning tool
• Module 3: Time management tool
• Module 4: Cost management tool
• Module 5: Procurement management tool
• Module 6: Risk management tool
• Module 7: Communications management tool
• Module 8: Human resources management tool
• Module 9: Project control tool

1.2 Overall objective

At the end of the course the participant will be able to:

• Identify the seven (7) steps of the project management methodology for results
- IDB's PM4R.

1.3 Specific objectives

Objective
Module 1:
Identify the project charter objectives and
Project charter
main characteristics
Module 2:
Identify the decomposition of work by using
Scope planning tools
the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Module 3: Identify the steps and techniques to develop
Time management tool a project schedule.

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 Objective
Elaborate the network diagram of the
schedule.
Calculate the critical path of a project.
Module 4:
Cost management tool Draw the project’s S-curve.

Module 5: Identify the information needed to

Procurement management tool successfully complete a project procurement
matrix.
Module 6: Identify the information needed to correctly
Risk management tool complete a project risk matrix.
Identify the level of impact and the likelihood
of a risk.
Identify response strategies to identified risks
Module 7: Identify the information needed to correctly
Communication management tool complete the communications matrix of a
project.
Module 8:
Identify the information needed to correctly
Human resources management tool
complete the RACI matrix of a project.
Module 9:
Apply the earned value methodology to
Project control tool
analyze the performance of a project.

For more information about the course contents review the Study Plan (PDF).

1.4 Participants’ profile and prerequisites

This course is aimed to all professionals involved in project management. These

include professionals from the public sector, non-governmental organizations, or
development agencies.
Those interested in the course can participate free of charge, without conditions or
prerequisites.

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 1.5 Duration

The course will be open for 8 months and it will take you only 30 hours to
complete it. You will be able to access to all the contents from the starting date of
the course.

1.6 Key dates

Start date of the course: March 8th, 2018 (04:59 a.m. UTC)
End date of the course: November 8th, 2018 (04:59 a.m. UTC)
Deadline to opt for the verified identity certificate: October 29th, 2018 (04:59
a.m. UTC)

2. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Course methodology

To improve the learning experience, the course includes a series of learning

activities and teaching tools. The most important are as follows:

2.1.1 Videos

Through short videos, experts with vast experience in the field and with the
PMI’s PMP (Project Management Professional) certification, explain the steps
of project management methodology for results - IDB's PM4R.

2.1.2 Readings

Readings will allow you to understand in greater detail each of the tools of the
PM4R methodology. Furthermore, at the end of each reading you will find

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bibliographic references that will allow you to get more acquainted with the topic
presented in each module.

2.1.3 Case study

This activity promotes the analysis of the topics discussed during the course
starting from a case study that has been developed from a real project financed
by the Inter-American Development Bank. This case allows you to put in
practice each of the tools presented in the PM4R methodology.

To facilitate your learning process, you will have a partial solution of the
exercise that you must complete. After developing the practice exercise and
answering multiple choice questions, you will be able to compare your answer
with the answer suggested by the course tutors.

2.1.4 Discussion forums

The participants, through the exchange of ideas and experiences, will discuss
the application of PM4R methodology tools in the context of their projects.

More details on the Discussion forum guide (PDF).

2.1.5 Experts on air

Throughout the course we will hold sessions of "Experts Live" through which
you will be able to vote for your favorite questions. The course experts will
answer the most voted questions. There are no additional requirements to
participate in "Experts on Air": you can join the session from your computer or
your smartphone (if you have internet access). To ask questions, we
recommend using a computer.

After each, you can find the recording of "Experts on Air" on edX or Youtube.

More details on the “Experts on Air” Guide (PDF).

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2.2 Performance evaluations

2.2.1 Questionnaires

Multiple choice questions associated with the topics presented in the videos
and the readings. You have two opportunities to answer each question.

2.2.2 Case study

Once the practical exercise of the Haiti Case of Study, included in each one of
the course modules, has been developed, you must answer multiple choice
questions associated with the exercise performed. You have two opportunities
to answer each question.

2.2.3 Participation in forums

After participating in the forum, you must answer a verification question.

2.3 Grades

To pass the course you must score at least 65 points by the end of the course. For
more details, please see the Study plan (PDF).
At the course, in the Progress tab (Progress), you will be able to follow-up on your
academic performance.

2.4 Course certificates

2.4.1 Verified identity certificate

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 The verified identity certificate has a cost of $ 49 dollars that must be paid
through the edX platform with a credit/debit card or via PayPal (edX does not
accept cash, checks, transfers, bank deposits or money orders).
To obtain the certificate, you must have a camera installed on your computer:
take and send a picture of yourself along with proof of identification at the time
of payment. This certificate provides greater credentials and can be used as
proof of studies and for job applications or promotions.
If you reached the minimum of 65 points at the end of the course and paid the
$49 dollars (one week before the course ends), you can download your
certificate from the edX platform one week after the course ends. It is
important that, before that date, you ensure that your name is spelled correctly
in the registration information on the edX platform, because it will appear that
way on your certificate.

