Initiating and Planning Projects (Coursera)

Initiating and Planning Projects (Coursera)

Successful projects require careful upfront planning. In this course, you’ll learn the key roles and responsibilities of the project manager and project team. You’ll also learn to answer some key questions upfront to help you meet project objectives: What will this project accomplish? Why is this project important? Who benefits from this project? How will we plan for successful outcomes?

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Upon completing this course, you will be able to:

  1. Identify the key characteristics of a project
  2. Identify primary project constraints
  3. Define the role and responsibilities of the project manager
  4. Identify Project Organizational Structures
  5. Understand the definition of a Project Stakeholder
  6. Identify project stakeholders
  7. Identify information needs of the project stakeholders
  8. Define responsibility for managing stakeholder and controlling stakeholder engagement
  9. Define the purpose of using a project charter
  10. Summarize the key elements of a project plan
  11. Identify common sources of conflict within a project environment
  12. Describe the difference between authority and influence

This course is part of multiple programs
This course can be applied to multiple Specializations or Professional Certificates programs. Completing this course will count towards your learning in any of the following programs:

What You Will Learn

  • Identify project stakeholders
  • Define the role and responsibilities of the project manager
  • Summarize the key elements of a project plan
  • Anticipate common sources of conflict within a project environment

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Get Started!
Get started in this module by reviewing the course overview and participating in the course survey.

WEEK 2
What is a Project?
In this module, we will identify the key characteristics of a project, identify primary project constraints, define the role and responsibilities of the project manager, and identify Project Organizational Structures.

WEEK 3
Get to Know your Stakeholders
In this module, we will understand the definition of a project stakeholder, identify who they are, identify their information needs, and define responsibility for managing stakeholders and controlling their engagement.

WEEK 4
Scope Matters
In this module, we will define the purpose of using a project charter, summarize the key elements of a project plan, and discuss the scope statement and the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

WEEK 5
Authority vs. Influence
In this module, we will describe the difference between authority and influence and identify common sources of conflict within a project environment.

WEEK 6
Wrap Up
Wrap up this course by meeting our industry expert panelists, taking the final exam, and participating in our post course survey.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

International Organizations Management (Coursera) Coursera
University of Geneva

International Organizations Management (Coursera)

This course provides an introduction to International Organizations and the United Nations, and explores how business and management tools can be applied in these settings to achieve better, more effective results. With a focus on cross-sector partnerships in a changing world, the course offers you insights into the inner workings of international organizations and the challenges they face today.

Aug 10th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities (Coursera) Coursera
Lund University

Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities (Coursera)

How can we shape urban development towards sustainable and prosperous futures? This course will explore sustainable cities as engines for greening the economy. We place cities in the context of sustainable urban transformation and climate change. Sustainable urban transformation refers to structural transformation processes – multi-dimensional and radical change – that can effectively direct urban development towards ambitious sustainability and climate goals. We will connect the key trends of urbanization, decarbonisation and sustainability.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Managers du changement (Coursera) Coursera
ESSEC Business School

Managers du changement (Coursera)

L’objectif de ce Mooc est de montrer aux managers le rôle clé qu’ils jouent dans les projets de changement. Ce Mooc donne des éléments de réponses concrets à la question « Comment manager le changement au quotidien avec son équipe ? ». Pour cela ce Mooc propose 6 séquences avec des analyses, des outils et de nombreux témoignages. Le contenu de ce Mooc est illustré par des témoignages de managers de l’entreprise COVEA.

Aug 10th 2026
1 Week
The Art of Negotiation (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

The Art of Negotiation (Coursera)

The art of negotiation comes into play daily in the life of employees at all levels and in every position. Participants explore how current approaches to negotiation strategy and tactics are used, what negotiation entails, types of negotiation relationships that exist from hard bargain to win-win, to fully partnered relationships and personal ones. The course explores the personal and behavioral characteristics of an effective negotiator. Participants discuss how empowerment, power, and authority affect the negotiation process and outcome. Topics include how important it is to plan and prepare for a negotiation session.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks
Introducción a la Gestión de Operaciones (Coursera) Coursera
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Introducción a la Gestión de Operaciones (Coursera)

Aprende a analizar y a mejorar los procesos empresariales en servicios o en la industria. Aprende cómo incrementar la productividad y a ofrecer niveles de calidad mayores. Después de que finalices con éxito este curso, podrás aplicar estas habilidades en un reto empresarial del mundo real como parte de la Programa Especializado de Fundamentos Empresariales de Wharton.

Aug 10th 2026
4 Weeks
Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies (Coursera) Coursera
Case Western Reserve University

Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies (Coursera)

The path for entrepreneurs to grow their companies outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley is challenging. Most markets around the world do not look like Silicon Valley, and they never will. But there are other models to support new businesses. In transitioning markets (where entrepreneurs do not have much access to private sector financing), government officials, donors, and business leaders are experimenting with creative approaches to support the growth of entrepreneurs. Northeast Ohio, whose largest city is Cleveland, is one such community. During our time together in this course, we will be exploring some of these innovative approaches.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Influir en las Personas (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Influir en las Personas (Coursera)

Este curso mejorará su capacidad para influir en las personas en situaciones en las que no puede usar autoridad formal. Aprenderá formas efectivas de construir, desarrollar y mantener una base de poder en su organización. También aprenderá tácticas de influencia que le permitirán ser más persuasivo e influyente al trabajar con sus superiores, compañeros e incluso subordinados. Además, aprenderá cómo construir y mantener relaciones de alta calidad para maximizar aún más su poder informal y su capacidad de influir en los demás.

Aug 10th 2026
4 Weeks
Giving Helpful Feedback (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Giving Helpful Feedback (Coursera)

This course teaches you the simple principles expert managers use to improve and motivate employee performance. You’ll never have to avoid telling an employee “the truth” again, because the seven techniques we teach will not make employees defensive or afraid. As a manager, or someone who would like to be a manager, you’ll also learn specifically what feedback is, how negative feedback is weighed more heavily than positive, and how positive feedback can super-charge behaviors such as creativity and teamwork.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Negotiation Fundamentals (Coursera) Coursera
ESSEC Business School

Negotiation Fundamentals (Coursera)

This course gives you access to negotiation practical tools and best practices gathered by Professor Aurélien Colson & his team from assignments in more than seventy countries and in a wide set of sectors, be they services, industry, high tech, or public organizations. In an interactive manner, this course will help you, among other topics: get prepared for any negotiation; avoid traps; know how to prompt value-creating partnerships; structure an effective negotiation sequence; bargain in an efficient and respectful manner; overcome deadlocks; and much more!

Aug 10th 2026
4 Weeks
Programación y presupuesto del proyecto (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine,Tecnológico de Monterrey

Programación y presupuesto del proyecto (Coursera)

En este curso, aprenderás los principios fundamentales de la gestión del tiempo y costo en las etapas de planificación. Se identificarán las actividades del proyecto a partir de la EDT, se establecerá la secuencia, recursos y duración necesarios para finalmente desarrollar el cronograma detallado del proyecto.

Aug 10th 2026
4 Weeks
Arts and Heritage Management (Coursera) Coursera
Università Bocconi

Arts and Heritage Management (Coursera)

Today cultural institutions are facing important dilemmas in many aspects of their management. Over the past decades, a new figure has emerged that of the art manager. Imagine you went to work every day to connect artists with audiences, vision with reality, and money with a mission. That is what managers in the arts do, they play an essential role in transforming the minds, lives, and communities through creative expression. This course has been conceptualized to address the need of skills and techniques to help professionals and managers in running art and cultural institutions.

Aug 10th 2026
5-12 Weeks