Digital Project Management with AI Support

Throughout the course, participants use Jira as the main practical project management environment for their team project.

The aim of this training is to support the professional development of individuals entering or transitioning into project management roles by equipping them with practical skills and knowledge needed to plan, execute and deliver projects in digital work environments. Participants also learn how AI can responsibly support selected project management tasks, while keeping human judgement, output validation and data security central.

The course is intended for individuals who wish to start or transition into a project management role, particularly in digital, product, operations, business or technology-driven environments.

Suitable participants:

• professionals involved in projects for example in product, operations, business or technology teams, but not yet working formally as project managers

• individuals looking to change careers into project management, especially in digital or cross-functional work environments;

• team members who want to better understand structured project work and how projects are managed in modern organizations.

• people who want to learn how digital tools, Jira and selected AI support can be used in practical project work.

• Module 1 – Project Management Foundations

• E-learning and independent study – approx. 13 academic hours
  Participants are introduced to the fundamentals of project management and the role of a project manager in modern, digital and cross-functional work environments.

• Topics include:

  • role and responsibilities of a project manager in digital and cross-functional teams

  • project lifecycle phases in digital products, service and system development;

  • organizational structures and how projects operate in digital and technology-driven work environments

  • introduction to how digital tools and AI can support the project manager’s role, while keeping human judgement and accountability central;

  • introduction to project work and course structure

• Week 1
  Webinar with the mentor
  Program onboarding, course structure, tools, expectations and introduction to project work (2 academic hours)

• Week 2
  Webinar with the mentor
  Project lifecycle, roles, organizational context and ways of working (Agile vs Waterfall) (2 academic hours)

• Module 2 – Project Initiation and Stakeholder Management

• E-learning and independent study – approx. 16 academic hours

• Participants learn how to define a project and create a strong foundation, with a focus on digital and cross-functional project contexts. Participants also get introduced to Jira as the main practical project management environment used throughout the course for team-based project work.

• Topics include:

  • defining project goals and success criteria for digital products, services and business initiatives;

  • creating a project charter;

  • defining scope and SMART goals in iterative environments;

  • identifying and analyzing stakeholders across business, product, operations and technology teams;

  • stakeholder communication and alignment in cross-functional settings;

  • introduction to project management tools used in digital project work;

  • setting up a project workspace in Jira;

  • using Jira to support team collaboration, task visibility and project work during the course.

• Week 3

• Webinar with the mentor – Project charter workshop: defining scope, goals, and success criteria for digital and cross-functional projects (2 academic hours)

• Week 5
  Webinar with the mentor
  Introduction to Jira and setting up the team project workspace, including project board, basic workflow, roles, access and practical ways of working during the course (2 academic hours)

• Module 3 – Project Planning
  E-learning and independent study – approx. 9 academic hours

• Participants develop a structured project plan and define how the project will be executed, including planning practices commonly used in digital, product and cross-functional work environments. Participants apply Jira to turn the project scope into practical work items, tasks and milestones that can be planned, tracked and updated during the course.

• Topics include:

  • identifying project tasks and deliverables in digital, product and service-related projects;

  • creating a work breakdown structure;

  • defining milestones and dependencies in digital products, service or system development;

  • translating project scope into epics, tasks and milestones in Jira;

  • using Jira to structure practical project work and support team planning;

  • scheduling and timeline planning;

  • time estimation techniques;

  • budgeting and resource considerations;

  • risk identification and mitigation in technology-driven environments;

  • using AI as a support tool for selected project planning activities, such as structuring work, identifying dependencies, risks and assumptions and critically reviewing outputs against project scope, stakeholder needs and team knowledge.

• Week 6
  Webinar with the mentor
  Breaking down project scope into WBS, tasks and milestones, and translating them into a practical Jira work structure (2 academic hours)

• Week 7
  Webinar with the mentor
  Timeline planning, dependencies and estimation techniques (2 academic hours)

• Module 4 – Project Execution, Monitoring and Closing
  E-learning and independent study – approx. 30 academic hours

• Participants learn how to execute, monitor and evaluate project work, including practices relevant for digital products and cross-functional project environments.
  Topics include:

  • project execution and task tracking using digital tools;

  • monitoring progress and reporting in iterative environments;

  • quality management principles and feedback loops;

  • collaboration within cross-functional teams;

  • communication with stakeholders across business, product, operations and technology teams;

  • using AI support for selected project communication tasks, such as meeting summaries, status update drafts and lessons learned reflection;

  • project closing and documentation.

