PMP Qualifications Archives - Project Accelerator News

Is Project Management Certification Worth It?

MS — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 17:13:41 +0000

What usually makes someone a “good” project manager is their experience, the fact that they have made mistakes and learnt from them in a real project environment and that they have achieved success in real world projects. Experience on a range of projects and, most particularly, on complex projects can never be under-estimated. But neither can the right sort of academic qualifications and relevant professional certification. A project manager with the right credentials, such as one with an APM PMQ or PMP Certification, is not necessarily better at leading and directing projects, but the qualification itself is an indication of how serious that person is to be recognised as a professional. That in itself is an indication of drive and determination to succeed, which are qualities that are far more likely to contribute to a successful project as well as to a successful career.

Of course, it is true that some organisations actively encourage their employees to become certified, and some even insist on it. They provide the opportunity, the funding and the time away from the office to achieve this. Some companies even offer salary rises for people who gain the PMP Certification. But there are also many smaller, successful organisations which do not place so much emphasis on these industry-recognised credentials which may be for cultural reasons or simply a lack of training budget. That may, however, be changing as project management moves more towards being recognised as a profession in the way that accountancy and law are with their emphasis on qualifications and continuous professional development.

There are many experienced project managers who would argue that they have proved their worth with academic qualifications and other relevant qualifications over the years of their careers, not to mention their extensive experience so why would they be interested in yet more credentials. Well one reason is that of continuous professional development and another, perhaps more important, reason is the advantage when it comes to enhanced career prospects.

So why is it worth obtaining a PMP certification?

The PMP certification is an indication to a new employer that you have the proper amount of relevant experience and training and have a good enough understanding of the PMI Body of Knowledge and more general project management principles to pass the exam. The stringent pre-requisites to the exam mean that this is not just a paper credential – you can only take the exam if you can demonstrate that you have between 3 and 5 years of practical experience running projects.

So the fact that many employers place such a significant amount of weight on this credential is understandable. Many organisations do not even interview people without this designation, which may be unfortunate for the many highly successful people who previously did not have the need for this type of credential. For example is a project manager with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree and 10 years practical experience a less suitable candidate than one with only a bachelor’s degree and 3 years experience but also PMP Training? Some employers might think so but it would be encouraging to believe that, in a professional world, employers can see beyond certain credentials. Nevertheless, as times change in the project management world so too must project managers.

So, quite simply, project management courses that lead to internationally-recognised credentials such as PMP Certification, APM PFQ and the other APM credentials such as APM PMQ (previously known as APMP) are worth the effort. They draw attention to your CV and get you in the door for the all-important interview where you can impress a prospective employer with your knowledge and previous experience.

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A Quick PMP Certification Checklist

MS — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 11:32:35 +0000

The PMP certification is one of the biggest challenges faced by project managers in their career. It is the gold standard for project management professionals, and there are more than 750,000 certified project managers worldwide. To maintain certification, project managers must continue to meet professional development requirements.

Although it can be a lot of work, there’s a significant benefit for becoming certified. On average, certified project managers make $112,000 a year and report a 23% higher median salary than those without a certification. As project managers can be eligible to take the exam as early as 3 years into their career, being certified can have a significant advantage on lifetime earnings.

Often the biggest barrier to getting certified is understanding the process and the steps involved to get the PMP certification. With two out of five test takers failing their first attempt at the exam, it’s super important to be prepared before taking the test. Here are the five key steps to becoming a certified project manager:

Step 1: Fulfill Eligibility Criteria

There are two ways you can become eligible to take the PMP certification exam. First, if you have a four-year degree, you will need to also have 3 years of project management experience, 4500 hours leading/directing projects, and 35 contact hours of formal education. If you have a secondary degree, you must have 5 years of project management experience, 7500 hours leading/directing projects, and 35 contact hours of formal education.

Step 2: Complete Application

Allow yourself time to complete the application as you must provide documentation that you have met the eligibility requirements. Thankfully, there are several online resources available to help you document your previous experience.

