Foundations of Project Management

Module-1

1. Welcome to Google Project Management Certificate

Hi! We're so excited

that you're here. I'm Emilio, and I'm a Program Manager on the Responsible Innovation team
here at Google, and I'd like to officially welcome you to Google's Certificate Program in Project
Management. Let's start with a simple exercise. Take a moment and think about some of the
different tasks that you've completed in your life. Maybe you planned your wedding or a
birthday party, or you filed your annual tax returns. Maybe you moved from one state to
another, or maybe you're the family member who, somehow, every year, is tasked with
organizing the annual family reunion. Believe it or not,
you've been developing all kinds of skills through these tasks that'll help you become a
successful project manager for any organization or your own business. With this program in
project management by Google, we've put together a set of courses, activities, quizzes, and
exercises that'll teach you the fundamentals of project management, and of course, help you
get a job or advance in your career. Wondering how I started my own career in project
management? Well, in college, I always gravitated towards things that were more hands-on and
action-oriented and less theoretical. I wanted to make an impact in whichever career I took on.
My first job out of college was as a Spanish and leadership teacher in Los Angeles, California. My
main objective in guiding the student leadership team at the school was to identify, mobilize,
and inspire the student leaders. After two years of teaching, I realized that the moments when I
felt the most energized were when I was building a vision for how to get a big project done or
when I was working to bring different groups together around a common goal. That's when I
realized I had a lot of core project management skills, and I could focus on growing and
developing them in the business world. I'm grateful that I get to be here for the start of your
journey. When I was first starting to think about my career, project management wasn't even on
my radar. It was one of those professions that I didn't even know existed until I entered the
business world and experienced how great of a need there is for folks who are organized,
action-oriented, diligent, and strategic. I hope that by the end of this program, you'll be as
excited as I am about the prospects of a career in project management. Let's get into it. We'll
start with an important question. What exactly is project management? Project management is
the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements and
achieve the desired outcome. It's possible that you've been project managing every day on
some level without even knowing it. In this course, you'll learn how to hone those skills to
become a truly great project manager. The awesome thing about project management is that it
spans a lot of industries and company types, and it doesn't require deep, technical knowledge.
This means that any job or life experience you've gained so far will help you in building those
skills to become successful in a project management career. There are a lot of people around
the world like you who are hoping to learn the skills to get a project management role.
Whatever your reason for being here, we're glad you've joined us. This program is rooted in a
belief that a strong foundation in project management can help anyone start a great career as a
project manager. This program includes six industry-relevant courses that focus on topics like
project management fundamentals; goals, objectives, and deliverables; risk management; team
dynamics; project management methodologies; data-driven decision making; and more. Each
course is made up of personal anecdotes, reading materials, quizzes, and case studies, and you
can go through the program at your own pace, skip the sections that you might already know,
and review the videos again if you need a refresher. You will be doing a lot of hands-on learning.
You'll build project plans and timelines. You'll learn how to manage budgets and meet the needs
of the people involved in the project, and you'll learn different project methodologies like Agile,
Scrum, and Waterfall. You'll use tools like Kanban and learn about project management
software like Asana. You also develop your soft skills, some of which you likely already have.
Don't worry, even if you aren't quite sure how to tap into them yet, we'll explore which skills are
transferable to a project management role. Above all, this program will help get you ready for a
new job. But we're taking it one step further. When you complete this program, you'll have the
opportunity to share your work with Google and other top employers aiming to hire project
management professionals, and the best part is, you'll have professional work examples you can
share with them to showcase what you've learned. Along the way, you'll hear from Google
employees like me. We'll share personal stories about how we became project managers and
how our foundations in project management launched our careers. We'll also share what we do
at work every day and give you tips for job interviews. We've got a truly amazing group of
course instructors for you to learn from. Ready to meet them? Hi, I'm JuAnne, a Senior Program
Manager on Cloud Security Programs. I'm your instructor for Course 2, where we'll learn more
about what's needed to set the stage for a successful project. Hey there. My name's Rowena, a
Senior Program Manager in Google Cloud. I'm your instructor for Course 3, Project Planning,
Putting It All Together, where we'll learn about the importance of thorough project planning,
identifying key milestones and dependencies, documenting project plans, scheduling,
budgeting, and risk management. I'm Elita, a Senior Engineering Program Manager at Google,
and I'm your instructor for Course 4, Project Execution: Running a Project. Where we'll learn
about communicating effectively, managing risks, understanding team dynamics, using data to
inform decision-making, and tracking progress. Hi, I'm Sue. I'm a Technical Program Manager for
Google Support Platform. I'm your instructor for Course 5, Agile Project Management. Where
we'll gain a deeper understanding of Agile project management, including principles and
practices, the benefits and costs of Agile transformations, the dynamics of Agile teams, and the
process of running Sprints and Releases. And I'm Dan, a Program Manager in Google Research.
I'm really excited to be your instructor for Course 6, Applying Project Management in the Real
World, where we'll take all the knowledge, skills, and understanding you've built up throughout
this certificate and apply it to an advanced project scenario. Ready to get started? Let's go.