• Week 9
  Webinar with the mentor
  Planning review: budget, risk and communication approach
  (2 academic hours)

• Week 10
  Webinar with the mentor
  Execution, quality and project closing
  (2 academic hours)

• Module 5 – Agile Project Management
  E-learning and independent study – approx. 20 academic hours
  Participants learn Agile principles and apply them in practice, with a focus on digital product development and team workflows.
  Topics include:

  • Agile mindset and frameworks used in digital and product development;

  • Scrum roles and responsibilities;

  • product backlog creation and prioritization;

  • writing user stories;

  • using AI as a support tool to review and improve draft user stories and backlog items, while ensuring that prioritization, scope and product decisions remain owned by the team;

  • sprint planning and delivery cycles;

  • Agile delivery flow and iterative development;

  • team collaboration and workflow visualization (e.g. Kanban boards).

• Week 12
  Webinar with the mentor
  User stories and product backlog workshop
  (2 academic hours)

• Week 13
  Webinar with the mentor
  Sprint planning and delivery flow
  (2 academic hours)

• Week 14
  Webinar with the mentor
  Agile execution, team practices, and workflow management
  (2 academic hours)

• Module 6 – Final Project and Presentation
  Independent study – approx. 42 academic hours
  The project is developed progressively throughout the course. Participants apply each topic (initiation, planning, execution and Agile practices) directly to their own project, ideally in a digital, product or cross-functional work context.

• The final module focuses on:

  • consolidating project deliverables;

  • demonstrating project impact and outcomes;

  • preparing stakeholder communication;

  • using AI responsibly to support project work, while critically evaluating outputs and considering data security;

  • presenting project results in a structured way.

• Week 15
  Webinar with the mentor
  Final preparation, project impact, stakeholder communication and responsible use of AI in project management
  (2 academic hours)

• Week 16
  Webinar with the mentor
  Project presentations and feedback. Participants present their projects and receive feedback from the mentor and peers
  (3 academic hours)

Methods used during the course:

• E-course lectures

• E-course video lectures

• Workshops with a mentor

• Practical exercises

• Project-based learning

Evaluation method:

• Completion of all mandatory Coursera e-learning courses.

• Participation in at least 75% of the online webinars and workshops.

• Completion and presentation of the final project.

A participant who has completed the training:

• understands the role of a project manager and can apply core project management principles in digital and cross-functional environments;

• defines project goals, scope and success criteria using structured approaches suitable for digital, product and service-related projects;

• creates key project artifacts (e.g. project charter, stakeholder register, timeline, risk plan) to support structured project delivery;

• uses AI responsibly as a support tool for selected project management tasks, while critically evaluating outputs, validating assumptions and considering data security;

• applies both Agile and traditional project management approaches depending on project context and needs;

• collaborates effectively with stakeholders across business, product and technology teams and communicates project progress clearly;

• uses Jira in a practical team project to plan, organize, track and communicate project work;

• evaluates project outcomes, reflects on project performance and presents results in a clear and structured way.

Learners who have achieved the learning outcomes and successfully passed the assessment will be awarded a certificate in accordance with the applicable continuing education standard in Estonia.

If a participant fails to meet at least one of the following conditions, they will receive a certificate of participation instead:

• not completing all mandatory Coursera e-learning courses;

• not attending at least 75% of the workshops;

• not completing the graduation project

Prerequisites:

• basic computer skills;

• ability to work in digital environments;

• English level B1–B2 (materials are in English);

• willingness to commit to a structured 16-week program

• prior experience with Jira or AI tools is not required. The course introduces these tools from a practical project management perspective and does not require technical AI, coding or automation skills.

Participants need a computer (Windows or macOS) with web camera and microphone; permission to install and configure applications, as well as an up-to-date web browser (Google Chrome recommended). Extra monitor during the webinars is highly suggested.

The price includes: Access to the e-learning platform and other study materials.