Project Management Professional Development Program (Preparation for the Diploma of Project Management Assessment)

Overview

In today’s fast-paced and changing economy, challenged projects almost invariably lead to significant business problems.

Accelerating and managing sustainable change through effective project delivery is the single most significant requirement of our business era. Organisations that understand and execute it effectively, prosper. Those that don’t, regularly compromise opportunity and often disappear altogether.

A direct result is an ever increasing need for professionals to supplement traditional technical skills with high value business delivery skills. In order to provide a significant contribution, Project Managers must be proficient across three critical domains:

• General business acumen
• Project management processes, techniques and tools
• Interpersonal and business communications skills

Our Project Management Professional Development Program combines both the ‘art’ and ‘science’ of project management; from the basic, underlying principles of project management, through to their application in the many challenging situations faced daily by Project Managers.

Our focus is on equipping participants with the disciplines, tools, templates and communication skills for immediate transfer to their workplace, and to effect immediate and discernible behavioural change in delivering business benefit through project initiatives.

Training Timetable Back to top

In-house and customised training workshops also available please phone 1300 701 314 for details

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Industry Certified RecognitionBack to top

PM-Partners group offers assessment against the predefined criteria for the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) at the following levels: Certificate IV in Project Management (BSB 41507), Diploma of Project Management (BSB 51407) and Advanced Diploma of Project Management (BSB 60707). Please see eligibility criteria overleaf.

Participants in this Project Management Professional Development Program may be eligible for assessment against Certificate IV in Project Management and / or the Diploma of Project Management (Level V).

Successful assessment requires that candidates are able to demonstrate competence (by way of a convincing portfolio of evidence and an interview to substantiate it) against the AQF criteria at each level. Assessment does not occur at the time of the workshop, but is by arrangement (scheduled appointment), and is NOT an exam.

When making an enquiry or booking, please ask our friendly customer service team on 1300 701 314 or info@pm-partners.com.au for guidance as to which level of assessment you may be eligible for.

*An assessment may be booked at the time of workshop registration, with your precise assessment and eligibility level being determined (with the guidance of your facilitator) during the workshop. You may schedule and complete this assessment within a timeframe that best suits you.

Assessment Options – Eligibility Criteria

CERTIFICATE IV in PROJECT MANAGEMENT (BSB 41507) and DIPLOMA OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT (BSB 51407)

Eligibility Criteria for Certificate IV in Project Management:

In order to be eligible for assessment against the competencies of the Certificate IV in Project Management Award you must have:

• Attended formal training covering eight of the nine Knowledge Areas of project management.  This would mean either having attended the PM-Partners group Project Management Fundamentals Workshop (2 days) or alternatively attended nationally recognised training delivered by another provider deemed to meet the formal training requirements.
  
• The ability to prove (by means of project related documentary Portfolio of Evidence, and an interview to substantiate it) that you have contributed to the development, maintenance and actioning of project documentation across the required knowledge areas.

Eligibility Criteria for Diploma in Project Management:

• In order to be eligible for assessment against the competencies of the Diploma of Project Management Award you must have:
  
  Attended formal training covering the nine Knowledge Areas of project management.  This would mean either having attended the PM-Partners group Project Management Professional Development Program (5 days) or the Project Management in Practice component (3 days) provided you have at least 2 years’ experience managing projects or alternatively attended nationally recognised training delivered by another provider deemed to meet the formal training requirements.
• The ability to prove (by means of a project related documentary Portfolio of Evidence, and an interview to substantiate it) that you have managed and controlled the creation, maintenance and actioning of project documentation across the required knowledge areas.  This means that you may not have written documents in their entirety, but that you have overseen their creation and management.

Key differences between Certificate IV and Diploma of Project Management level of assessment as per below:

Certificate IV in Project Management

The Certificate IV candidate must be able to prove (by means of a project related documentary portfolio of evidence, and an interview to substantiate it) that they have contributed to the creation, maintenance and actioning of project documentation in the required competency areas.

Diploma of Project Management

The Diploma candidate must be able to prove (by means of a project related documentary portfolio of evidence, and an interview to substantiate it) that they have managed and controlled the creation, maintenance and actioning of project documentation in the required competency areas.

The Assessment Process:

1. Compile evidence which demonstrates the Certificate IV or Diploma competencies.  Typical examples of evidence include (but are not restricted to):
•  Project plans
•  Reports
•  Reviews
• Meeting minutes
• Emails
• References or testimonials, as supporting evidence
2. Complete your Candidate Submission form
3. Complete the background information section which tells us about your experience as a contributor to projects and provides an introduction to your Portfolio of Evidence
4. Answer the 15 Underpinning Knowledge questions (for Certificate IV assessment) or 16 Underpinning Knowledge questions (for Diploma assessment) in the Candidate Submission document.  These are questions which require half to a full page response.
5. Sign the statutory declaration.
6. Complete the AQTF Learner Questionnaire – this is a compulsory requirement by the AQTF.

A Certificate IV in Project Management and Diploma of Project Management Information Pack is available upon request which provides candidates with guidance and assistance. The pack has been designed to make the process easy to understand and implement, and includes answers to ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and a ‘Typical Evidence’ guide.

Important note about assessments:

PM-Partners group sets no time limit between attendance at a workshop and the date on which you take up your assessment, so if you are unsure about your level of eligibility, you may like to book your assessment at the time of workshop registration and use the workshop (your facilitator can provide you with guidance during your participation), and / or the time spent on projects after the workshop, to prepare yourself and ensure that you’re positioning yourself at the correct level.