2. Program and Course Overview

Hello! Welcome to the first of the seven courses in the Google Project Management Certificate
program. In this reading, you will learn about the program structure and course functionality.
We’ve specifically designed the program you’re about to explore to help every type of learner
successfully finish the certificate and get ready for a role in project management. No previous
experience is required.
Icons of the six courses with the first course highlighted: foundations of project management
Foundations of Project Management — (current course) Learn the fundamentals of project
management and how this program will prepare you for project management roles in numerous
types of industries. Then, explore the different types of career paths you might pursue, the
responsibilities and essential skills of a project manager, the importance of the project life cycle,
common project management methodologies, and how organizational structure and culture
impact project management.

Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project— Discover how to set the stage for a successful
project. Learn about stakeholders, their level of influence, and how to mobilize and manage
them, as well as tackle tasks to identify project scope, goals, deliverables, and success criteria.

Project Planning: Putting it All Together— Explore how to map out a project in the second phase
of the project life cycle: the project planning phase. Examine the key components of a project
plan, how to make accurate time estimates, and how to set milestones.

Project Execution: Running the Project— Delve into the execution and closing phases of the
project life cycle. Learn what aspects of a project to track and how to track them, as well as how
to effectively manage and communicate changes, dependencies, and risks.

Agile Project Management— Explore the history, approach, and philosophy of Agile project
management, including the Scrum framework. Learn how to differentiate and blend Agile and
other project management approaches. Discover more about Scrum, exploring its pillars and
values and comparing essential Scrum team roles.

Capstone: Applying Project Management in the Real World— Develop a portfolio of project
management artifacts that will demonstrate the skills you have learned throughout the entire
program, such as your ability to manage stakeholders and teams, organize plans, and
communicate project details.

Accelerate Your Job Search with AI— Gain practical job search strategies and learn how to
leverage AI tools (like Gemini and NotebookLM) to uncover your most valuable skills, create a
job search plan, manage your applications, and practice for interviews as you navigate your path
to your next role.

In the first course, you will learn the fundamentals of project management and how this
program will prepare you for project management roles in numerous types of industries. You
will explore the different types of career paths you might pursue, the responsibilities and
essential skills of a project manager, the importance of the project life cycle, common project
management methodologies, and how organizational structure and culture impact project
management. In this course, and throughout the program, you will get a rare inside look at
project management within Google. Current Google project managers will offer a multi-
dimensional educational experience that will provide you with tools you can apply on the job.
Become job-ready
Throughout the Google Project Management Certificate program, you will learn the foundations
of traditional project management and gain insight into Agile project management. According to
the Project Management Institute, the project management labor force in seven project-
oriented sectors is expected to grow by 33 percent, or nearly 22 million new jobs, by 2027*. We
are excited to join you on this journey as you learn the skills to begin a career in one of today’s
most in-demand professions.

Course 1 covers four modules of material. Each module includes a series of lessons with many
types of learning opportunities, such as:

Videos with a Google employee as your instructor.

Readings to introduce new ideas and case studies and to build on the concepts from the videos.