Step 3: Review Your Application

Once the PMI (Project Management Institute) receives your application, it will take about five to ten days for them to review your application to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. The PMI does randomly audit applications so if you do not hear back from them within two weeks, you may be part of the randomly selected applications that will be audited to confirm your education and experience.

Step 4: Pay & Schedule Your Exam

Once your application is approved, you will receive an eligibility number that will allow you to pay and schedule your exam. If you are a PMI member, the exam will cost $405. For non-members, the exam will cost $555.

Step 5: Prepare for the Exam

According to the PMI, test takers spend more than 35 hours preparing for the exam. Thankfully, the PMI offers several resources including their must-read book, The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), which will help in preparing for the exam.

For a comprehensive guide on these five steps with useful free resources, please visit https://hive.com/pmp-certification/

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Why come to London for PMP certification

Paul Naybour — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 08:33:05 +0000

For individuals looking to further their careers as project managers, the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a natural next step. This certification, based on the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK), is both widely accepted and recognised by companies around the world as one of the most prestigious certification a project manager can obtain. From the United States to emerging economies in Asia, project managers from around the world are obtaining their PMP certification.

While PMP certification training and testing may not be the most exciting thing for someone to do this year, one tip offered to help alleviate the stress of the week is to turn this certification into an exciting vacation. By taking their PMP certification in an exciting city, individuals can solely focus on the books during the day and completely unwind in the evenings. One city that offers exceptional PMP training and an exciting night life is London.

Why Take the PMP Certification

Individuals who have been project managers for several years may feel that taking the PMP Certification course would be redundant. For professionals looking to set themselves apart from their co-workers, this certification shows their employers their dedication to the project management field.

The PMP Certification course also exposes its students to mainstream thinking on current trends and techniques in the project management field. These new ideas help ignite the creative juices in the minds and professional lives of its students.

Most PMP Certification training classes offer a great opportunity for project manager professionals to network with one another. The networking opportunities with other students can prove to be valuable contacts should the need for a change in companies arise.

Why Come to London for PMP Certification

London is home to one of the largest concentrations of interesting and exciting attractions in all of Great Britain. For night owls, the intriguing restaurants and high-powered nightlife will rival any other city in Europe. Individuals looking to soak in as much of London as possible will need to add the following attractions to their to-do list:

Buckingham Palace

For visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family, this whopping 775-room palace is a sight to see. All year long, visitors are able to witness the world-renowned Changing The Guard in front of the Buckingham Palace. During the summer months, visitors to the palace are allowed to view and tour the lavishly decorated State Rooms of the Palace.

British Museum

History buffs from all around the world will love the remarkable collection of the British Museum. Founded in 1753, the British Museum has spent the last couple hundred years collecting pieces that span over two millions years of human history. Visitors will enjoy exhibits featuring Egyptian mummies, Parthenon sculptures, and the Rosetta Stone.

Freud (cocktail bar)

This restaurant oddity creates exciting stories that visitors to London will love telling their friends and family back home. The entrance to this word-of-mouth bar is less than exciting, with its only entrance accessed from a basement that appears to be staff only. The menu features a generous number of high-quality cocktails and several bottled beers that will help you relax and unwind after a long day of studying.

A growing number of project manager professionals are taking their PMP Certification courses in fun and exciting cities around the world. London not only offers one of the highest quality PMP Certification courses available, but it also offers a chance for its students to have the time of their life exploring everything that London has to offer. Parallel Project Training are an PMI Registered Education Provider (REP) and offer a wide range of dates for PMP Certification in London.

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The PMP Exam Changes in 2013. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Cornelius Fichtner — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:48:20 +0000

The fifth edition of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: (PMBOK® Guide) was published in December of 2012. It is the latest edition of this global project management standard published by the Project Management Institute (PMI)®. The release of this new edition has consequences for anyone who is preparing for (or thinking about preparing for) the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam.

In a nutshell: On July 31st 2013 the PMP exam will be revised to be consistent with the PMBOK® Guide fifth edition. Here are my recommendations for all PMP aspirants out there planning on attending courses in project management:

General recommendation

There is no better time than now. If you want to get PMP certified then start studying right away and plan on taking your exam before June 30th 2013. You want to get your exam out of the way at least one month before the actual exam change, because the last 4 weeks before the changeover will see a “mad rush”. PMP candidates all over the world will be scrambling to “squeeze” their exam dates into July, so seats at the testing centers will be hard to get.