Workshop StructureBack to top

This Program has a 5 day duration and comprises the following modules:

Module 1: Project Management Fundamentals (2 days)
(For Project Managers, Team Members and Stakeholders)

This module employs a ‘from the ground up’, end-to-end life cycle approach, introducing the fundamental principles, tools and techniques for managing projects from a project’s inception through to closure. Participants at this level may be absolute beginners, or individuals with low to moderate experience. This workshop is a ‘hands-on’ and highly practical one which uses a real-life project case study, to which the participants will immediately apply their learning. A comprehensive participant handbook is provided, and includes a set of completed sample project management documents.

For a detailed outline of the content and structure of this workshop, please refer to outline TC1177 – Project Management Fundamentals

Module 2: Project Management in Practice (3 days)
(Applying Project Management Thinking to Everyday Project Situations)

This module uses the best practice principles of the PMBOK® Guide Knowledge Areas and Processes as its foundation, to build upon participants’ existing skills and knowledge (gained either through prior Project Fundamentals training or through their experience working in a project environment). It does this by way of a ‘guided tour’ through a series of rigorous and real-life scenarios, problems and issues faced by Project Managers across the board, as well as through the provision of tools, techniques and best practice methods for successfully managing these. Project Management in Practice is led by an expert, senior level facilitator possessing a wealth of project management knowledge and long-term hands-on experience at both the project and program levels. A comprehensive participant handbook is provided.

For a detailed outline of the content and structure of this workshop, please refer to outline TC1178 – Project Management in Practice

This workshop is endorsed by the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). Participants holding any of the Project Management accreditations (CPPP / CPPM / CPPD) are eligible to earn 8 points (CPDs) for each day’s participation in this program.

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Workshop Content Summary Back to top

Module 1 - Days 1 and 2: Project Management Fundamentals

What Makes Projects Succeed?

• Reviewing project successes and their inherent characteristics
• Understanding the factors that contribute to project failure and how project management disciplines and processes target these areas to ensure repeatable delivery success

The Essential Project Management Philosophy

• Defining a project and project management
• Exploring project management parameters – ‘Principle of Triple Constraint’ and trade-offs
• Critical skills for successful project management

The Project Life Cycle

• Examining life cycles and their significance within a project environment
• Examining phase activities, milestones and gates
• Identifying phase deliverables and their importance for ultimate project success

Project Planning

• Scoping the project – understanding and defining the scope, and obtaining key stakeholder signoff
• Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and scheduling
• Understanding the Critical Path and how a Project Manager utilises it for greater project control
• Applying estimating techniques for a more realistic and balanced estimate
• Introducing procurement planning and vendor selection
• Conducting/contributing to quality planning
• Establishing a project baseline, against which to track progress

Project Implementation and Control

• Tracking and controlling the project
• Applying a disciplined change control management method
• Managing third parties
• Managing project quality and understanding its role within continuous organisational improvement
• Reporting and communication

Closing the Project

• Conducting formal project closure
• Post implementation reviewing – gathering, documenting and assimilating lessons learnt

Module 2 - Days 3 to 5: Project Management In Practice

Introduction

• Workshop overview
• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Projects, Programs, Portfolios and their respective management
• Project Management Knowledge Areas of the PMBOK® Guide and their inter-relationship with the Project Life Cycle

Project Integration Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Integration Management and its associated processes
• The crucial role of the Project Manager in Project Integration Management

Project Scope Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Scope Management and its associated processes
• What the Project Manager does to Manage Project Scope
• Effective questioning techniques for scoping a project
• A facilitation method for scoping projects

Project Communications Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Communications Management and its associated processes
• How the Project Manager communicates with stakeholders
• Building an effective Stakeholder Management Plan
• Achieving Stakeholder buy-in
• Negotiating skills for Project Managers

Project Time Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Time Management and its associated processes
• Balancing the schedule against the competing demands of cost, risk and quality
• Calculating the Critical Path and understanding where and how to use it to manage time constraints effectively

Project Cost Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Cost Management and its associated processes
• Cost budgeting with limited information and the ‘human subjectivity’ affecting estimates
• Methods for tracking and controlling costs within a project
• Measuring cost performance through task and project tracking and Earned Value Management – making sense of project cost and progress reporting

Project Quality Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Quality Management and its associated processes
• Balancing Product, Project and People management from a Quality perspective
• Quality Management Tools and Techniques
• Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Project Quality Improvements
• The inter-relationship between cost and Quality
• A process for taking action when Quality goes ‘off the rails’: problem analysis and devising the Remedial Action Plan

Project Procurement Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Procurement Management and its associated processes
• The Vendor/Procurement Management Plan
• Procurement processes
• Applying the ‘Weighted Decision Matrix’ to the vendor selection process
• Overview of contract types

Project Human Resource Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Human Resource Management and its associated processes
• Developing a Project Resource Management Plan
• Planning your team structure – identifying what and whom you need
• Recruitment and selection of team members – evaluating resumes, Interviewing, selection criteria
• Conducting existing team skill levels assessments
• Creating a Performance Management Plan
• Providing feedback, praise and criticism, and managing individual and team performance issues

Project Risk Management

• What the PMBOK® Guide says about Project Risk Management and its associated processes
• Planning for and facilitating a Risk Identification Workshop
• Selling the value of Risk Management
• Managing the non-rational risk management factors affecting stakeholders’ perceptions

Project Management in Review

• Reviewing Project Integration and the role of the Project Manager

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