In a world dominated by technology, any knowledge can be found online with efficient research. I remember the days of encyclopedias past when Google was a mere theory and instructional videos had to be rented from the local library after tedious searching through the card catalog, VCR not included. Today, there are many resources available to assist with gaining knowledge and competency for completing project management tasks.
YouTube
With over 500 hours of content uploaded to YouTube every minute, millions of people come to YouTube every day to be informed, inspired, or just have fun (“Navigating YouTube Search – How YouTube Works,” 2024). I have been a long-time user of YouTube for both personal and professional instructional consumption. I believe you can learn most things on YouTube and many reputable companies present free content on the platform. Many people need more than just a textbook to properly learn unfamiliar topics and traditional learning environments are both time-consuming and expensive. YouTube allows learners to truly engage with a subject matter area through online videos that guide users step-by-step to successful mastery and provide real-world examples. An essential feature of YouTube is the recommended content list provided to users once they finish a video. Considering the substantial amount of choices on the YouTube platform, this helpful feature is integral to users to expedite research, especially beginners in a field of study. Every phase of a project can be broken down in detail with visual and audial guidance, and the ability to replay content until the task is completed.
Example Instructional Videos:
- Project Schedule Management Overview | PMBOK Video Course
- How to Estimate Tasks Duration (Time) for Projects
- How to Create a Successful Project Budget | Project Budgeting | PMP Training | Invensis Learning
The Digital Project Manager
The authors of The Digital Project Manager website state, “We’re the world’s biggest, baddest collective of digital project managers, and we share what we know through our articles, podcasts, newsletters, courses, and members community” (The Digital Project Manager, 2023). With a vibrant aesthetic and user-friendly interface, The Digital Project Manager website provides all levels of project managers with an abundance of free online resources. There are articles that provide condensed guidance for specific project phases but also more detailed how-to-guides, and there is even a podcast that hosts industry professionals to discuss best practices and the future outlook of the project management field. Further resources are provided throughout the website for users to further their knowledge research.
References
(2024). The Digital Project Manager. The Digital Project Manager; The Digital Project Manager. https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/
(2024). YouTube [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/
McLachlan, D. (2021). Project Schedule Management Overview | PMBOK Video Course [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEBO4k6Tnqg
Startup Akademia. (2023). How to Estimate Tasks Duration (Time) for Projects [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i9xdpY0d80
Invensis Learning. (2022). How to Create a Successful Project Budget | Project Budgeting | PMP Training | Invensis Learning [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHkNISyX2ok
Navigating YouTube Search – How YouTube Works. (2024). [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/product-features/search/
I love YouTube. I like how you brought up the fact that there is a recommended content list after watching the video. As a math teacher, I try to show my students this because sometimes the video they watch may or may not have been useful information. An instructor can present it in a learning style that does not fit them, but they still need to learn the content. This feature will bring up similar content to help them in their search. Langreo (2022) presented a survey that showed individuals aged 14 to 23 preferred it as a learning tool. The reasons stated were that students prefer to be able to rewind, fast forward, and pause whenever needed.
I found myself doing that as well while watching your YouTube resource. I like reading the chapters and pausing when I need to grasp the content.
I love your blogs. Very organized and easy for me to follow. Thank you for the content.
References
Langreo, L. (2022, May 12). Why Generation Z learners prefer YouTube lessons over printed books. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/why-generation-z-learners-prefer-youtube-lessons-over-printed-books/2018/09
YouTube is such a great resource! It is incredibly nice to keep the videos in organized categories to come back to and watch again. Great resource option! There are lots of benefits to utilizing YouTube!
Do you have a YouTube channel with resources already saved? I would be interested in following!
Chelsi
Tiffany, Youtube is one that I totally missed in regard to project management tools even while I was utilizing it today, thank you for this reminder! It has actually become a hub for A lot of major brands such as Khan Academy, TedEx, PBS Kids, Brain Pop, Storyline Online and many more. I find that it provides a vast amount of resources that PMs can rely upon when training is necessary within hours versus registration and attendance barriers. The direct videos you included even saved us time in locating resources on the spot!