You are taking the PMP exam before July 31st 2013

If you are taking your PMP exam before the changeover, then you are taking the “current” PMP Exam. This exam is based on the PMBOK® Guide fourth edition (published 2008). Minor updates have been made to this exam in 2011. You must ensure the following:

– Study the PMBOK® Guide fourth (4th) edition

– Ensure that all your study materials are based on the PMBOK® Guide fourth (4th) edition

– Ensure that any online or in-classroom prep courses you take are based on the PMBOK® Guide fourth (4th) edition

You are taking the PMP exam on/after July 31st 2013

If you are planning to take your PMP exam after the changeover, then you are taking the “new” PMP Exam. This exam will be based on the PMBOK® Guide fifth edition (published 2012). You must ensure the following:

– Study the PMBOK® Guide fifth (5th) edition – it’s already available in stores

– Ensure that all your study materials are based on the PMBOK® Guide fifth (5th) edition

– Ensure that any online or in-classroom prep courses you take are based on the PMBOK® Guide fifth (5th) edition

– Contact your training material provider before you buy any materials that aren’t clearly marked with “Updated for PMBOK® Guide fifth (5th) edition” or a similar notice.

You should also avoid scheduling your exam exactly on July 31st 2013. This is the day of the changeover and who knows what might happen. Furthermore, in the past PMI has used the first few weeks after introducing a new exam to update its examination reporting processes. This meant that for a short period of time examination results were not available immediately following the examination. So in essence you won’t know right away if you have passed or not. If you fall into this period then what you should do is smile: Yes! Smile with the knowledge that you are helping PMI to assess the new exam. You have just done a great service to PMI and all other PMP exam takers coming after you. Thank you.

Ask about PMP Exam Prep Product Updates

PMP exam training providers across the globe are currently working hard to update their products. Ask your training provider by when their new materials will be available and if you get a discount as a current customer. Remember that even though you may plan on taking your exam before the changeover there is a chance that you may get delayed and then you’ll have to take the “new” exam. So you want to make sure that you don’t have to pay the full price again to buy all the updated material. Expect to pay some, but not full. As an example, here is how we do it:

Final Recommendation

My final recommendation to all PMP candidates is that you should plan ahead. Look at your schedule availability for the coming months and factor in time for personal and professional activities like vacations, trade shows, family gatherings, weekend work, etc. If you determine that you can commit about 1-3 hours every day for 10 weeks and study for your PMP exam, then go ahead and get your certification done now. But if you have the slightest doubt about your schedule availability then postpone your exam until after July 31st 2013.

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An Introduction to the PMI-ACP® Exam

Cornelius Fichtner — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:49:56 +0000

Do you use Agile practices, tools, and techniques in your projects? Do you belong to an organization that is in the process of adopting or is already implementing projects using the Agile philosophy, methodologies, principles, and practices? Do you want to demonstrate your expertise in Agile practices, tools, and techniques? Then you may be ready to take the next step and become a PMI^® Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)^®. Before you begin there are a few vital things you should understand, such as the eligibility requirements to apply for the PMI-ACP^® exam, the application process, and what to expect when sitting for the exam.

There are four areas of requirements that must be met in order to be eligible to take the PMI-ACP^® Exam. The first is to have a secondary degree, such as a High School Diploma, Associate’s Degree or global equivalent. The second is to have and to be able to document at least 2,000 hours of general experience working on project teams. This general project experience must have taken place within the past five years and is project experience that is not necessarily Agile-related. Already having an active PMP^® or PgMP^® certification will satisfy this general project requirement without additional documentation. The third requirement is that you must be able to document at least 1,500 hours of experience working on Agile teams or using Agile methods in the past three years. The final requirement is that you must earn at least 21 contact hours covering Agile-related topics, which may include; Agile philosophy, methodologies, principles, or practices. These hours must be earned before you are scheduled to sit for the exam.

