Welcome to the Career Exploration series! In this self‑guided module, you are beginning an exciting journey to discover and develop skills that align with potential future careers. Each week, you'll explore a new career path and gain hands‑on experience with tools and tasks related to that field. This week, you’ll dive into the world of project management—a versatile profession that orchestrates people, process, and technology to turn ideas into reality. Through this module, you'll learn about the responsibilities of a project manager, practise relevant skills, and gain insights that will help you decide if this career is a good fit for you.
Please ensure you read each section carefully. Estimated time to completion are below. Only seven hours are scheduled for this module allowing for additional overflow time:
Introduction (1 hour)
Project Life‑Cycle & Methodologies (1 hour)
PM Software & Workflows (1 hour)
Scope, Time & Cost (1 hour)
Risk & Quality (1 hour)
Stakeholder & Communication (1 hour)
Reflection & Career Fit (1 hour)
Project management blends people, process, and tools to turn ideas into tangible results. In this opening hour you’ll clarify what qualifies as a project, discover the core responsibilities of a project manager, and reflect on projects you’ve already completed—often without realizing it. By the end you’ll have a personal inventory that you’ll revisit throughout the module.
Start with this quick overview.
As you explore project management, it’s important to understand how you can prepare through formal education. The Project Management certificate is one of the job‑ready credentials offered through BYU‑Pathway Worldwide. The program covers foundational skills that employers seek—planning, scheduling, stakeholder communication, and the use of PM software.
While this module will only skim the surface, the certificate provides structured, in‑demand training and a recognized credential you can list on your résumé.
Spend ten minutes learning about the certificate here: BYU‑Pathway Project Management Certificate.
Create a new Google Drive folder named “Project Management Module” to hold all your files for this module. Inside that folder, open a Google Doc and title it “My Projects”.
List three projects you have led or helped with (school, church, work, family).
For each, jot:
Objective (one sentence)
Two tasks you handled
Outcome (success metric or lesson learned)
Each project clearly states an objective.
At least one concrete outcome noted.
Doc shared Viewer access.
In this hour you’ll explore the five classic phases of a project and learn when to apply predictive (Waterfall) versus adaptive (Agile) approaches. Mapping these stages onto one of your own projects will show how theory translates to practice.
Compare predictive and adaptive approaches.
Blog post: The 5 Project Management Phases: A Quick Guide
Choose one project from Hour 1. In Google Slides (be sure to save the file inside your Project Management Module folder) create a five‑step timeline (Initiate ➜ Plan ➜ Execute ➜ Monitor/Control ➜ Close). Add one bullet per phase describing what you would do.
All five phases present and in order.
Bullets are role‑specific (not generic).
Slide deck shared Viewer access.
Modern collaboration platforms are a project manager’s command center. You’ll experiment with popular board‑based tools to visualize work‑in‑progress and experience how lists, cards, and automation keep teams aligned.
See how popular PM tools stack up.
Video: 3 Best Project Management Tools Reviewed (Trello vs Monday vs Asana)
Pick Trello or Asana or Monday. (free tier).
Create a board called “Sample Web‑Launch Project” with three lists: Backlog, In Progress, Done.
Add at least six cards (tasks) and assign due dates.
Take a full‑screen screenshot and upload it to your module Google Drive folder.
Lists match workflow stages.
Due dates logical (no past dates).
Board screenshot readable.
Scope, schedule, and cost form the “triple constraint.” In this hour you’ll practice breaking work into manageable packages and drafting a simple Gantt chart so you can balance these constraints in real projects.
Article: What Is the Project Management Triangle?
Choose a simple everyday project—such as planning a class movie night, bake sale, or birthday party.
In Google Sheets (inside your Project Management Module folder) title the file "Scope‑Time‑Cost Trade‑Off".
Create a table with these columns: Deliverable, What “Done” Looks Like, Estimated Hours, Estimated Cost ($).
List three deliverables for your chosen project. Keep the numbers realistic—think in single‑digit hours and under $50.