2.4.2 Certified Professional Development Units (PDUs)

Those who attain a verified identity certificate will be able to download from
their edX account a certificate of thirty (30) professional development units
(PDUs) from the Project Management Institute (PMI) ® since INDES is a
Registered Educational Provider (REP) of the PMI ®.

2.4.3 Time commitment certificate

Those who attain a verified identity certificate will be able to download from
their edX account a record of thirty (30) hours of study as a minimum
attendance by the participants who passed the course.

3. COURSE INSTRUCTORS

The course tutors are professionals who have their PMI's PMP certification as well
as extensive experience in the practical application of the PM4R methodology.
To read their biographies, see the tab Course Instructors.

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 This is a massive open online course in which thousands of participants are
enrolled. Due to the course’s characteristics, instructors do not answer questions
about the course contents, nor do they provide feedback on activities carried out.

Instead, you can take advantage of the opportunity to participate in live sessions
with experts, through which, experts in the matter answer frequently asked
questions voted by participants regarding each of the topics included in the
course. More details are found in the “Experts on Air” site.

4. POLICIES

4.1 IDBx accessibility policy

Enter the accessibility policy of IDBx to read it in detail.

4.2 Academic integrity policy

Since we use the edX platform to deliver the course, we address issues of
academic integrity through the edX code of honor.

4.3 Privacy policy

Since we use the edX platform to deliver the course, we also address privacy
issues through the edX privacy policy.
4.4 Late assignment delivery policy

If you chose to obtain the verified identity certificate of this course, you must
complete all activities and answer the questionnaires no later than on the course
completion date.

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 We recommend that you follow the lesson plan presented in the Course Content
to maximize your learning experience.

5. TECHNICAL INFORMATION YOU NEED TO CONSIDER

5.1 How do we change the language of the edX platform?

Log into https://courses.edx.org/login and log in with the email and password you
used for your edX registration. Once you enter your account, in the upper right of
the window you will see your username and an arrow down. You must click on the
arrow and choose the Account option. Then, click on the desired language in the
Language section to change the language setting.

5.2 What technical requirements do you need to take a course in edX?

You need a computer with internet connection. In addition, we recommend having

an updated version of one of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari or
Internet Explorer (version 9 onwards).

5.3 Can I access the course from a smartphone or tablet?

You may access the course from your phone or tablet by downloading the edX app
from Google Play or Apple Store. Similarly, you can log onto https://www.edx.org/
from your mobile device’s browser and access the course and many of its
resources. Keep in mind that since IDB is not edX platform’s administrator, we
cannot assure you that all the devices will work properly.

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6. PARTICIPANTS SUPPORT SERVICES

During the course, you will be able to use the following services:

6.1 edX help center

At the Edx Help Center you'll find the answer to frequently asked questions about
starting your course, basic edX information, certificate information, and other
related topics. You will also have the opportunity to submit requests to the edX
team.

6.2 Frequently asked general and technical questions

Check out our general FAQ site (General FAQs).

Check out our technical FAQ site (Technical FAQs).

6.3 Participants support

Use the Participant Support site within the course to ask technical questions and
report problems, errors or any inconvenience related to the functionality of the
virtual platform.
You can also ask questions related to the administration of the course, for
example: date of completion, issuance of certificates, proof of PDU, etc.
Before adding a new question, visit the general FAQs site (General FAQs) or the
technical FAQs site (Technical FAQs) where you will find the answers to the most
common questions.

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 The response time is up to 24 hours from Monday to Friday and up to 48 hours
on weekends. For more information, read the instructions for accessing the
participant's support.

7. HOW CAN YOU TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS COURSE?

7.1 Follow a study plan

As mentioned, the course has an estimated hour load of thirty hours, that is why
we suggest a study plan with the distribution of the workload in 5 weeks.
Download your Study Plan (PDF).

7.2 Take advantage of all learning resources

Watch and analyze all videos and documents presented and participate in all
activities scheduled during the five weeks of the course. Although the concepts
and tools presented in each module could be applied independently, it is essential
to have a comprehensive overview on how concepts and tools offered in the nine
modules are articulated. Remember that after finishing the course, you can
continue watching the videos and readings, in case you were not able to do so due
to lack of time before the closing date of the course.

7.3 Answer all questionnaires

The questions that follow the videos and readings are useful to reinforce the
understanding of the topics presented and to check how much knowledge you are
earning. You have two opportunities to answer each question. Answer them all
and set the goal of getting the course certificate.

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7.4 Participate in all forums

Interaction with other course participants is very important to obtain a broad

perspective on the topic of project management, to know what is happening in
other countries and to expand your network. It is a unique opportunity, do not waste
it! Share your experience and the little or much knowledge you already have.
7.5 Get a study partner

The experience of learning something new is richer, more effective and fun when
done in good company. Invite a friend, neighbor or co-worker to sign up for the
course and be your study partner for the next five weeks. The motivation and
enthusiasm generated when working as a team will help you getting to the end of
the course, obtain an approval certificate and plan how to put the knowledge
acquired into practice.

7.6 Apply what you have learned

Apply the acquired knowledge in your personal and professional environment.

Only then you will progressively gain more experience and more knowledge on the
subject and you will achieve greater and better results in the projects in which you
participate.

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