If you still need to earn your contact hours this can be accomplished through a variety of sources, including; a PMI Registered Education provider, a PMI Chapter, a PMI Community of Practice (CoP), individual employer/company training programs, professional training companies, and a variety of schools or universities. Visit www.pmi.org for more information to determine if a specific program qualifies to satisfy the necessary contact hours to sit for the exam. Most of them do, as long as there is an end-of-course assessment whose results can be documented. Two things to remember when it comes to contact hours are that one hour of training equals one contact hour, and that each contact hour must focus on Agile-related topics.

The application for the PMI-ACP^® exam can either completed online at www.pmi.org or it can be downloaded and submitted by mail. If you select to apply online you will have 90 days to complete the application process. The process time for an online application is generally 10 days, whereas if you elect to complete a paper copy it can take up to 20 days to process, in addition to the time it takes to reach PMI^®.

Before you start the application process, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements as previously described above and that can document how you meet the requirements. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when documenting both your general project experience hours and your Agile project experience hours. First of all, you cannot claim the hours from the same project for both general project experience and Agile project experience. In other words, the 2,000 hours of general project experience and the 1,500 hours of Agile project experience have to be mutually exclusive. Secondly, the experience you document cannot be overlapping. For example, if you worked on a project during the months of January, February, and March and another project during the months of March, April, and May, you can only count five months of experience (January through May) not six because the projects overlapped in March. The 21 contact hours in the area of Agile practices can be earned in a variety of ways as mentioned above and each provider should provide documentation proving you have successfully completed each hour of education. Also, as part of the application process you will be required to read and agree to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the Certification Application/Renewal Agreement.

Keep in mind as you complete the application process that there is a possibility that your application will be selected for an audit. PMI randomly audits all applications received and it is therefore very important that you keep a copy all of your experience and contact hour documentation until you have at least received notification that you are eligible to take the PMI-ACP^® exam. If you are selected to be audited you will have 90 days to submit audit materials, and the audit process usually takes 5-7 days.

Once your application is reviewed and accepted, and you have paid the application fee you will have one year from the date of acceptance to take the PMI-ACP^® exam and you are allowed up to three attempts to pass within that year. The PMI-ACP^®exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions that need to be answered in three hours. The questions on the exam are equally divided between the topics of Agile Tools and Techniques, and Agile Knowledge and Skills. Computer-based testing is the standard method for taking the PMI-ACP^® exam. However, a paper-based test can be made available for special circumstances. There is also a tutorial you can take before starting the exam to help you gain familiarity with how to take a Computer-Based Exam. One thing to remember is that there are no scheduled breaks during the exam, so if you elect to take a break the clock on the exam continues to run. Also, at this time the PMI-ACP^® exam is only offered in English and language aids are not available.

Obtaining your PMI-ACP^® certificate demonstrates to others your knowledge of Agile practices, tools, and techniques. Make sure you understand PMI’s most recent requirements to qualify to take the exam and go to www.pm-prepcast.com/Agile for additional information about the PMI-ACP^®exam and the exam process.

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Top 10 Recommended Web Sites for Free PMP Exam Sample Questions

Cornelius Fichtner — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:22:07 +0000

After eight years as a project management trainer, I have helped more than 20,000 students prepare for their Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam. In my experience along the way, I’ve found one thing that unites them all: They all want to practice with free PMP Exam sample questions.

In an effort to help, I have identified 10 web sites that offer free PMP Exam sample questions. I recommend each of them for the quality of their questions.

www.oliverlehmann.com. Hands down, this web site has the toughest questions around. If you are able to answer more than 50% correctly, then hats off to you. Lehmann provides sample questions in a variety of formats. From the site, you can take a free 75-question simulated, timed (90 minute) exam. He also includes a link to over 3,000 free sample questions (4,000 for PMI members) as well as a download option (PDF) for an additional 175 sample questions, which is also available in German. What’s more, smartphone owners can access another 30 free questions for their iPhone/iPad and/or Android in the iTunes Store and Android Market, respectively.

