Posts Tagged ‘APM’

Podcast – APMP Module 7.1 Project Success and Benefits Management (APM BoK 2.1)

This podcast covers the APM BOK topics 2.1 Project Success and Benefits Management, including success criteria, KPI’s, critical success factors and benefits management process. It is part of the Parallel Project learning system and is ideally used in conjunction with the APMP study guide.

Project Management Training: Can’t afford 5-days out of the office?

During the past decade project management has undergone a transformation with through greater codification and formal certification. This certification and been based on the Association for Project Management (APM), Prince2TM and Project Management Institute (PMI) under taken by seemingly ever increasing number of organisations and individuals. With over half a million members of the PMI, 250,000 Prince2 Practitioners and 17,500 members of the APM, the world has seen a rapid growth in project management certification, much of it in the last ten years.

Traditionally this certification has been delivered as five days in a hotel with an exam on a Friday. Is this really the best way of developing project managers, or was it organised this way for the convenience of the training organisation and the HR department?

The weaknesses of the current 5-day project management training paradigm.

Project Managers are inherently activists, they learn by doing, so to remove them from a project for five days to develop new skills, always creates an artificial environment. Learning cannot be applied to the work place in bite size pieces. Putting the exam at the end of the course creates the pressure to focus on passing the test and not learning new skills. Some enlightened organisations recognised this limitation and committed to slightly longer modular programmes of two times 3 days or even 3 times 2 days. This at least gave time for individuals to apply what they were learning as they went. However in the tougher economic times organisations are beginning to challenge the paradigm of a week out of the office to pass a qualification. The challenge now is how to cover the wide range of project management topics in less time without reducing the quality of the learning.

Innovation has the solution

As with many such challenges technical innovation has the solution. Learning does not have to be done in the classroom. We can learn in many ways, through on the job exercise, reading books listening to the radio, playing on the computer. All the learner needs is access to the right material to help and guide the learning process. This needs to be available in a wide range of media to suit the learning style and approach of the individual. This is what is offered by the Parallel Learning System.

Parallel Learning System

The Parallel Learning System provides a wide range of learning activities including to a study guide printed as a book, e-learning, podcasts and workshops. Each can be used individually or as a combined approach to learning. Each element is widely available, the book and e-learning are easily purchased from Amazon and the podcasts can be downloaded free of charge from the web or iTunes. This whole approach means that the workshops can focus on skills development and preparing for the exam.

Click here for more information on innovative approaches to project management training.

Podcast – Leading Complex Projects Special with Donnie MacNicol

A special edition with Donnie MacNicol from Team Animation, chair of the APM people SIG. What is complexity, how can it be reduced and what sort of leadership skills for making the transition to the leader of complex project.

For more information on programmes to support leaders of complex projects visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com.

Podcast – APMP Module 3.5 Project Sponsorship (APM BoK 1.5)

This Podcast covers the APM BOK topics 1.5 Project Sponsorship, including the roles and responsibilities of the project sponsor, and how it changes in the lifecycle, why effective sponsorship is important and relashipship between the project sponsor and the project manager. It is part of the Parallel Learning System and is ideally used in conjunction with the APMP study guide.

Podcast – APMP Module 3.4 Project Context (APM BoK 1.4)

This Podcast covers the APM BOK topics 1.4 Project Context, including the need to understand project context, the need to consider the internal and external context (environment) and the use of tools and techniques such as PESTLE and SWOT. It is part of the Parallel Learning system and is ideally used in conjunction with the APMP study guide.

Open Public Course – APM Risk Certificate Level 2 – 4th / 5th March 2010

Do you want to carry out formal risk management?

RIPM – Advanced is designed for those who want to become project risk management practitioners. It builds on the knowledge gained in our RIPM Foundation. This event leads to the APM’s Risk Management Level 2 Certificate, which is designed to determine an individual’s knowledge and understanding as well as capability in project risk management, sufficient to allow an individual to undertake formal project risk management.

Risk management is a fundamental tool in the management of projects and programmes as the only fact when bidding and planning is that the future is uncertain and needs to be predicted and managed well to prevent unforeseen problems in delivery. Done well, risk management is the most effective tool in ensuring that project and programme objectives are delivered successfully. This event takes the knowledge gained on RIPM Foundation and builds the capability needed to undertake formal risk management activities on any project. This is a 3-day event, 2 days of this is face-to-face with us in the classroom and 1 day is self-study based on materials we provide in advance. For this reason, candidates may want to have at least a 1-month gap between the Foundation and Advanced events. Please note: Although APM will award a Level 2 Certificate without the candidate also holding the Level 1 award, we strongly advise against jumping to Level 2, unless you have a deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative risk methods.

