Workshop Pricing

PD-Trak Solutions offers a range of approaches and training modules to provide both the initial implementation training as well as on-going training of PD-Trak users. Our training typically covers software functionality and use as well as process basics and best practices that provide a context for the effective use of this project portfolio management system.

Normally, we recommend onsite training with exercises to support the initial implementation and use of PD-Trak. For smaller organizations or to provide follow-up training for new employees, we offer webinars covering all aspects of the system. The nature of webinars limits the intensity of our interactions during training and the feedback with exercises, but the webinars are very cost effective for small groups. Finally, our embedded help and our training materials can provide another learning alternative for the motivated user. Regardless of what training format is used, the training and the training materials can be customized to your process, terminology and needs.

Software Functionality Training

We offer the following onsite training and webinar modules. Specialized training modules can also be developed.

MODULE	ONSITE	WEBINAR	DESCRIPTION	FORMAT	AUDIENCE/ PARTICIPANTS	PRICING ON SITE*	PRICING WEBINAR*
PD-Trak Overview	0.5 days 25 people	2-3 hours 10 people	Overview of the stage/phase-gate process and PD-Trak as the support tool	Presentation	New users at all levels	Based on standard daily rate	$300/hr
Project Tools and Project Management	1.5 days 15 people		Creating projects; basic project management principles and PD-Trak, project charter, project description, budget, schedule, business case, team members, task plans, and action items	Computer-based workshop with data entry for current projects	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new users	Based on standard daily rate
Primary Project Tools 1		2-3 hours 10 people	Creating projects; project charter, description, budget, schedule	Webinar with hands on training examples	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Primary Project Tools 2		2-3 hours 10 people	Probability of success, business case and financial summary	Webinar with hands on training examples	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Additional Project Tools	1 day 15 people		Detailed resource requirements, expense detailing, risk management, tracking tools, parent and sub-projects, Gantt chart/MS Project integration	Presentation with computer based examples	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new users	Based on standard daily rate
Additional Project Tools 1		2-3 hours 10 people	Detailed resource requirements, expense detailing, risk management, tracking tools	Webinar with hands on training examples	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Additional Project Tools 2		2-3 hours 10 people	Gantt chart/MS Project integration, scenario analysis, parent and sub-projects	Webinar with hands on training examples	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Project Migration	1 day 15 people		A hands on workshop to assist project managers to move existing projects into PD-Trak	Hands on setup of projects with instructor facilitation	Project Managers, Product Managers, Lead Engineers	Based on standard daily rate
Project Tools for Team Members	0.5 days 15 people	2-3 hours 10 people	Project tools for team members; an overview of the phase-gate process	Presentation with computer based examples	Project team members	Based on standard daily rate	$300/hr
Administrator Training	0.5 days 5 people	2-3 hours 5 people	PD-Trak administration functions; role of the PD-Trak administrator	Presentation and discussion	PD-Trak Administrators and process champions	Based on standard daily rate	$300/hr
Gate Review Process Definition Workshop	1 day 15 people		Gate review best practices; review key elements of the phase-gate process; define the gate review process and ground rules to be adopted; support tool selection	Workshop with presentation and discussion based exercises	Senior managers (gatekeepers); process champions	Based on standard daily rate
Gate Review Process	0.5 days 15 people	2-3 hours 10 people	Gate review process to be followed; roles, responsibilities, ground rules, format, support tools	Presentation and discussion	Project team leaders, gatekeepers (refresher)	Based on standard daily rate	$300/hr
Gate Review Meeting Facilitation	0.5 days 15 people	2-4 hours	Gate review facilitation with feedback and guidance based on observation	Live gate review meeting(s)	Gate review participants; process champion		$300/hr
Portfolio Management Methodology & Tools	1 day 15 people		Portfolio optimization; strategic alignment, ranking, budgetary and resource constraint analysis, mix/balance analysis and financial analysis	Presentation with computer based examples	Senior managers; process champions, new users	Based on standard daily rate
Portfolio Management Overview	0.5 days 15 people	2-3 hours 10 people	2-3 hours 10 people	Presentation	Senior managers; new & existing users	Based on standard daily rate	$300/hr
Portfolio Management 1		2-3 hours 10 people	Portfolio optimization; strategic alignment, ranking	Presentation with computer based examples	Senior managers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Portfolio Management 2		2-3 hours 10 people	Budgetary and resource constraint analysis, mix/balance analysis and financial analysis	Presentation with computer based examples	Senior managers; new & existing users		$300/hr
Portfolio Planning Workshop Facilitation	2-3 days 15 people		A workshop to develop the portfolio plan for the next 1-3 years using the PD-Trak project portfolio planning tools.	Workshop with live data entry, analysis and report generation	Senior managers; product marketing managers	Based on standard daily rate
Pipeline/Resource Management	1 day 15 people		Resource pool set up; capturing project resource demand profiles; resource demand roll up; using resource data to maximize/smooth the flow of projects; live examples	Presentation with computer based examples	Senior managers; functional managers; process champions	Based on standard daily rate
Pipeline/Resource Management 1		2-3 hours 10 people	Resource pool set up; capturing project resource demand profiles; resource demand roll up; using resource data to maximize/smooth the flow of projects	Webinar with hands on training examples	Senior managers; functional managers; process champions		$300/hr
Pipeline/Resource Management 2		2-3 hours 10 people	Live examples	Webinar with hands on training examples	Senior managers; functional managers; process champions		$300/hr

