The Definitive Guide to Why a Good Online Project Management Course Beats Live Training

I love doing a live Project Management course.

The interaction with participants and the chance to take the course in whatever direction they choose isn’t just challenging; it’s fun.

And, for the last 14 years, I’ve done more Project Management training than anything else. I’ve given over 500 project management courses and seminars, for over 6,000 new and experienced project managers.

But now, I have reluctantly come to a conclusion.

An online Project management course is even better.

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10 Revealing Questions to find the Best Project Management Course

Do you want to Find the Best Project Management Course for You?

Of course you do. It is an important decision, because:

• you will be investing a considerable amount of time in your learning
• the outcome matter to you… or you wouldn’t be bothering
• you will be spending a moderate to large chunk of money

So let’s get the money question out of the way first.

You do need to know how much the course will cost. But money should not drive your decision.

Instead, what you are looking for is a course that best meets the criteria in the ten questions I will set out. You need a course that makes you feel comfortable with the purchase you are potentially about to make, and for which the cost is consistent with what you will get.

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The Value of Project Management Skills… Transferability

Project Management is a valuable skill-set. Project Management skills enable you to deliver big, complex, important changes. And organizations are prepared to pay for that. This is what makes Project Management a career option.

But not everyone wants to build a
Project Management career.

You may have got the skills of Project Management for a specific Project. Maybe you got them as a part of your overall professional or managerial skill-set.

Or maybe you set of on building a Project Management career, and then discover that this is not the career for you. At this point, you may wonder:

‘How useful will these Project Management skills be, in other areas of my work?’

‘Are my Project Management skills transferable to other domains?’

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PMI Education Contact Hours and PDUs: Your Essential Guide

The PMI is currently the most widely used source of professional project management accreditation. To win your coveted CAPM, PMP, or PMI-ACP, to will need to chalk up enough education Contact Hours. And to maintain them, you’ll also need Professional Development Units, or PDUs.

But just what are contact hours and PDUs?

What are the rules, and how can you get them? In this article, we set out to answer all your questions.

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Project Management Qualification: Should I or Shouldn’t I?

Of all the questions I get asked in live project management training, one is the most frequent. 'Should I get a Project Management qualification?'

Unfortunately, this simple question to ask is far from easy to answer. Because there are many different scenarios - each with their own answer.

In this article, I want to break down the question into those scenarios, to help you decide whether you should get a Project Management Qualification?

What Project Management Qualification?

The first question we need to address is 'which Project Management qualification are we talking about?' There is a lot of choice.

So, we'll start by breaking your choice down into some major categories:

Professional Association Qualifications

The three primary examples are those on offer from:

• The Project Management Institute (PMI) - their principal qualification is PMP (Project Management Professional)
• The Association for Project Management (APM) - their principal qualifications are PMQ (APM Project Management Qualification) and PPQ (APM Project Professional Qualification)
• The International Association of Project Managers (IAPM) – their principal qualification is Cert. Project Manager (IAPM)

First Degree qualifications

These are Bachelors level degrees in Project Management. They are usually 3 or 4 years and designed for post 18 year students after school. They balance an academic curriculum with practical experience, and most include Project Management in a wider curriculum: either business or a topic like construction or surveying.

Higher Degree qualifications

These are courses for graduates that look at project management in depth. The main options are:

• Master's degree - usually one-year full-time or longer part-time. Most are largely taught with a thesis in the final semester or term.
• Doctoral degree - usually three years minimum, full-time. Longer part-time. Based on a substantial piece of original research, with teaching at the start of the program, to support.

PRINCE2 and Other Specific Methodologies

PRINCE2 is the UK Government's preferred methodology for Project Management, and is supported by its own qualifications. It is designed for - an mainly used in - the public sector. There is also a suite of other methodologies with their own certification programs. These are all currently owned by Axelos and administered by licensed training providers. These include:

• PRINCE2 Agile. One level of qualification
• MSP: Managing Successful Programmes. Three levels of qualification
• M_o_R: Management of Risk. Two levels of qualification
• P3O: Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices. Two levels of qualification
• MoP: Portfolio Management. Two levels of qualification
• MoV: Value Management. Two levels of qualification
• ITIL: IT Service Management. Five levels of qualification

Agile

Agile is an approach to Project Management. There are free-standing qualifications for some of the specific Agile and Agile-related methodologies, like Scrum and Lean. There are also Agile certification courses on offer from:

• PMI: their Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
• Axelos: they offer PRINCE2 Agile that combines the flexibility of Agile with the rigor of PRINCE2
• IAPM: their Cert. Agile Project Manager (IAPM) and Cert. Senior Agile Project Manager (IAPM)

As you can see, there are a lot of specific cases to consider, even before we get to the details of your own circumstances.

Let's start of with some principles...

Primary Considerations for Getting a Project Management Qualification

How should you make a decision about whether to get a Project Management qualification? And if so, which one?

The answer is simple. We have a suitable methodology as a part of our PM toolkit...

The Project Management way: Build a Business Case

It's all about pros and cons. Securing a Project Management qualification will take you time and cost you money. So, what are the benefits you will get in return?

Why do you want it?

The first question to ask yourself is: 'why do I want a qualification?'

Considering a #PM qualification. First question: 'why do I want it?' Click To Tweet

I want the letters on my business card

There are some people who like qualifications for the sake of having them. They want letters after their name, for the perceived status and prestige. There's nothing wrong with this, but I have to wonder: 'so what?'

Once you have those letters, what would you do with them?

