Financial Analysis for Technical Professionals, Managers, and Planners

Technical professionals need to understand the financial aspects of their work to successfully develop and plan their projects, products, and services. This course will provide them with the analytical skills to estimate initial and lifetime costs and make sound capital investment decisions. No prior financial experience or knowledge is required. Designed for engineers, managers, and planners, this live online course builds foundational financial fluency for evaluating and planning technical initiatives. Participants will explore key topics such as capital budgeting, cost estimation, and life cycle cost analysis, reinforced through interactive case studies. By the end of the course, learners will be able to confidently apply financial tools to support decision-making in both private and public sector environments.

View course details

Who Should Attend?

Technical professionals and engineers involved in project planning or product development.
Managers and team leads responsible for budgeting, investment decisions, or supplier evaluation.
Planners and analysts in public or private sectors seeking to strengthen financial decision-making skills.

What You Will Learn

Interpret financial statements and calculate key financial ratios to support due diligence and supplier evaluation.
Apply capital investment analysis techniques such as NPV, IRR, and payback to assess project feasibility.
Estimate and analyze life cycle costs to meet planning, budgeting, and federal project requirements.

Course Details: RA01421-E222

Session 1: Interpreting common financial statements

2 hours, live Zoom session

Income statement
Balance sheet
Key financial ratios

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to calculate key financial ratios and interpret common financial statements.

Significance: Knowledge of these foundational concepts is key to performing due diligence in, for example, selection of suppliers, contractors and business partners.

Session 2: Analyzing capital investment opportunities

2 hours, live Zoom session

Time value of money / Discounted cash flow
Discount Rate / Hurdle Rate / Minimum acceptable rate of return (MARR)
Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
Capital expenditures (CapEx)
Payback
Net present value (NPV) and Internal rate of return (IRR)
Depreciation considerations
Other non-financial considerations

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to use commonly used methods for analyzing / making capital expenditure decisions.

Significance: This analysis is a key input for evaluating and approving capital projects.

Session 3: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to evaluate capital expenditure opportunities.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

Sessions 4 and 5: Estimating costs

2 hours each, live Zoom session

Fixed, Variable and Absorption cost
Prime cost, Standard cost, Activity-based cost
Cost-plus pricing
Contribution margins
Sensitivity analysis

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate different types of costs relevant in a technical context.

Significance: This is critical input for planning and budgeting for projects, products and services.

Session 6: Life cycle costing

2 hours, live Zoom session

Life cycle costing
LCCA – Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Federal project requirements

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate life cycle cost of a project.

Significance: LCCA provides a full cost view of projects. It is required for many types of federal projects.

Session 7: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to analyze life cycle costs.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

The course will be offered as a live online course, with recordings made of each session so that participants can watch them at other times if they are not available at the meeting time. Therefore, this course can be flexible and accommodate a variety of schedules. The course meetings are held once a week (Mondays 10 am-2:00 PM Central Time) over a 4-week period.

Please watch the email address you provided during registration for instructional material release dates and pre-course information. Check your spam folder if you do not see your confirmation or UW (@wisc.edu) communication emails.

Instructor
Raj Kamal
Lecturer
Raj Kamal is a lecturer in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison, and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting firm based in the Madison, Wisconsin area.
He has 25+ years of industry and blue-chip consulting experience with both Fortune 500 and smaller organizations in manufacturing and distribution; financial services and insurance; and government and higher education. Raj also brings extensive expertise in program management; quantitative modeling; and statistical analyses.
He holds a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, India, and a BA (with honors) in Economics from Delhi University, India.
In the Master of Engineering MEM program, Raj teaches EPD 611 – Engineering Economics and Management. Outside EPD, he also teaches operations management, statistics, strategy, information technology, and quality in the MBA program at Edgewood College, and has previously taught at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.
Program Director
Adib Amini

Total Credits:

CEU 1.6,

PDH 16,

Applies to this Certificate:

Technical Leadership,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

Create a custom learning experience

We can deliver this course as an on-site learning experience tailored to your organization’s specific training needs.