http://www.preparepm.com/mock1.html. This site offers two different free “mock exams”—the first has 70 questions; the second has 28 questions, and the answers to the questions are included at the end of each exam. What I like most about this site, however, is that you can filter the sample questions by the various knowledge areas covered in the exam (i.e., questions on Risk Management, or Quality Management, or Ethics, etc.), so you can focus your studies on the areas where you think you need the most help. The site also includes a link to a free, timed 200-question PMP practice exam (although you do have to register on the site).

http://www.examcentral.net/pmp/pmp-exam-questions#. This PMP Exam study site includes a huge,sample-question test bank—over 1,000 free practice exam questions. Once you register on the site, you’ll be able to access the vast test bank, as well as an unlimited number of full-length mock exams, customizable PMP flashcards, and a PMP dictionary. Two nice features of note on this site: first, once you take a practice exam, you can re-open it for review; second, the practice exam provides you with visual, analytical progress reporting, so you know exactly where you stand during your mock exam.

http://certification.about.com/od/projectmanagement/a/pmp_test_whiz.htm. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, this excerpt from Whizlabs’ PMP Exam Simulator gives you 20 free PMP sample questions to test your readiness. There are five questions per page, and the answers–as well as explanations for each question–are available at the bottom of each page. In addition, the site provides suggested reading, related articles and resources for each question, giving you additional support in areas where you may need more help.

http://www.tutorialspoint.com/pmp-exams/pmp_mock_exams.htm. Offering 200 objective sample questions (and their answers) on each of two mock exams, this site will give you a good idea of what you’ll see on the actual exam. Unique to this site, you’ll be able to see a pattern or progression of exam questions based on the PMBOK areas of knowledge.

http://pmhub.net/pmsuccess/Menu.htm. Why not turn your PMP exam studying into a game? PMPHub publishes a new (free) Question of the Day every day, as well as the Answer and Explanation to yesterday’s Question of the Day. Return to the site tomorrow to see the answer to today’s question. A distinguishing feature of the site is the “Source of Answer” section after each question, which shows you exactly where to look in the PMBOK for help or more direction. Also unique, PMHub offers a bilingual (English/Chinese) test bank!

http://www.ajithn.com/login.php. The free, sample exam on the PMP Question World site is rather like the old Choose Your Own Adventure books; you decide how many questions you’d like to answer in your mock exam. Possible questions come from all nine PMBOK knowledge areas, and you can take the mock exam as many times as you like. The sample exam does not display correct answers; however, practice questions — with their answers–are also available on the site. You can also “share” questions with your fellow PMP exam-takers.

http://www.passionatepm.com/free-pmp-exam-practice-test-questions. Hoping to provide training that will “rock your face off,” the Passionate Project Management site offers you three free, timed practice exams — a 15-question/18-minute option, a 50-question/60-minute option, and a 100-question/120-minute option. Once you take the practice exam, you’ll see your score (%) as it relates to the passing score for that mock exam. You can then Review the Quiz, going back over both your correct and incorrect answers.

http://www.free-pm-exam-questions.com/. How would you like to have free PMP sample questions delivered right to your Inbox? A simple registration gets you just that — a series of free sample questions, as well as a Weekly PMP Exam Tips newsletterdelivered right to you. You’ll continue to receive fresh content, as new questions are always being created and added. Sit back and let the sample questions come to you. (Disclaimer: This is my own sample questions web…but I think it’s good; otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it — or produce it :-).

http://free.pm-exam-simulator.com/. The PM Exam Simulator gives you the opportunity to practice taking the PMP Exam in a way that mimics the actual exam. The Simulator feeds you questions of the same style and difficulty that you’ll see on the exam and proportionately as far as the correct process group (i.e., Initiation=11%, Planning =23%, etc.). You’ll experience various types of questions, from formula-based questions to interpretational questions. Another plus for this site is that you can take the practice exam in three modes: Real Exam Mode (just like the real PMP exam experience); Timed Mode (receive hints and answers, but still adhere to a limited time); or Learning Mode (receive hints and answers with no time limit). Try the Exam Simulator for three days — free! (Disclaimer: This is my own simulator.)