Below the table, add a section called Scenario Questions and answer:
If you suddenly have only half the time, which deliverable would you cut or shrink?
If your budget doubles, how could you increase scope or quality?
This exercise helps you see how scope, time, and cost interact in real life.
Three deliverables listed with clear "done" definitions.
Hours and cost estimates present and realistic.
Scenario questions answered thoughtfully. Self‑Review Checklist
WBS uses verb‑noun labels (e.g., "Design Mock‑ups").
Gantt shows no task overlap errors.
Chart axis dates formatted clearly.
Every project faces uncertainty. Here you’ll identify potential pitfalls early, assess their impact, and plan quality checkpoints that keep deliverables on track.
Learn common risks and solutions. Video: Top 5 PM Risks & Mitigations
In Google Sheets (inside your Project Management Module folder):
Create a new sheet and rename the first tab Risk Register.
In row 1 add these headers across columns A–G: ID, Risk, Probability (1‑3), Impact (1‑3), Owner, Mitigation, Risk Score.
In cell G2 enter =C2*D2, then drag the formula down so every row auto‑calculates Risk Score.
Brainstorm and enter at least six plausible risks for your simple project (e.g., "Movie license not approved on time").
For each risk, assign a Probability and Impact (1 = low, 3 = high) plus an Owner and concise Mitigation action.
Select the Risk Score column → Format ▸ Conditional formatting → Format cells if… ≥ 6 → choose a red fill so high‑severity risks stand out.
Save the sheet in your module folder.
All risks describe uncertain events, not issues.
Risk score = Prob × Impact visible.
At least one mitigation per risk.
Projects succeed through people. You’ll analyze stakeholder needs and craft a concise communication cadence that builds trust and clarity.
Article: The Importance of a Communication Plan in Project Management
Create a Google Doc (inside your Project Management Module folder) named "Comm Plan – Movie Night" (or another descriptive title for your project).
Insert a 5‑column table. Use the column headers listed below. Then use the explanations below to fill it out:
Stakeholder: Person or group that cares about or can influence the project
Info Needs: The specific updates they need
Frequency: How often they should receive those updates
Channel: The medium you’ll use to communicate
Owner: Who will send/provide the information
Add five different stakeholders (e.g., Principal, Student Council, Parent Volunteers, Facilities, Finance Office) and complete each row accordingly.
Frequency realistic (e.g., weekly, ad hoc).
Channels mixed (Zoom, Slack, Email).
Doc shared Viewer access.
By now you’ve sampled the core tasks of a project manager. In this final hour you’ll step back, look outward at the real job market, and decide whether this path aligns with your goals and strengths.
Before you start writing, pause for one minute and replay your favorite—and least favorite—moments from the module; let those memories guide an honest assessment.
Open a new Google Doc named “Project Management Reflection”
Write 250–400 words responding to all five prompts below. Use a numbered list or short paragraphs—whichever feels more natural.
Energizers vs. Drainers: Which tasks gave you energy, and which felt heavy?
Transferable Strengths: Name two existing skills that would help you succeed as a project manager.
Skill Gaps: Identify one area you’d need to strengthen.
Career Vision: In one sentence, answer: “Can I see myself thriving as a project manager within the next 12 months? Why or why not?”
Save the Doc in your module Google Drive folder, ensuring anyone can view.
Create a Google Sheet titled “Project Management Job Listings.”
Make headers in Row 1: Platform | Job Title | Salary / Rate | Standout Requirement | Application Link
Visit mutiple sources (LinkedIn, Indeed, Upwork).
Record at least five listings that genuinely interest you—spread across ≥ 2 platforms.
For each listing, skim the description and capture one or two standout requirements (e.g., “must know Dubsado,” “20 hrs/wk”).
Use =HYPERLINK() so the Application Link stays clickable without clutter.
Look for patterns in pay rates and duties—the exercise will make your reflection concrete.
Save the Sheet in your module Google Drive folder, ensuring anyone can view.