Connect with other learners: If you have a question, chances are, you’re not alone. You can visit
Coursera’s private Project Management Community to expand your network, discuss career
journeys, and share experiences. Check out the quick start guide
.
In-video questions that will pop up from time to time. They’re designed for you to check your
learning as you go!

Practice quizzes to check your understanding and give you valuable feedback. Practice activities
will provide you with a hands-on opportunity to apply skills you are working to master. You will
assess your work by answering quiz questions about it or by comparing it to an exemplar built
by our course team. Note: these activities will not count towards your final course grade, but
you are strongly encouraged to complete them as they will help prepare you for the graded
quizzes and peer reviews.

Graded quizzes on video and reading content to measure your progress.

Everyone learns differently, so we designed this program to let you work at your own pace.
Although your personalized deadlines start when you enroll, they’re just a guide. Feel free to
move through the program however it works best for you. Keep in mind, you can always reset
your deadlines by clicking the blue reset my deadlines button. There’s no penalty for late
assignments. To earn your certificate, all you have to do is complete all of the work.

Tips
We strongly recommend you take all six courses—and complete the items in each lesson—in
the order they appear, as new information and concepts build on previous ones.

Make the most of the readings and additional resources throughout the program. They’re
designed to support your learning.
If something is confusing, don’t hesitate to re-watch a video, go through a reading again, or ask
your classmates for advice in the Community.

Take part in all learning opportunities to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible.

Congratulations on choosing to take this first step toward becoming a part of the wonderful
world of project management. Enjoy the journey!

*Source: PMI (2017). Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027.

3. Introduction to Course 1

So far, we've previewed what you can expect throughout this program. In this video, we'll
discuss
the details of this course. And you'll have a greater understanding for which types of jobs are
suitable for learners like you. We'll cover some key project management terms and the roles
and responsibilities of any entry level project manager. Plus, we'll discuss the kinds of jobs you
can pursue after you complete this program. One thing you'll learn soon is that there are other
roles and jobs, outside of just project manager, that this program will prepare you for. Later in
this course, we'll have a video on how to search for those roles and how to view project
management as both a position and a skill. For now, we'll start by going even deeper into what a
project is, what a project manager is, and what kinds of skills they have. We'll provide real life
examples to help illustrate that you probably already have learned some of the skills required to
become a
successful project manager. Then you'll learn more about adding value to projects and tips on
being a successful project manager from real life Googlers. Pretty exciting, right? We'll also
cover the project's life cycle. You'll learn all about a project's different phases, the
corresponding tasks in each phase, different methodologies for completing tasks and which is
effective for a given project. Finally, you will learn about different types of organizational
structures and cultures and how they impact project management. Coming up, we'll start
exploring the concept of a project and the project management field as a whole. Are you ready
to crank things up a notch? See you soon.

4. Get started with Google Project Management Certificate

- Hi, there. I'm Amanda from Grow with Google. We're the team behind the Google Career
Certificates, and we're thrilled you've decided to pursue yours in Project Management. Experts
here at Google created this program to help you develop skills that prepare you for jobs. Once
you complete your certificate, you'll join a community of over one million graduates who are
launching their new careers, and you'll instantly unlock resources to help you launch yours. This
includes an industry recognized credential from Google that can be added to your resume and
your professional profiles, like LinkedIn. Additionally, you'll receive discounts on the CompTIA
Project+ certification, and PMI exams, like the CAPM, further demonstrating your project
management skills and helping you stand out to employers. We're also here to support you
along the way as you navigate your job search. We know there's a lot involved in finding a new
job, so included at the end of the certificate program, you'll find a course that shows you
specific ways to use AI to streamline your search. You'll identify your transferable skills, update
your resume for different roles, and practice interviewing, all with the help of AI. Plus, for
learners in the United States, you can sign up for one-on-one career coaching and access
thousands of job postings through CareerCircle at no cost to you. These valuable resources are
exclusively for Google Career Certificate graduates. Starting strong is the best way to ensure you
complete the program and can access these resources. Here are a few of our top tips to get you
to the finish line. First, stay on top of the deadlines, especially in these early weeks. Learners
who do this are almost twice as likely to finish their certificate. Second, jump into the Learner
Community right away. This is a great place to get advice and connect with other learners like
you. Having this community as a resource to turn to if you get stuck significantly boosts your
chances of success. And finally, don't get discouraged if you face challenges. It happens.
Remember what brought you here, take advantage of the support available to you, and know
that with persistence, you've got this. For the latest from Google on career advice, ideas for how
to use AI, and notifications about new courses, subscribe to our newsletter at
grow.google/updates. We wish you the very best as you embark on this exciting journey, and we
look forward to supporting you as you earn your Google
Career Certificate.