Obviously, exam simulators and sample questions are often a very good indicator of your readiness to take the exam. Generally speaking, if you are able to correctly answer at least 85% or more of the sample or practice questions on your first try, you’re probably ready to take your PMP certification exam. Note that answering a question correctly on your second try doesn’t count, since you will only have one chance in the real exam. So, for example, a simulator with 1,800 questions gives you 1,800 “first tries.” This is plenty to build your confidence and gauge when you are ready to take the exam. Of course, the 85% rule is just a rule of thumb, but if you want to know how you are doing it is a useful benchmark against which to assess your abilities.

Sample questions are extremely helpful in preparing for the exam; however, remember that free questions aren’t everything. I recommend you also subscribe to a commercial exam simulator so that you can practice in a “real” environment using realistic exam questions. After all…free questions are free and may only take you so far.

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Free PMP Prep Podcasts PMBok Chapter 12 Project Procurement Management

Paul Naybour — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:33:37 +0000

Parallel Project Training is proud to announce the launching of its PMP prep podcasts PMBok Chapter 12. Complete and comprehensive coverage of the PMBok guide is made available in 15 podcasts to start off with their PMP certification. You can check Parallel Project Training Website for the release of its first major podcast which was simultaneously launched on iTunes. Your busy schedules will be accommodated with its certified podcasts to help you gain confidence as you take your PMP certification test.

Spear headed by Paul Naybour and Adrian Taggar, the podcasts are guaranteed to be comprehensive and extensive with regards to the introduction, topics, guides, tips and information contained within the 15 podcasts. A distinct gentleman and an authority in APM PMQ podcasts, a project management consultant and account manager with particular expertise in the analysis, process development, and implementation of change program management, risk management, earned value management, and bespoke project management training development and delivery, Paul will help you facilitate your learning experience. Along with Adrian Taggart who is known for his experience as a PMP trainer, your preparations for the exam will be successful.Paul’s APM PMQ podcasts was a success in UK with over a 100,000 downloads. With a ten year experience in teaching PMP, a credential that supports his expertise, Paul has this to say, “Our APM PMQ podcasts have been so successful, with such positive feedback, we have been trying to find the time to record a set to support those preparing for the PMP credential, we get many subscribers in the USA and we hope they find the PMI based material of more reliance that the APM based podcasts”. “We are delighted that we have finally found the time to get this PMP Podcast in the can”.

Adrian Taggart added,” we tried to relate the PMP content to the practical experience delivering project around the world. It was quite a challenge condensing a whole week of training into 15 short podcasts, but we hope people find them of value”.

To give you a hint on Parallel Project Training first podcast, PMP®Prep Prod covers:

1. What is the Project Management Institute?

2. What is PMP credential?

3. What is the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge and how it is related to the project management body of knowledge?

4. What is the process to apply for the exam?

5. Hints and tip to help you prepare the PMP exam.

What is a PMBok? PMBok stands for Project Management Body of knowledge. It integrates all project management aspects and its division or compartmental field of study. Related project management field of study are as follows:

• PROJECT PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT – a field of study in project management related to Procurement planning, Solicitation planning, Solicitation, Source selection, Contract administration and Contract closeout.

• PROJECT INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT – a field of study in project management related to Project plan development, Project plan execution and Integrated change control

• PROJECT SCOPE MANAGEMENT – a field of study in project management related to Initiation or initializing of projects, Scope planning, Scope definition—subdividing the major project deliverables into smaller, more manageable components, Scope verification and Scope change control.

• PROJECT TIME MANAGEMENT – a field of study in project management related to Activity definition, Activity sequencing, Activity duration estimating, Schedule development and Schedule control

These are just a few related fields of study that comprise project management. Getting ready for an exam needs a lot of preparation including attendance on project management courses covering your particular area of study. With Paul Naybour and Adrian Taggart heading Parallel Project Training with its release of its free PMP Prep Podcasts PMBok Chapter 12 Project Procurement Management, you can have your busy schedule and still prepare for your much awaited PMP exam with confidence.

