APM Project Management Training

In the podcast, Tom and Paul explore the APM PPQ assessment criteria related to project reviews and management. They underscore the vital importance of critically evaluating reliable and valid information to assess various project factors across its lifecycle. They also emphasise the significance of aligning reviews with organisational, legal, and regulatory requirements.

Furthermore, they analyse scenarios where deviations from the project plan may arise and discuss strategies for resolving them. The podcast underscores the need for accurately documenting deviations and highlights the advantages of doing so. Additionally, they discuss change control processes and protocols, including a critical assessment of their benefits and features.

Throughout the conversation, they provide valuable insights into effective project management practices.

In this podcast episode, Paul Naybour and Tom O'Shea discuss the PPQ assessment criteria, specifically focusing on 1.1, which relates to governance in project management. They highlight the importance of aligning project structures and hierarchies with the organisation's structure and the chosen project lifecycle. They also discuss the possibility of proposing a different approach to project management if it aligns better with the project's nature.

They emphasise the need to evaluate appropriate structures and hierarchies, considering factors like organisation structure and team setup, especially when taking over an ongoing project. They mention the relevance of the seventh edition of the Body of Knowledge as a reference and provide insights into creating governance structures, such as project boards or steering groups.

The conversation continues with a discussion on establishing roles and responsibilities within a project team, ensuring formal documentation and individual acceptance. They suggest methods like mapping roles to skill sets and conducting workshops to gain team buy-in.

Lastly, they touch on maintaining reporting hierarchies and structures throughout the project's lifecycle, stressing the importance of adapting to changing needs and circumstances. They mention that regular progress reporting can help reinforce accountabilities.

Overall, this podcast episode delves into the complexities of governance, roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures in project management, offering insights and guidance for project managers.

In this Parallel Project Training podcast, Paul Naybour welcomes Tom O'Shea, the new leader of their PPQ programs. Tom shares his extensive involvement with the PPQ, including his role in its initial development and evolution from the previous PQ version. He highlights the PPQ's transition to a more efficient half-day assessment format and discusses his work in guiding and coaching candidates through the PPQ assessment process.

The podcast delves into the PPQ's purpose, positioning it as a crucial bridge between foundational project management knowledge, as covered in the PMQ, and the advanced technical skills required for achieving chartered status. Unlike the PMQ, which focuses on theoretical knowledge, the PPQ emphasises practical application. It requires candidates to demonstrate their project management capabilities in real-world scenarios, particularly through case study assessments.

Thomas explains that these case studies often involve turnaround situations, challenging candidates to apply their knowledge and experience to poorly managed projects. He underscores the importance of practical application in the PPQ, as it assesses the candidates' ability to bring tangible improvements to real-life project scenarios. The podcast aims to provide insights and tips for candidates preparing for the PPQ, emphasizing the value of practical experience over theoretical knowledge in achieving success in the assessment.

In this episode, we discuss competence 7. stakeholder management and communication management. The professional practice criteria are

PP1.1 Determined stakeholder interests, and levels of influence for a project.

PP1.2 Produced a communication plan and undertaken effective stakeholder engagement based upon it.

PP1.3 Monitored effectiveness of the communication plans and stakeholder engagement activities.

PP1.4 Adjusted the communication plan and responded to any changing stakeholder engagement needs.

PP1.5 Employed relevant communication methods and media to meet stakeholder requirements and expectations.

PP1.6 Disseminated clear, timely and relevant information to stakeholders.

PP1.7 Obtained, and responded to, feedback from stakeholders which may have an impact on a project.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030

In this episode, we discuss competence 6. Risk and issue management. the professional practice criteria are

PP1.1 Continually identified risks within a project.

PP1.2 Created a risk register including potential impact and suitable responses.

PP1.3 Assessed the probabilities and impacts of risks and planned their responses.

PP1.4 Capture and recorded issues, how they were resolved, and their implications to inform planning for future projects.

PP1.5 Reacted, assessed, and planned responses to issues.

PP1.6 Implemented responses to risks and issues including escalation, recording lessons learned.

PP1.7 Transferred and/or formally closed unresolved risks at the end of a project or phase.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 5a. Leadership and 5b. Team management

The professional practice criteria for 5A. Leadership

PP1.1 Maintained a team's understanding of, and commitment to the vision, values, and objectives of a project.

PP1.2 Selected an appropriate leadership style based on the situation and/or context.

PP1.3 Collaborated with others to maintain the momentum of a project.

PP1.4 Encouraged others to adopt behaviours which built trust, confidence, and collaboration either within or between teams.

PP1.5 Established environments which presented opportunities for empowered and autonomous working.

PP1.6 Established leadership approaches to work with remote teams, colleagues and stakeholders.

PP1.7 Identified and addressed difficulties and challenges through facilitating open discussions in a timely manner.

The professional practice criteria for 5B. Team management are

PP1.1 Agreed team objectives and ways of working to achieve the vision and goals of a project.

PP1.2 Evaluated the maturity level of the team.

PP1.3 Adopted a proactive approach to communication to establish networks of support and facilitate effective ownership of delegated tasks.

PP1.4 Built a relationship of trust and support, taking into consideration the possible complexities of collaboration, virtual working, time zones and cultures.

PP1.5 Met the demands of a project through balancing individual and team needs.

PP1.6 Provided opportunities for coaching and/or mentoring to members of a team, creating an environment of learning and trust thus promoting continual professional development.

PP1.7 Addressed performance issues likely to negatively impact on the success of a project whilst remaining alert to any signs of stress within the team.