5. Commit to Completing the Program (PDF file in folder)

6. Helpful resources to get started

The Google Project Management Certificate will provide you with new lessons in every module.
As you’ve learned, each lesson includes a series of videos, readings, activities, in-video
questions, practice quizzes, and graded quizzes. In this reading, you’ll learn about providing
feedback on course content, obtaining the Google Project Management Certificate, and
acquiring helpful habits for successfully completing this certificate program.

Providing feedback on course content

Please remember to give feedback on videos, readings, and materials. Just open the resource
and look for the thumbs-up and thumbs-down symbols.

Click thumbs-up for materials that are helpful.

Click thumbs-down for materials that are not helpful.

If you want to flag a specific issue with the item, click the flag icon, select a category, and then
optionally type an explanation in the text box.

This feedback goes to the course developers, not other learners, and helps create even better
programs in the future.
For technical help, visit the Learner Help Center.

Obtaining the Google Project Management Certificate

To receive your official Google Project Management Certificate, you must: Pass all graded
assignments in all 6 courses of the certificate program. Each graded assignment is part of a
cumulative graded score for the course, and the passing grade for each course is 80%.

AND one of the following:

Pay the course certificate fee,

Be approved for Coursera Financial Aid, or Complete the certificate through an educational
institution, employer, or agency that's sponsoring your participation.

Helpful habits to successfully complete the certificate

As a learner, you’re bringing all of your past experiences and best learning practices to this
program. The designers of this course have also put together a list of helpful habits that they
believe will help you to be successful:

Plan your time: Setting regular study times and sticking with them each week can help you make
learning a part of your routine. Use a calendar or timetable to create a schedule, and list what
you plan to do each day in order to break your work down into achievable goals. Create a quiet
place to watch the videos, review the readings, and complete the activities so you can really
focus on the material.

Be curious: If you find an idea that gets you excited, act on it! Ask questions, search for more
details online, check out the links that interest you, and take notes on your discoveries. The little
things you do to support your learning along the way will take your knowledge even further,
open more doors in this high-growth field, and help you qualify for jobs.

Take notes: Notes are useful-to-remember information that you think might be important in the
future, especially as you’re preparing to enter a new job field. In addition, taking notes is an
effective way to make connections between topics and gain a better understanding of those
topics.

Build your career identity: Your career identity is the unique value you bring to the workforce.
Watch this video to learn about the key components of career identity and write your own
career identity statement. Discovering and defining your own career identity makes you better
equipped to choose a career path that aligns with your strengths, values, and goals and is more
effective in your chosen profession.

Connect with other learners: If you have a question, chances are, you’re not alone. You can visit
Coursera’s private
Google Project Management Community to expand your network, discuss career journeys, and
share experiences. Check out the quick start guide.

Update your profile: Consider updating your profile on Coursera. This link appears in the menu
when you click on your name at the top-right corner of this screen. When classmates find you in
the Community, they can click on your name to view your profile and get to know you more.

Finding more information

Throughout this course, you will learn the basics of project management. We will provide a lot
of information through videos and readings. But sometimes, you may need to look things up on
your own for additional learning. Things change fast in this growing field, so it is critical to do
your own research so you can stay up-to-date on what is new.

Here are some helpful project management resources available online:

The Project Management Institute is the leading association for those in project, program, or
portfolio management professions. Their website provides guides, industry standards, articles,
templates, job boards, certifications, and more to help support professionals in these careers.