* Pricing assumes the use of our standard training materials. Any time required to adjust these training materials for specific customer needs will be billed at standard rates.

On-The-Job Training

We can also provide on-the-job training assisting personnel with their projects and responsibilities. This might include the following:

Assist project managers to plan and manage their projects and prepare for gate reviews using PD-Trak
Assist project team members with using PD-Trak tools, performing their tasks, preparing deliverables, and preparing for gate reviews
Work with functional managers to perform resource management using PD-Trak with the goal of identifying resource bottlenecks before they occur and finding optimum solutions
Work with gatekeepers to optimize the gate review process and to use PD-Trak to manage resources such that projects are only released into the pipeline if the resources are available, based on project scoring/prioritization

Process Definition Workshops

In this workshop, we will facilitate a cross functional team to develop your company’s processes for processes such as new product development, product upgrades, product line extensions, technology development, platform development, software development, capital projects, etc. The process definition includes phases, gates or milestone separating each phase, tasks in each phase, document deliverables by phase, responsibilities, and document templates.

Process Definition Workshop (2-3 day)

Organizing to Embrace Project Management as a Core Competence (1/2 day)

In this workshop, we will help you define an organizational approach to achieving project management excellence including selecting/hiring the right people, training requirements, measuring project management performance and organizational options such as project management office (PMO), dual role vs. dedicated project managers, etc.

Portfolio Management Process(1 day)

Best practice principles are presented and used to define a detailed portfolio management process that is optimized for your company.

Pipeline/Resource Management Process (1 day)

A workshop to define the approach your company will take to the tactical management of resources as needed to maximize project throughput.

Project Planning with Microsoft Project(1 day)

A computer-based class that covers the use of Microsoft Project® for developing task and timing plans based on task dependencies, resource constraints and critical path analysis.

Embracing Project Management Principles with PD-Trak and Microsoft Project® (2-3 days)

Training for project managers that covers fundamental project management principles and the related tools in PD-Trak and Microsoft Project®.

Product Development Practices Workshops

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/A) (3 days)

This workshop covers DFM/A principles and guidelines and includes examples to illustrate these principles and exercises to develop practical DFM/A skills analyzing a design for its manufacturability. The third day is primarily spent analyzing either an existing company product or products using our DFM/A analysis methodology.

Design for Serviceability (3 days)

This practical, hands-on workshop covers the principles of design for serviceability and maintainability illustrating these principles with numerous examples and exercises to reinforce understanding of principles. The final exercise analyzes the serviceability of one or more of your company’s to identify changes to improve the serviceability of the design.

Design to Cost (3 days)

This workshop addresses the concepts of target costing and design-to-cost (DTC) and the tools and methodologies to achieve DTC and how to integrate these methodologies into an organization’s development process

Lean Product Development (3 days)

This workshop addresses the principles and practices of lean product development which is focused on reducing waste, work-in-process, and cycle time for product development. It also addresses lean design which focuses on reducing waste in the form of higher cost and poor quality in the design of the product itself.

Mistake-Proofing by Design (2 days)

This workshop describes the principles of mistake-proofing or poka-yoke and the evolutionary step of addressing mistake-proofing during development versus installing mistake-proofing devices and approaches on the factory floor after the product has been put into production. The second day includes exercises to develop mistake-proofing approaches with your current products and their production process.

Product Planning and Requirements Definition using QFD (3 days)

This hands-on workshop uses as series of exercises to develop a practical understanding of how to use QFD to capture the voice of the customer (VOC), perform competitive analysis, develop a product strategy, and derive product requirements.

Target Costing and Design to Cost (3 days)

This workshop is for management and development personnel responsible for establishing and using a target costing process. It addresses establishing a target price, determining the target cost, tracking achievement of the target cost, use of product cost models to support decision-making, and design-to-cost techniques to achieve cost reduction.

Voice of the Customer (2-3 days)

This hands-on workshop addresses the importance of capturing the voice of the customer (VOC) to drive product development, presents how to undertake various VOC methodologies, discusses when they should be used, and leads participants through the process of planning how to capture the VOC. The workshop includes exercises to develop practical experience with various VOC methods. The optional third day is used to develop a VOC plan for an actual product opportunity.