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

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

In order to be awarded either the Certificate IV in Project Management, or the Diploma of Project Management as described above, candidates must demonstrate competence at Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level IV (for Certificate IV in Project Management) and / or Level V (for Diploma of Project Management) respectively in the nationally endorsed project management competency standards. Each competency standard is made up of Elements, broken down into individual Performance Criteria.

Demonstration of these competency standards must be in the form of documentary evidence, and every Performance Criterion must be successfully demonstrated.

Typical examples of evidence include (but are not restricted to):

• Project plans
• Reports
• Reviews
• Meeting minutes
• Emails
• References or testimonials, as supporting evidence

An assessment kit is available upon request, which provides candidates with guidance and assistance. The kit has been designed to make the process easy to understand and implement, and includes answers to ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and a ‘Typical Evidence’ guide.

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.

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.

• 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