The Scrum Guide defines Scrum, a technique used in Agile project management. You’ll learn
about this framework later in the program. This guide describes Scrum’s roles, events, artifacts,
and the rules that bind them together. You can also find hundreds of free resources to learn
more about Scrum at Scrum.org Resources.

Glossary
This course will cover a lot of terms and concepts, some of which you may already know and
some of which will be new. To remind yourself about what a term means, refer to this Glossary.

7. Program surveys

Two people looking at a computer screen During this certificate program, you will be asked to
complete a few short surveys. These are part of a research study being conducted to
understand how effectively the certificate meets your career training needs. Keep reading for a
summary of what each survey will cover.

Your survey participation is optional but extremely helpful in making this program as effective as
possible. All data is kept confidential and is aggregated for review in accordance with Coursera’s
privacy policy. Your name is separated from your data when it is stored. There are no right or
wrong answers. Your responses or personal data:
Won’t affect your program experience, scores, or ability to receive a certificate or job offer.
Won’t be shared outside of our research team, unless you give permission to share your contact
information with hiring partners.

Thanks for your consideration and time!

Entry survey
First, you will have an opportunity to answer a brief survey to help researchers understand why
you enrolled in this certificate program. If you don’t fill out the survey now, you will receive an
invitation to fill it out after completing your first video or activity.

The survey asks about your experiences leading up to this program and the goals you hope to
achieve. This is critical information to ensure your needs as a learner are met and that this
program will continue to be offered in the future.

Individual course feedback

After you complete the last graded assignment within an individual course, you might be asked
to complete a survey. This survey will revisit questions from the previous survey and ask what
you have learned up to that point in the program. Again, filling out this information is voluntary
but extremely beneficial to the program and future learners.

Certificate completion survey

After you complete the last graded assignment in the final course of the certificate program, you
will be asked to complete a survey that revisits some earlier questions and asks what you have
learned throughout the duration of the program. This survey also asks whether you would like
to share your contact information with prospective employers. Filling out the survey and sharing
your contact information with prospective employers is completely optional and will not affect
your course experience, scores, or ability to receive a certificate or job offer in any way.

8. What is Project Management?

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.

9. What does a Project Manager do?

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.

10. Transferable Project Management Skills

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.

11. X: Path to becoming a Project Manager

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.

12. From Certificate to Career Success

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.

13. Explore project management roles

You are about to start on your path to securing a high-demand position as a project manager.
One of the greatest benefits of the project management field is that it encompasses a wide
variety of positions across numerous industries. As you complete this certification, you will
acquire skills that will qualify you for various job titles. Here, we will discuss some different
project management job categories and some common roles within those categories. We’ll also
describe the great potential for career progression in project management, from entry-level
positions to senior program management roles, and the many opportunities in between.

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.

Graphic of project manager > program manager > portfolio manager

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.

Image of project manager with a chart and an audience

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.
14. Finding the perfect role

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.

