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Operational planning and problem solving

Microsoft via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

4 weeks, 1 hour a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Intermediate
Subtitles

English

Found in

Part of

Microsoft Team Management

Overview

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Managers are responsible for organizing work, allocating resources, and resolving operational challenges that affect team delivery. Effective managers must analyze problems, plan projects, coordinate resources, and adjust processes to improve efficiency. This course introduces the analytical and operational practices managers use to guide team execution. Learners explore how managers plan projects, estimate resources, monitor budgets, and diagnose operational problems. Throughout the course, workplace scenarios show how managers organize planning information using Excel spreadsheets, facilitate problem-solving sessions using Microsoft Whiteboard, and review operational performance data through Power BI dashboards. Learners evaluate workplace scenarios involving project planning, budgeting decisions, and process improvement initiatives. These scenarios highlight how structured analysis and data-informed decision-making support effective operational management. By the end of the course, learners understand how managers plan work systematically, allocate resources responsibly, and guide teams through operational problem solving.

Syllabus

Planning projects and managing resources
- Managers coordinate projects by organizing tasks, defining dependencies, and assigning resources appropriately. Structured project planning helps teams understand how individual tasks contribute to larger deliverables. This module introduces planning techniques that managers use to organize work and coordinate team resources. Learners examine how managers break projects into tasks, identify dependencies, and track progress toward milestones. Instructional demonstrations show how managers create project planning sheets using Excel and discuss project timelines during Microsoft Teams planning meetings. Learners analyze scenarios involving project delays and evaluate how planning adjustments help restore progress.
Budgeting and operational decision making
- Managers often make decisions that affect how resources are used. Budget planning helps managers estimate costs, track spending, and adjust resource allocation when conditions change. This module introduces budgeting practices that help managers make informed operational decisions. Learners explore how managers forecast spending, compare planned versus actual costs, and adjust budgets based on changing project needs. Instructional demonstrations show how managers organize budget information using Excel and review spending patterns during planning discussions.
Diagnosing problems and improving processes
- Managers frequently encounter operational problems that affect productivity or quality. Structured problem-solving techniques help managers identify root causes and implement improvements that prevent recurring issues. This module introduces diagnostic methods for analyzing operational challenges. Learners explore how managers facilitate problem-solving discussions, identify root causes, and design corrective actions. Instructional demonstrations show how managers facilitate a problem-solving session using Microsoft Whiteboard and track improvement actions using a shared task list.
AI-Assisted decision support for managers
- Managers regularly review operational information when making decisions about priorities, resource allocation, and process improvements. Generative AI tools can assist by summarizing data, identifying patterns, and generating draft planning ideas. This module introduces how AI tools can support the preparation of managerial decisions. Learners examine examples of AI systems summarizing project information, generating planning notes, and assisting brainstorming activities. Instructional demonstrations show how managers can use Microsoft Copilot to summarize information from Excel spreadsheets and support planning discussions or brainstorming sessions in Microsoft Whiteboard. The module emphasizes that AI outputs should be treated as suggestions rather than decisions. Managers remain responsible for reviewing AI-generated recommendations and applying their own judgment before acting on them.