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Free PMP Prep Podcasts PMBok Chapter 11 Project Risk Management

Paul Naybour — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:05:36 +0000

With more than 600,000 members in over 185 countries around the world, the Project Management Institute is the global standard-bearer for the project management profession. PMI sets the standards for certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP,) engages in research into leadership and problem-solving, leads training seminars, and advocates for the roles of project managers. The overall goal of PMI is to “ensure that all projects will always be executed in the most ideal of circumstances”

The “Bible” of the PMI is the PMBOK Guide, an overall tool for analyzing, conceptualizing, and engaging with projects at both the generic and specific levels. The basic principle of the guide is process, defined through three categories: inputs, tools, and outputs. Five process groups are identified: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing. Nine areas of knowledge are also uncovered: integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement. This structure forms a matrix so that each process can be matched with exactly one area of knowledge and one process group.

Parallel Project Training has recently begun offering a series of PMP podcasts in support of its prep certification training – one of its many project management courses in London, recorded by Paul Naybour and Adrian Taggart. Its latest episode covers Chapter 10 of the PMBOK Guide, Project Risk Management. A summary of the material covered is as follows:Project risk management is both the art and science of responding to risk so as to meet project objectives. Risk management is tantamount to insurance, a kind of investment. Risk utility involves the emotional feeling of satisfaction that is experienced when a risk pays off.

Risk identification, quantification, response development, and response control are the processes by which a project manager engages with risk throughout the course of a project. Each knowledge area corresponds to a condition of risk:

integration, to inadequate planning
scope, to poor definition
time, to errors of time and resource availability
cost, to lack of productivity
quality, to substandard workmanship
human resources, to poor organization and conflict management
communication, to poor planning
risk, to poor insurance
and procurement, to lack of enforcement in contracts

Risk quantification involves calculating risk factors and their potential impact on the project, for example, through Expected Monetary Value analysis. Simulations can be used to create a statistical distribution of expected results. The judgment of experts can also be taken into account in processes designed to reach consensus.

Some strategies for risk mitigation include mitigating technical risks, by increasing the quality of project supervision and monitoring; mitigating cost risks, by improving cost management and team support; and
mitigating scheduling risks, by selecting an experienced project manager.

Contingency plans are an important strategy for risk management, specifying the course of action that the team will take if the risk event occurs.

Project managers must effectively set a course of action based on a number of variables, including why the risk is (or is not) important in relation to the project objectives, the strategy of risk mitigation, the individuals responsible for implementing and overseeing the plan, the resource commitment to mitigating the risk, and the goals that will let the team know if the plan is succeeding.

Risk response control is the means by which the plan is monitored and implemented, which may involve making unplanned decisions if contingency plans prove to be inadequate. Risk tracking is the strategy of maintaining an awareness of a particular risk throughout the course of a project. A system of documenting the risk can be set up in order to ensure that the risk is kept within manageable boundaries.

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Free PMP Prep Podcasts PMBok Chapter 10 Project Communication Management

Paul Naybour — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:16:48 +0000

This area of PMP prep podcasts chapter ten focuses mostly on stakeholders and it makes sure that they understand the terms of communication. It is also about project communication management outputs that are going to be exchanged during the course of a project like minutes of the meeting, status updates, report and deliverables. Project managers come up with effective plans so that they can outline the person that is going to receive communication, who to deliver, how the message is going to be delivered and when communication is going to be delivered. All the information has been summarized in a communication plan and it is created at the planning phase.

These free podcasts are just part of our PMP Certification Training programme – one of the many professional project management courses available.

There are four important points that should be considered when it comes to preparing a communication plan. Some of the points that should be considered are defining the requirements, defining the audience, creating a good communication schedule and looking for a team member that is responsible in scheduling communication, defining medium of communication and creating the content well.One of the simplest areas when it comes to creating communication plan is defining the audience. In this area what should be done is listening to stakeholders who want information about events of the project. There are so many tools that are be used in communication like internet, fax, phone, email and instant messaging. Besides that, there are different types of techniques that can be used in managing communication. The first technique to use is establishing a good project communication management schedule that plans events daily, so that it keeps clients posted throughout the project. The second technique to use is managing flow of information during the time of the project.

