One of the more thought provoking presentaions at the recent Project Challenge Show in Birmingham was by Dot Tudor of TCC. She firmly believes that there is too often a disconnect between IT project managers and IT service managers.
The following diagram emphasises the degree of overlap and inter-relationship between PRINCE2, DSDM and ITIL. Her presentation (follow link below) works towards an integrated roadmap.
By the way, this subject matter is being picked up by OGC so keep an eye open for the official book in due course!
>> View Dot Tudor’s presentation
>> Find ITIL training courses
>> Find PRINCE2 courses
>> Find DSDM Atern courses
Blogalot - May 2010
If you are looking to combine a professional qualification with a good music, good drink and friendly people, Focus can now offer regular Prince2 and ITIL training courses in the fine city of Dublin
We have teamed up with a local accredited training provider to provide courses in
- Prince2 Foundation Certificate
- Prince2 Practitioner Certificate
- ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate
- ITIL V2 Manager’s Courses
Contact Focus at enquiries@focus-on-training.co.uk, or visit our website www.focus-on-training.co.uk for more information
Following our first Prince2 course in Amsterdam, you can now find Prince2 Foundation & Practitioner training courses in Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Vienna on our website (www.focusprojects.co.uk)
More course locations in Germany and Sweden will be appearing soon !
Sharing of best practice amongst Project & Programme Management professionals was a central theme at the conference for the public service sector in December.
Helen Goulding of the Audit Commission presented various useful websites and communities. We’ve added a few more to make this “top ten” list.
1. OGC - http://www.ogc.gov.uk/programmes_and_projects.asp
- the government’s agency promoting more efficient PPM
2. Best Management Practice - http://www.best-management-practice.com/
- from the OGC, APMG and TSO (organisations behind PRINCE2, MSP & ITIL)
- comprehensive information about OGC training and qualifications
3. Best Practice User Group - http://www.usergroup.org.uk/�
- User group associated with the Best Management Practice website
4. I&DeA - http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=5817020
- Improvement & Development Agency
- Share best practice regarding many aspects of government
- Includes knowledge base of project and change management materials
5. Capital Ambition - http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/capitalambition/default.htm
- London’s Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership
- Toolkits, Shared Projects, Networking, Local Meetings etc
6. JISC Infonet - http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/
- emphasis on the education sector
- toolkits, guides, seminars etc
7. Eastern Development Centre - http://www.easterndc.org.uk/
- Supports NHS organisations - predominantly in east of england
- 60 staff and contractors working on health service projects
8. Association for Project Management - http://www.apm.org.uk/
- The UK’s professional body for project managers
- Information on qualifications
- Regional communities - and special interest groups
9. The Project Management Institute - http://www.pmi.org/Pages/default.aspx
- the US based international PM membership organisation
- details on internationally recognised experience based qualifications
- also links to UK (and other national) PMI organisations
10. FOCUS on TRAINING - http://www.focus-on-training.co.uk/
- Find and book accredited training across the UK
- Download guides to popular qualifications
- On-line learning options
- Books (including OGC manuals) at discount prices
Do suggest other useful sites and communities for project and programme management professionals
Blogalot - December 2009
Focus on Training has launched it’s first Prince2 training course in Amsterdam. The course starts on 14th December and will be held in a venue in a traditional canal house.
We would like to wish Nico, the trainer and the delegates all the best on this first for Focus
The next Amsterdam course starts on 18th January 2010
More European Prince2 & ITIL Training courses are now planned including Prince2 Brussels starting 11th January , Prague and Germany, so check out the Focus website
They are often used in the same breath - and often interchangeably. However Project Management and Programme Management do differ and require different skill sets.
Programme Management is the direction and implementation of a set of related projects and activities that enable the realisation of predefined benefits and outcomes. The advantages of choosing to manage these projects and activities together may include:
- Alignment to achieve a common goal
- Reduction of risk arising from project and organisational interfaces
- Prioritisation of shared resources
- Reduction in management effort
The distinction between Project Management and Programme Management is not black and white. For instance, a single IT project manager may take personal responsibility for a series of related projects associated with development and deployment of a new application. The term Programme is usually reserved for larger scale groups of projects which underpin strategically important capital investment or business change.
In our guide to Programme Management qualifications we try to draw the line as follows:
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PROJECT
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OR
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PROGRAMME
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Narrow
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Scope
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Wide ranging
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Few / Specific
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Deliverables
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Many / Strategic
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|
After Closure
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Benefits
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During and After
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Tightly Defined
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Timescale
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Less Proscribed
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No
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Operational Component
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Yes
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Middle Management
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Accountability
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Senior Management
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What do you think?
>> Download the Focus guide to MSP and Programme Management
>> Find Programme Managemnt Training Courses
Blogalot - November 2009
If you want a quick guide to project management qualifications, watch our video
The PRINCE2 manual has been translated into Mandarin and 3,000 copies have been sold.
The APMG has opened an office in Qingdao.
It’s a major coup for PRINCE2 as it continues its long march around the world.
30,000 people worldwide have taken PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner exams in the past 12 months alone.
What do you think?
Is PRINCE2 right for China? Is China right for PRINCE2?
>> PRINCE2 launch in China
>> PRINCE2 training courses
>> Download the Free Focus Guide to PRINCE2
Blogalot - October 2009
If you live near Luton, you’ll soon be able to take the popular PRINCE2 Foundation & Practitioner qualification there
Focus on Training identified that Luton wasn’t well served for PRINCE2 training, and have worked with an accredited PRINCE2 training provider to launch the first course in October
To visit the Focus website for prices and dates CLICK HERE
Skills, Methodology & Experience
Project Management education is growing up. Puzzled by the fact that there are still far too many instances of underperforming projects even after extensive PRINCE2 training, organisations are starting to think more intelligently about the knowledge and capabilities which make for a successful project manager.
At the Best Practice Showcase in London in June, Eileen Roden summed it up neatly with a cooking analogy. PRINCE2 is an excellent recipe - but simply being able to repeat the list of ingredients and process instructions won’t make you a top chef.
Those who are serious about developing their project management careers need “ticks” against 3 distinct aspects of project management:
1. Project Manager Skills. The basic competencies which are needed to be effective. These cover many of the skills exhibited by successful general managers. You need business and financial awareness, leadership skills, planning skills, negotiation skills - as well as technical skills such as planning and risk management.
2. Project Methodology. Organisations that run projects efficiently will have developed processes and language which are applied regularly and consistently. And across many types of organisation you will find the basic elements are very similar. PRINCE2 is a distillation of these good practices.
3. Experience. As with so much else, wisdom comes from the accumulation of successes - and a few failures. Training can help you understand how to apply skills and methods to practical situations but there is ultimately no substitute for experience.
Some of the County Councils are actively re-assessing their project management training along these lines: one is looking at a blend of APMP, PRINCE2 and a tailored element specific to their needs. There are even suggestions that we may see greater collaboration between APM and the APMG to combine their respective strengths in skills and methodology.
>> PRINCE2 Training Courses
>> APMP Training Courses
>> PMI Certification
>> Download APM and PRINCE2 Training Guides
Blogalot - September 2009
ITIL, PRINCE2 | admin, May 13, 2010 3:40 pm | 
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