P3O Foundation and Practitioner Certificate

Overview

Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices (P3O®) is the OGC’s (Office of Government Commerce) guidance for establishing, developing and maintaining appropriate business support structures that will allow improved senior management decision making, better identification and realisation of business outcomes and benefits, and improve the chances of successful project delivery.

P3O is aligned to the current MSP®, PRINCE2®, and M_o_R® guidance and has been developed to enhance the support advice referred to in that guidance.

P3O is not a prescriptive method. It does however provide advice for those organisations that wish to create (or re-energise) effective support structures that can provide a focal point for defining a balanced portfolio of change and ensure a consistent approach to the delivery of programmes and projects.

The P3O Practitioner course comprises five days of trainer led instruction, and practical exercises, with the Foundation examination on day three of the course and culminating in the Practitioner examination on day five. The aim of the course is to provide delegates with a comprehensive and applied understanding of the P3O advice and to prepare delegates for the P3O Foundation and Practitioner Certificate examinations.

The course fee includes the latest copy of the P3O manual and the examination fee for the Foundation and Practitioner examinations.

The course is based on the 2008 edition of the P3O Manual and is designed for:

• Senior managers wishing to gain an understanding of possible structures for supporting business change and the type and level of support that can be provided by Portfolio, Programme and Project support offices
• Senior Managers, Programme and Project Managers who require an understanding of how programme offices can add value and enhance the delivery of strategic business change, benefits and capability
• Managers and/or staff who have been tasked to create delivery support structures and mechanisms within their organisation
• Experienced support office managers who need to review, revitalise or tailor current support office provision
• Programme office or programme support staff who need to understand the importance of their role
• Staff responsible for programme/project assurance or audit requiring an understanding of how best practice support is provided.

The course is intensive and delegates are advised to undertake some revision work in the evenings to prepare for the P3O examinations. To complete day four and five of the course the delegate must reach the required standard in the Foundation exam.

Prerequisites

• Delegates need to have worked in a project/programme environment and understand the basic principles relating to Programme and Project Management.
• A basic understanding of MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) or a Foundation qualification in MSP would be a benefit for this course
• Delegates must have followed the pre-work guidance prior to attending the course.
• Required Pre-reading guide

Delegates will learn how to

• Understand how portfolio, programmes and projects relate
• Understand why it is important to provide appropriate support at all these levels
• Identify a ‘best-in-class’ P3O model
• Identify different models for support provision
• Recognise the roles within a P3O
• Apply the main P3O principles
• Identify the tools and techniques that support consistent delivery of functions and services
• Prepare for and take the APMG P3O Foundation and Practitioner examinations   

Course outline

Introduction and Overview

• Portfolio, Programmes and Projects
• High level P3O model
• P3O Roles

Why have a P3O?

Identifying the value of a ‘best-in-class’ P3O model

• The value of a P3O
• Adding Value
• Extracting Value
• P3O capability and linked benefits

P3O Models

Identifying the different ways that an organisation could implement Portfolio, Programme and Project offices

• Different models
• Sizing and Tailoring an appropriate model
• Integrating to P3O in an organisation
• P3O maturity and evolution

P3O Roles

Describing the typical roles and responsibilities within a P3O

• Skills and competencies
• Staffing a P3O office
• Management, generic, and functional roles

Tools and Techniques

Discussing a range of common tools and techniques found within a ‘best-in-class’ P3O model.

• Collaborative and integrated tools
• Tools and techniques – key benefits
• Management dashboards
• Facilitated workshops
• Business process ‘swimlanes’

P3O Implementation

Identifying the lifecycle to implement a new, or revitalise an existing P3O

• Definition Stage and its key activities
• The Blueprint
• P3O information flows

Examinations

The P3O Foundation examination will be taken in the afternoon of day three of the course. The exam is a multiple choice exam consisting of 50 questions that must be answered in 40 minutes. To be successful in this exam the delegate must correctly answer 30 or more questions. Delegates will be informed of their result before they leave on day three. To proceed to day four and five delegates must achieve Foundation certification.

The P30 Practitioner exam is taken on the morning of day five of the course. The exam is an objective marked assessment consisting of seven questions which must be answered in two and a quarter hours. Each question is worth ten marks and delegates must achieve a score of thirty five to be successful. The exam allows the use of the P3O manual. Delegates will be informed of their result some time after course completion.