Project Management 101: Laying the Foundation for Superior Project Managers
Availability
On-Demand
10 Courses
Access expires on Dec 31, 2026
Credit Offered
18 PDH Credits

Thank you for registering for Project Management 101: Laying the Foundation for Superior Project Managers. We’re excited to have you join us for the next nine weeks as you build your project management expertise.

Please read below for a summary of the course format and expectations.

 

Accessing the Course Materials:

Each week, the latest module’s materials – including the pre-recorded presentations, copies of the slideshows, and group case studies – will be available when you access the course through the My Education page.

You can always navigate back to the My Education page by signing into ACEC.org and then clicking on Events & Online Education > Online Education > My Education.

If you have any trouble signing in or need assistance resetting your account password, please email Haley Moyers at hmoyers@acec.org

Recorded Presentations:

Each week you’ll watch a pre-recorded presentation. The presentations vary in length, with some as short as 30 minutes and others as long as 90 minutes. It’s up to you to when you view these presentations, but we recommend watching them as soon as possible each week so that you will still have time to complete any small group case studies before the weekly live discussion with the instructor.

Small Group Assignments:

Nearly every week, there will be a case study and two to three related questions for you to discuss and answer with your small group. All attendees will be assigned to small groups based on their time zone to make it easier for members to coordinate a time to meet. You can check the Small Group document (which will be available by July 14th at the latest) to see who is in your group. You will not need to meet with your group before the first live discussion.

Live Discussion:

Every Tuesday at 1:30 PM eastern, the instructor will host a live discussion to review the case studies and answer any questions regarding the recorded presentations. The discussion will last about 30-45 minutes, and it will be hosted on Zoom. Instructions on how to login to each meeting can be found in your course materials in the online resource center. A calendar invite with these same instructions will also be sent to you.

We encourage you to attend every live discussion, but in case of a conflict, they will be recorded and available for you to review at a later time.

Final Exam:

At the end of the course, you’ll have a final exam that can be accessed through the online resource center. The final exam will be due September 18, 2026 and you must pass it in order to receive PDHs and the certificate of completion for the course.

Module 1 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Introduction 
  • Case Study: Montgomery, Cook & Hauser (MCH)
  • Live Discussion: July 14, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 2 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Project Management Team and Process Management Concepts 
  • Case Study: A Show Piece Turned Sour Triggers Change for Future Jobs 
  • Live Discussion: July 21, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 3 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Planning and Management Concepts for Project Managers 
  • Case Study: Saunders Thomas Architects 
  • Live Discussion: July 28, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern

Module 4 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: The Project Team Manager 
  • Case Study: Continental Bank
  • Live Discussion: August 4, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 5 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Soft Skills 
  • Case Study: International Potato Corporation 
  • Live Discussion: August 11, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 6 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Working with Engineering/Architectural Firms 
  • Case Study: Federal Design Work 
  • Live Discussion: August 18, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 7 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Scoping/Budgeting/Monitoring/Billing 
  • Case Study: Loop Architects
  • Case Study: Managing Multiple Projects 
  • Live Discussion: August 25, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 8 

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Project Quality/Risk Management/Other Topics 
  • Case Study: Dartmouth Halts $200M Engineering Building Project After Excavation Goes Awry
  • Live Discussion: September 1, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 

Module 9

  • Pre-Recorded Presentation: Staffing and Scheduling 
  • Live Discussion: September 8, 2026, at 1:30 PM Eastern 
  • Final Exam due September 18, 2026
Howard Birnberg is president of Birnberg & Associates, a management consulting, association management and publishing firm serving the design and construction industry. He served as an instructor on project management in the Office of Executive Education at the Harvard University, Graduate School of Design for six years and also formerly served as a lecturer on project management for the University of Wisconsin, Department of Engineering Professional Development for nearly twenty years. He is the author of “Project Management for Designers and Facilities Managers, 4th edition,” (J. Ross Publishing, 2015), “Project Management for Building Designers and Owners” (CRC Press, 1998), “Project Management for Small Design Firms” (McGraw-Hill, 1992) and as general editor of “New Directions in Architectural and Engineering Practice” (McGraw-Hill, 1992). Mr. Birnberg is the executive director of the Association for Project Managers, an international organization of project managers in the design and construction industry. He is a frequent speaker on project management for many industry professional associations and design and facilities firms.

hbirnberg@gmail.com
312-664-2300 (office)
312-560-6651 (direct)
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