Welcome to the Technology Project Management Boot Camp
Congratulations on your acceptance to the Technology Project Management Boot Camp! You are about to embark on a transformational journey that will dramatically improve your skill set. At times, it will be challenging, frustrating, and even bewildering, but trust us, it will be worth it in the end. This program's curriculum is not easy. You will be exposed to new ideas at breakneck speeds and challenged to complete difficult exercises. Be prepared to push yourself and to be pushed. That said, remember every one of us, behind the scenes, is rooting for you. You were accepted into this program because we believe in your potential to succeed. You will have excellent instructors, dedicated teacher assistants, a vibrant curriculum, and supportive peers to nudge you forward. If you put in the time and effort, we're confident you will find the success you're looking for.
The Importance of Pre-work
Because of the challenging nature of this program, we want you to come ready to sprint on day one. To help prepare you, we've created these modules to complete before your first day. This pre-work will provide you with the preliminary skills and information you need to begin the course. It will also give you a glimpse of what's to come. We recommend reading the sections in sequential order, as each section builds on the other. You should also do your best to complete all 6 assignments. As you work through the readings and assignments, don't be discouraged if some of them challenge you. Just focus on doing your best. Good luck, have fun, and get pumped! You are in for a fantastic ride.
Tips for Virtual Learning
❖ Recognize that this may be weird at first. You might be new to online learning. Even if you aren’t, juggling the multiple platforms may feel confusing and clunky at first. And you may feel overwhelmed. You won’t be alone in feeling this way. Online learning has gotten more popular, but this is still a fairly new situation including, perhaps, for your instructor. Be patient with your classmates, the instructional staff and, most importantly, with yourself. Everyone will go through a learning curve, but eventually things will normalize and become routine. Until that point, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
❖ Get to know your classmates and instructors. You’ll get more out of the course if it feels like you’re part of a shared community. Camaraderie can be a bit difficult to develop through a computer screen, but there are ways to get to know your fellow classmates. Participate in your cohort’s Slack space (more on Slack in Module 1). You don’t have to get too personal, but you can do things like: project management related memes you’ve seen or share a picture of your pets.
❖ Treat class time like you would a live class. If you were sitting in a classroom, there would be few potential distractions around you. Likewise, you should make the area where you sign on to class as distraction-free as possible. If you can, go to a quiet room, silence your phone and ask others in your home to avoid distracting you while you’re online.
❖ Budget time for classwork. With the business of life, the days can feel like they all blend into each other. Days can pass without you realizing that you’re getting closer to the due date of your assignment. One thing that will help is to schedule time throughout the week for your coursework. Set aside a few hours 3 to 4 times a week for studying and doing homework. Your work won’t feel as overwhelming this way, and you won’t be working on things last-minute! You will be using Zoom to interact with your classmates and instructional team. Use the following videos to guide you through the installation process and introduce you to some of the great features you may see throughout your classroom experience!
❖ Boot Camp Roadmap