15. Gilbert project management skills in my role

My name is Gilbert, and I'm a talent outreach specialist here at Google. Talent can mean many
things; it can mean folks that have never envisioned themselves at Google. And so part of our
team's remit is to identify talent that Google or other companies may not necessarily reach out
to, or consider for roles in the past and helping them navigate the interview process. That could
also mean candidates that are already interested or have expressed interest in opportunities at
Google in the past, and engaging them to support them through the interview process today. At
Google you have to wear the program and project management hat, regardless of what role
you're in. And that's definitely been the case for me. So in my role I've had to practice skills such
as: communicating to stakeholders, managing a budget, managing a project timeline in many
different projects within my role. An example of this could be organizing events for university
students that come to Google's campus. And hear from guest speakers about the projects we
work on, the roles and their career journeys. And so as you can imagine this can be a complex
project. My first job out of college was completely unrelated to what I'm doing now. I was an
assistant manager at a big box retailer. And so a lot of the skills that I actually learned in that
role have translated to support me in my role and allowed me to have success. So some of these
skills are being able to talk to and have difficult conversations, being able to manage a budget,
managing resources, and managing your time. These are especially important in the retail
setting. I started applying a lot of these project management frameworks or practices, even into
the smallest projects. Maybe it's related to my goals for the next three months, setting up
project plan based around that, right? I was the only stakeholder, I was the only one reviewing
this documentation. But the practice of being able to do this really helped me so that when I
had to do it for a project at Google with multiple stakeholders, with multiple timelines,
competing priorities. It was already second nature to me, because I even applied it just in my
day to day. So I think one of the biggest support that I had as far as working through imposter
syndrome, or lack of confidence as I stepped into a lot of these skills is really just practice. And
you can practice it in many different ways, in your personal life, in your professional life, and
anything in between. So that was really important for me as I've gone through this journey of
up-skilling as a program and
project manager. I'd say that by joining this course and stepping into this, you're already taking
the first step. And I think that's just as important, right? Not letting fear, or fear of failure get in
the way of new opportunities for you. And the second piece is don't be afraid to ask for help. I
think that folks are generally willing to help and support you. So the biggest thing that you can
do is reach out, and not be afraid to ask questions. Not be afraid to do an informational
interview, to ask for resume tips, to ask for advice from people that are maybe already in the
role that you're hoping to step into, or in the field that you're looking to work in. Just reach out
to them, ask them questions. I think people like to connect with folks that are intuitive, that are
curious and are just eager to learn. And so if you can leverage those two pieces, I think that
you're going to have success in whatever you do.

16. Using buzzwords in your job search (pdf file in folder)

17. Test

18. Wrap-up

And just like that, you're done with the first module. Congrats on hitting this exciting milestone.
You're one step closer to becoming a rockstar in project management. Let's revisit the concepts
we've learned so far. We started by discussing how project management is the application of
knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements and achieve the
desired outcome. Then we learned that project management is alive in nearly every industry
and company. So you're working on an incredibly useful and versatile certification. We also
learned what a project is: A unique endeavor and temporary pursuit, carefully planned out to
achieve a particular goal. Hopefully by now, you're familiar with the idea that every project has
a defined time frame, cost, scope, and dedicated resources. We've covered some broad
concepts and key terms that will help you become a successful project manager, and we've gone
over how to search for jobs when that time comes. We've also discussed how to effectively
translate your past experiences into talking points for why you'll be a successful project
manager. We talked about how you can transfer skills from your previous job into your new
project management role, and how that'll really set you apart. Everything from juggling a to-do
list to budgeting for a loved one's birthday party demonstrates that you probably already have
some of the skills to be a phenomenal project manager. But no worries if you don't. We're
starting from scratch here. By the end of this course, you'll have the skills, but also the
experience, and knowledge to find the role you want. Whether that's contract work,
internships, or general project management positions, you'll be able to figure out what's the
best fit for you. And as we go forward, I want to encourage you to keep thinking about what
kind of work you might like to do in the future. And let's not forget the most exciting news we
learned about project management: just about everyone needs a project manager. This
position's in high demand, and that demand just keeps growing. Wow, okay. That's a lot of
ground we covered, and we've just barely scratched the surface. I hope you've enjoyed the
course so far because it's about to get even more fun. Coming up, we have your first graded
assignment, and I know you'll ace it. Remember, take your time and relax. Trust yourself. You've
got this. Don't forget, you can always review your notes and readings or go back and rewatch
some of the videos if you're unsure about an answer. Good luck, and I'll see you again soon.

19. Module 1 Challenge Assignment (online, 50 min time)

Program and course overview
Hello! Welcome to the first of the seven courses in the Google Project Management Certificate
program. In this reading, you will learn about the program structure and course functionality.
We’ve specifically designed the program you’re about to explore to help every type of learner
successfully finish the certificate and get ready for a role in project management. No previous
experience is required.