Outcomes
Participants will leave this event with:

• The ability to undertake formal risk management on any project
• An understanding of the importance of human factors in risk management
• The capability to pass the Association for Project Management’s Risk Level 2 examination
• A memorable experience with unique and useful course materials

Participants can choose to sit the 3¼ hour essay based examination at 1.30 pm on Day 2 of the event.

Our events run in easily accessible locations on various dates on a non-residential basis. We run events monthly and future dates can be found on our website. If the dates published don’t meet your needs please contact us to request others – either by telephone or register your interest on our website.

The all inclusive price (excluding VAT) for the workshop is £625 plus exam fees of £305 if you want to sit the APM examination.

The price also includes a copy of two APM recommended books, both co-authored by Managing Partners in our company. Practical Project Risk Management: the ATOM Methodology (Hillson and Simon 2008), Understanding and Managing Risk Attitude 2nd edition (Hillson and Murray-Webster 2007). These will be invaluable aids as you apply your new skills to your projects.

You’ll pay a similar price on other courses that lead to the APM’s Risk Level 2 Certificate, but we can guarantee that no other will provide a similar experience.

Participant requirements

• In house workshops can be provided on request.
• This event is not suitable for people unless they have either already passed the APM Level 1 Risk Certificate, or have a good understanding of qualitative and quantitative risk methods. Note: In order to take the APM Risk Level 2 certificate, we would advise that a candidate must already have passed Risk Level 1.
• All Events, including this workshop, are subject to Terms and Conditions for Lucidus Open Events.

This event will take place in Manchester on 4th / 5th March 2010.

For further information & to book you place on this course, please click here.

Podcast – APMP Module 4.6 Project Reviews (APM Bok 6.6)

This Podcast covers the APM BOK topics 6.6 Project Reviews, including project evaluation reviews, gate reviews, audits, post project reviews, benefits realisation reviews and explaining the benefits of project reviews. It is part of the Parallel Learning System and is ideally used in conjunction with the  APMP study guide: Your Journey to Professional Project Management: How to pass the APMP Exam.

Podcast – APMP Module 5.7 Configuration Mangement (APM BoK 4.7)

This Podcast covers the APM BOK topics 4.7 Configuration Management. It includes a description of the configuration management process and the reasons for requiring configuration management. It is part of the Parallel Project Learning System and is ideally used in conjunction with the APMP Study Guide.

Podcast: Programme Mangement APM Project Managment Body of Knowlege Section 1.2

This Podcast covers the APM BOK topics 1.2 programme management.

• What is a programme?
• The roles of a programme manager?
• The benefits of programme management?

It is part of the Parallel Project Learning System and is ideally used in conjunction with the APMP Study Guide.

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Parallel Project Training Awarded Accredited Training Provider Status & other news

We have been very busy since forming Parallel Project Training in October 2009. We have:

Achieved APM accreditation We were delighted when the APM awarded us accredited training provider status just before Christmas. This means that we will be able to offer APMP qualifications as part of our innovative portfolio.
Launched our APMP study Guide on Amazon It’s a course in a book, designed to help individuals preparing for the APMP qualification fully aligned with the APM Body of Knowledge including numerous exercises, case studies, mini quizzes and opportunities for reflection on practice in your organisation. All for £47 Amazon:  Your Journey to Professional Project Management
Launched our Podcast Channel on iTunes To accompany our study guide, we have recorded pilot pod-casts. These are in a number of different formats but a designed to integrate closely with the study guide. You can study as you go. They are available free of charge in MP3 format from the Parallel web site or via iTunes. Parallel Project Training on iTunes
Launched our Website and Public Training Courses Everyone loves our website, with its on-line e-learning, community of practice and exam prep forum. Dates for our public training courses are easy to find on the home page. For corporate clients with groups who require a training course we offer transparent pricing om all our courses directly on the website. Visit ParallelProjectTraining.com
Launched our Branding “We’re with you all the way” is our commitment to you throughout you project management journey. We are proud our new innovative approach to project management development, please get in touch if you have any comments suggestions or would like to engage our services.