Course Details: RA01421-E475

Session 1: Interpreting common financial statements

2 hours, live Zoom session

Income statement
Balance sheet
Key financial ratios

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to calculate key financial ratios and interpret common financial statements.

Significance: Knowledge of these foundational concepts is key to performing due diligence in, for example, selection of suppliers, contractors and business partners.

Session 2: Analyzing capital investment opportunities

2 hours, live Zoom session

Time value of money / Discounted cash flow
Discount Rate / Hurdle Rate / Minimum acceptable rate of return (MARR)
Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
Capital expenditures (CapEx)
Payback
Net present value (NPV) and Internal rate of return (IRR)
Depreciation considerations
Other non-financial considerations

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to use commonly used methods for analyzing / making capital expenditure decisions.

Significance: This analysis is a key input for evaluating and approving capital projects.

Session 3: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to evaluate capital expenditure opportunities.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

Sessions 4 and 5: Estimating costs

2 hours each, live Zoom session

Fixed, Variable and Absorption cost
Prime cost, Standard cost, Activity-based cost
Cost-plus pricing
Contribution margins
Sensitivity analysis

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate different types of costs relevant in a technical context.

Significance: This is critical input for planning and budgeting for projects, products and services.

Session 6: Life cycle costing

2 hours, live Zoom session

Life cycle costing
LCCA – Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Federal project requirements

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to estimate life cycle cost of a project.

Significance: LCCA provides a full cost view of projects. It is required for many types of federal projects.

Session 7: Case study

1 hour advance reading / preparation of case study before the live Zoom session
2 hours, live Zoom session

Learning Objective: Attendees will be able to analyze life cycle costs.

Significance: Working through a case study is a proven method to build and reinforce practical skills.

The course will be offered as a live online course, with recordings made of each session so that participants can watch them at other times if they are not available at the meeting time. Therefore, this course can be flexible and accommodate a variety of schedules. The course meetings are held once a week (Wednesdays 10 am-2:00 PM Central Time) over a 4-week period.

Instructor
Raj Kamal
Lecturer
Raj Kamal is a lecturer in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison, and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting firm based in the Madison, Wisconsin area.
He has 25+ years of industry and blue-chip consulting experience with both Fortune 500 and smaller organizations in manufacturing and distribution; financial services and insurance; and government and higher education. Raj also brings extensive expertise in program management; quantitative modeling; and statistical analyses.
He holds a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, India, and a BA (with honors) in Economics from Delhi University, India.
In the Master of Engineering MEM program, Raj teaches EPD 611 – Engineering Economics and Management. Outside EPD, he also teaches operations management, statistics, strategy, information technology, and quality in the MBA program at Edgewood College, and has previously taught at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.
Program Director
Adib Amini

Total Credits:

CEU 1.6,

PDH 16,

Applies to this Certificate:

Technical Leadership,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

Create a custom learning experience

We can deliver this course as an on-site learning experience tailored to your organization’s specific training needs.

Financial Analysis for Technical Professionals, Managers, and Planners

2027 and later

Who Should Attend?

What You Will Learn

Course Details: RA01421-E222

Expanded accordion Course Outline

Expanded accordion Course Schedule

Expanded accordion Course Notes

Expanded accordion Instructor and Program Director

Expanded accordion Additional Information

Course Administration

Expanded accordion Fee Information

Expanded accordion Discounts

Expanded accordion Payment Options

Expanded accordion Cancellation Policy

Stay Connected

Course Details: RA01421-E475

Expanded accordion Course Outline

Expanded accordion Course Schedule

Expanded accordion Course Notes

Expanded accordion Instructor and Program Director

Expanded accordion Additional Information

Course Administration

Expanded accordion Fee Information

Expanded accordion Discounts

Expanded accordion Payment Options

Expanded accordion Cancellation Policy

Stay Connected

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