1. Foundations of Project Management — (current course) Learn the fundamentals of

project management and how this program will prepare you for project management
roles in numerous types of industries. Then, explore the different types of career paths
you might pursue, the responsibilities and essential skills of a project manager, the
importance of the project life cycle, common project management methodologies, and
how organizational structure and culture impact project management.
2. Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project— Discover how to set the stage for a
successful project. Learn about stakeholders, their level of influence, and how to
mobilize and manage them, as well as tackle tasks to identify project scope, goals,
deliverables, and success criteria.
3. Project Planning: Putting it All Together— Explore how to map out a project in the
second phase of the project life cycle: the project planning phase. Examine the key
components of a project plan, how to make accurate time estimates, and how to set
milestones.
 4. Project Execution: Running the Project— Delve into the execution and closing phases of
the project life cycle. Learn what aspects of a project to track and how to track them, as
well as how to effectively manage and communicate changes, dependencies, and risks.
5. Agile Project Management— Explore the history, approach, and philosophy of Agile
project management, including the Scrum framework. Learn how to differentiate and
blend Agile and other project management approaches. Discover more about Scrum,
exploring its pillars and values and comparing essential Scrum team roles.
6. Capstone: Applying Project Management in the Real World— Develop a portfolio of
project management artifacts that will demonstrate the skills you have learned
throughout the entire program, such as your ability to manage stakeholders and teams,
organize plans, and communicate project details.
7. Accelerate Your Job Search with AI— Gain practical job search strategies and learn how
to leverage AI tools (like Gemini and NotebookLM) to uncover your most valuable skills,
create a job search plan, manage your applications, and practice for interviews as you
navigate your path to your next role.
In the first course, you will learn the fundamentals of project management and how this
program will prepare you for project management roles in numerous types of industries. You
will explore the different types of career paths you might pursue, the responsibilities and
essential skills of a project manager, the importance of the project life cycle, common project
management methodologies, and how organizational structure and culture impact project
management. In this course, and throughout the program, you will get a rare inside look at
project management within Google. Current Google project managers will offer a multi-
dimensional educational experience that will provide you with tools you can apply on the job.
Become job-ready
Throughout the Google Project Management Certificate program, you will learn the foundations
of traditional project management and gain insight into Agile project management. According to
the Project Management Institute, the project management labor force in seven project-
oriented sectors is expected to grow by 33 percent, or nearly 22 million new jobs, by 2027*. We
are excited to join you on this journey as you learn the skills to begin a career in one of today’s
most in-demand professions.
Course 1 covers four modules of material. Each module includes a series of lessons with many
types of learning opportunities, such as:
 Videos with a Google employee as your instructor.
 Readings to introduce new ideas and case studies and to build on the concepts from the
videos.
 Connect with other learners: If you have a question, chances are, you’re not alone. You
can visit Coursera’s private Project Management Community to expand your network,
discuss career journeys, and share experiences. Check out the quick start guide.
 In-video questions that will pop up from time to time. They’re designed for you to check
your learning as you go!
 Practice quizzes to check your understanding and give you valuable feedback. Practice
activities will provide you with a hands-on opportunity to apply skills you are working to
master. You will assess your work by answering quiz questions about it or by comparing
it to an exemplar built by our course team. Note: these activities will not count towards
 your final course grade, but you are strongly encouraged to complete them as they will
help prepare you for the graded quizzes and peer reviews.
 Graded quizzes on video and reading content to measure your progress.
Everyone learns differently, so we designed this program to let you work at your own pace.
Although your personalized deadlines start when you enroll, they’re just a guide. Feel free to
move through the program however it works best for you. Keep in mind, you can always reset
your deadlines by clicking the blue reset my deadlines button. There’s no penalty for late
assignments. To earn your certificate, all you have to do is complete all of the work.
Tips
 We strongly recommend you take all six courses—and complete the items in each lesson
—in the order they appear, as new information and concepts build on previous ones.
 Make the most of the readings and additional resources throughout the program.
They’re designed to support your learning.
 If something is confusing, don’t hesitate to re-watch a video, go through a reading again,
or ask your classmates for advice in the Community.
 Take part in all learning opportunities to gain as much knowledge and experience as
possible.
Congratulations on choosing to take this first step toward becoming a part of the wonderful
world of project management. Enjoy the journey!
*Source: PMI (2017). Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027.