When it comes to looking for team members, a project manager can do this without asking for assistance but the manager must involve executives in communication just to make sure that there is a lot of commitment in the project. Presenting information smoothly is vital especially to stakeholders. This is because they do not take part in the project but they have to know what is happening. During this stage a good medium of communication should be used so that information is delivered appropriately to all stakeholders.

It is the duty of the project manager to prepare content of communication. The project manager should check the content before submitting to stakeholders. What should be mentioned in the content are steps and roles that team members use, purpose of the process and many more. The manger should use a template when preparing the content because it speeds up the final process.

The key in getting a good output is by communicating with team members. It is also a good time of discussing the steps and strategies which should be used. Besides that, stakeholders should be informed of what the manager is doing. There is no need of surprising them. Communication can be used in various forms but make sure that it targets stakeholders, management team and the right audience. When the project comes to an end it is good to issue a memo and give out to all the members of the team and other people who should be told that the project has come to an end. Therefore, it is good to set a good accountability. There is no doubt at all that, turnarounds in PMP prep podcasts are dynamic and it is vital to update information every time so that visibility and control can be maintained.

A good management plan should identify project stakeholders and their needs. This includes the type of communication that is required, level and method of communication. In order to plan a project communication, it is good to use a stakeholder register and stakeholder management strategy. They are created during the process of identifying stakeholders. Some of the techniques and tools that are used during in this process are communication technology, communication models, communication methods and communication requirements. But, the output of the whole process of communication is management plan. There are also other plans that must be updated.

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Free PMP Prep Podcasts PMBok Chapter 9 Project Human Resource Management

Paul Naybour — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:47:34 +0000

PMP Prep Podcasts PMBOK states clearly in Chapter nine that a project manager should be responsible for the team and not one member of the team. It is the duty of the manger to make sure that the team develops competency, team interaction and create a good environment for the team so that performance of the project can be enhanced. The team manager should be responsible for creating good training plans for project members so that they can gain competency in executing the project.

If members of the team go for training together they will build the team. There are team building activities that can be schedule like: informal communication and trust building activities when the team meets for meeting the first time. Members who help the team to reach its objectives should be rewarded and this should be part of human resources plan before the team starts work. According to PMP Prep Podcasts PMBOK personal preferences as well as cultural differences should be considered when establishing a project system reward. The rewards should not only be monetary compensation but also opportunities that are required to grow and apply new skills to face challenges that will rise. Rewards that will be awarded during the project are vital because they are going to be shaping the behavior of the project compared to those rewards which will be given when the project is complete. For project managers who have undergone training in small groups they vividly understand how to teams are suppose to be formed. PMBOK describes the whole process of team building as forming, storming, performing, adjourning and norming.Human resource-management is the process of ensuring that all members in the team are working in the project. Good human resource management is whereby everybody body in the team is working efficiently with other members of the team and tasks which they have been assigned to do. The key to any successful project is human resources-management. According to PMBOK human resources-management is grouped in to four processes. The first process is known as human resource planning. This is the process of planning members who are required in the team to do the project. The project manager must know how many members are required so that the job can be done and completed on time. Besides that, it is also the process of knowing what specialists require. Human resources plan should not be removed as part of the project but included.Another process of human resources-management is acquisition. This is the process of hiring, negotiating, training and interviewing people. But, for the process to start there must be a good human resource plan as well as estimates that are reliable. If few employees are employed, the over allocation is going to be at risk but if many people are employed the project is going to be scattered. The third process of human resources management is developing members of the team. At this stage some of the activities that are highly encouraged are team building practices. Some of the team building activities are facilitating communication, having a meeting with the members and taking the team to different types of games.Team building activities are essential because they create a sense within the community. When members of the team clash the best way of solving this is through conflict resolution. Therefore, it is vital to make sure that potential problems are settled before the condition becomes worse. The last process in human resources management is team management. This is whereby all human resources plans are implemented in the right way. The project manager must make sure that teamwork is practiced and everybody in the team is working efficiently.

This PMP Exam Prep Podcasts is available from Parallel Project Training and PMP Certification

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