PP1.8 Acknowledged levels of performance through constructive feedback to individuals and teams and celebrated success when evident.

PP1.9 Established a learning culture and promoted continued professional development.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 4a. Integrated planning and 4b. Schedule management

The professional practice criteria for 4A. Integrated planning

PP1.1 Considered constraints and assumptions when creating an integrated plan.

PP1.2 Considered dependencies and governance arrangements, when creating an integrated plan.

PP1.3 Demonstrated compliance with organisational practice when establishing the size, structure, and contents of an integrated plan.

PP1.4 Included other relevant components, plans and documentation to support a comprehensive integrated plan, and ensured formal acceptance of it.

PP1.5 Completed formal sign off and acceptance of an integrated plan.

PP1.6 Continually monitored the progress of a project against the integrated plan.

PP1.7 Adjusted the integrated plan utilising a change control process

PP1.8 Applied configuration management to a plan once it had been formally accepted.

The professional practice criteria for 4B. Schedule management are

PP1.1 Defined tools and techniques for creating and updating a schedule.

PP1.2 Established units of measure to accurately define activities and events to be completed during a project.

PP1.3 Developed duration estimates and critical dates for each activity and event.

PP1.4 Determined relationships and dependencies between activities and events, when constructing a schedule.

PP1.5 Documented a schedule of phases, milestones, and reviews to support project monitoring and progress reporting.

PP1.6 Agreed a schedule baseline, exceptions, and tolerance thresholds.

PP1.7 Communicated regular schedule updates to internal or external stakeholders.

PP1.8 Refined a schedule of activities based on effective monitoring, implementing the change control process when required.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies 3a. governance and 3b. reviews.

The professional practice criteria for 3A. Governance are

PP1.1 Defined reporting, decision-making hierarchies, and levels of authority for a project.

PP1.2 Established the relationship between a project's governance and the organisation's governance structures.

PP1.3 Designed the project governance structure taking into account context, complexity, and potential impact.

PP1.4 Adapted or adjusted the governance structure as required

PP1.5 Ensured clarity of ownership and levels of authority by agreeing the responsibilities and accountabilities with relevant individuals.

PP1.6 Ensured effective decision making through maintained governance structures.

PP1.7 Ensured effective reporting through maintained governance structures for appropriate staffing and maintenance

The professional practice criteria for 3B. Reviews are

PP1.1 Considered factors which need to be evaluated during a review.

PP1.2 Established and implemented a schedule of reviews incorporating key milestones.

PP1.3 Obtained appropriate information from valid sources to inform the reviews.

PP1.4 Maintained records of any deviations from plans to include reasons for and responses to, the deviations. PP1.5 Communicated the outcomes of reviews to relevant stakeholders.

PP1.6 Confirmed stakeholder understanding and acceptance of proposed actions.

PP1.7 Implemented agreed actions and updated lessons learned.

PP1.8 Conducted and documented a close out review.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss competencies, 2a. Change control and 2b. Conflict management.

The professional practice criteria for 2A. Change control;

PP1.1 Established a suitable change control process.

PP1.2 Implemented and maintained a suitable change control process.

PP1.3 Captured and recorded proposed changes to the agreed project scope.

PP1.4 Determined the high-level impact of proposed changes to the project scope including reference to relevant sources.

PP1.5 Determined the detailed impact on time and cost estimates of options relating to a proposed change.

PP1.6 Reached justified recommendations on the approval, rejection, or deferral of proposed changes to a project and updated stakeholders as necessary.

PP1.7 Updated plans and schedules reflecting the approved changes to a project demonstrating configuration management.

PP1.8 Used trend analysis to help determine the performance of the current and future projects.

The professional practice criteria for 2b. Conflict management;

PP1.1 Taken a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential conflict situations which may have impacted on the project.

PP1.2 Taken an impartial approach to investigating the cause of conflict.

PP1.3 Evaluated and implemented conflict resolution measures, seeking assistance from others when necessary.

PP1.4 Responded appropriately and promptly to conflict situations where intervention was required.

PP1.5 Monitored the extent to which conflict resolution measures have been successful.

PP1.6 Sought to resolve conflict respecting the views, opinions, and concerns of all parties.

PP1.7 Supported others to resolve conflict.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.

In this episode, we discuss the first two competencies, 1a. budgetting and cost control, and 1b. financial management.

The professional practice criteria for 1A. Budgetting and cost control are;

PP1.1 Established estimates for different project costs.

PP1.2 Established and gained agreement to a project budget.

PP1.3 Set up funding drawdown arrangements based on cash flow forecasts.

PP1.4 Applied metrics to establish cost trends within a project.

PP1.5 Refined budget allocations based on cost analysis, applying change control processes as required.

PP1.6 Produced financial reports for stakeholders based on financial performance monitoring.

PP1.7 Upon project closure, produced final financial reports and distributed them to relevant stakeholders.

The professional practice criteria for 1B. Financial management are;

PP1.1 Established estimates for different project costs.

PP1.2 Established and gained agreement to a project budget.

PP1.3 Set up funding drawdown arrangements based on cash flow forecasts.

PP1.4 Applied metrics to establish cost trends within a project.

PP1.5 Refined budget allocations based on cost analysis, applying change control processes as required.

PP1.6 Produced financial reports for stakeholders based on financial performance monitoring.

PP1.7 Upon project closure, produced final financial reports and distributed them to relevant stakeholders.

For more guidance on the Association for Project Management Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or any other project management training, please visit www.parallelprojecttraining.com or call 0118 321 5030.