If this is you, you are probably after the most qualifications for the least effort. So, I'd recommend foundation level qualifications, like:

• PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• APM's Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)
• PRINCE2 Foundation
• IAPM's Cert. Junior Project manager (IAPM)

These are all widely recognised entry-level Project Management qualifications. Each is a good qualification. But, because they are entry-level, the time, cost and study requirements are lower than for their 'senior' partner qualifications.

I love the learning

At the other end of the spectrum, some people value the learning the'll gain. It's the joy of knowledge and understanding that motivates them pure and simple.

If this is you, then your choice may be tough, but the strategy is easy to articulate. Look at what each course covers and find the one that offers you the most interesting syllabus. Choose one that will take your thinking to a new level, or in a new direction. If you are a 'traditional' Project Manager, look at Agile for something new, or maybe M_o_R (Management of Risk) for a new depth.

Also, if this is you, you are more likely to be attracted to an academic route of a higher degree. Nothing will feed your love of learning more than that.

I want to be a better project manager

Ah, now here's a reason. More pragmatic than pure love of learning, but not as 'mercenary' as wanting to help your career (which we'll look at next). For you, the question to ask is: 'What aspect of Project Management do you want to be better at?'

If it is across-the-board capabilities you are after, you are likely to want one of the high level professional association qualifications, like PMI's PMP, or APM's PMQ. In their respective communities, these are seen as a solid syllabus leading to a worthwhile professional accreditation.

If you already have one of these, or you are experienced and well-respected, then you still have plenty of choices. You are most likely to be attracted to a specific methodology that will take your practice further. Above, I've listed the Project Management qualifications Axelos offer, in a suite of project related best practices. Both PMI and APM have their own additional qualifications.

The PMI offers:

• Scheduling: PMI-SP® - PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)®
• Risk: PMI-RMP® - PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)®
• Agile: PMI-ACP® - PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®
• Business Analysis: PMI-PBA® - PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®
• Program Management: PgMP® - Program Management Professional (PgMP)®
• Portfolio Management: PfMP® - Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)®

The APM offers:

• APM Project Risk Management Single Subject Certificate
• Earned Value Management Certification
• Project Planning & Control

IPMA
APM also offers International Project Management Association Level A and B qualifications:

• IPMA Level A: Certified Projects Director
• IPMA Level B: Certified Senior Project Manager

These are IPMA's highest internationally recognised qualifications in project, programme and portfolio management.

The APM is the UK member of the International Project Management Association (IPMA). This is the global professional body for project, program and portfolio management. All of the APM's Project Management qualifications conform to their four-tier certification system.

Do you work outside the UK and where PMI is not the dominant professional body? If so, look for a local professional body that offers IPMA standard in PM qualifications. These will then meet globally consistent standards.

The IAPM offers:

• Traditional Certifications:
  • Cert. Project Manager (IAPM)
  • Cert. Senior Project Manager (IAPM)
• Agile Certifications:
  • Cert. Agile Project Manager (IAPM)
  • Cert. Agile Senior Project Manager (IAPM)
• International Certification:
  • Cert. International Project Manager (IAPM)

I want it to help my career

Here's where you need to do a wider spread of research. Because you are looking for a return on your investment, you need to understand more than what you get from the course, and what it costs. You need to understand your target job market. This will depend on questions like:

Where you plan to work
For example, in the UK, APM qualifications may be more useful than PMI, and PRNCE2 may be of more value than elsewhere. In the US, PRINCE2 is rarely known at all, while it is well-used in Commonwealth countries like Australia, and in Gulf states.

What sort of organizations? 
For example, international or US-based organizations will see the PMI's qualifications as the gold-dstandard, and public sector organizations are more likely to value PRINCE2 than the private sector.

What industry sector?
Once again, public sector suggests PRINCE2 will be of value. The IT sector will be more keen on Agile Project Management qualifications, but they will be of little value in construction, where traditional PMI, APM, or IAPM qualifications will be better.

Most important is to learn from recruiters. Look at company web pages and speak with recruitment consultants about their local market. Speak with people at your target employers if you can. The more market intelligence you can gain, he more robust your decision will be.

The other question to ask is this...

'In what way do you want to help your career?'

A Jump Start
If you want to get a jump-start, you may consider an undergraduate degree that has a Project Management element to it. Post-degree, work to one of the foundation level basic qualifications:

• PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• APM's Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)
• IAPM's Cert. Junior Project Manager (IAPM)

Getting a Job
In a crowded job market, a Project Management qualification can get your CV to the top of a pile (or prevent it being 'filed' too soon. That said, there are likely to be more Project Management jobs globally than capable Project Managers soon. And to get the best roles, experience and track record are likely to be the biggest differentiators.

I'd suggest that, if you are aiming for a generic Project Management job, with a company's recruitment team doing the main work on the search, then a qualification will help. But, if you are going for a particular post to deliver a specific project... Then they are more likely to be interested in relevant experience.

In a crowded job market, a #PM qualification can get your CV to the top of a pile Click To Tweet

Getting a Promotion
Some employers do link promotions and particular salary bands or grades to qualifications. If that's the case for you, the choice is easy. But few do. Most will promote on capability. And a good Project management qualification is only one indicator. Your track record will be far more important.

Better Pay
The professional associations claim their qualification will earn you more money. The PMPs suggest a 20 per cent increase. Here is another example of an article that suggests PMP can give you a 10-20 per cent salary bump. Once again, examine the market where you are (or hope to be).

When Should I Consider each Type of Project Management Qualification?

In this section, we'll go through the five types of qualification and see who each one can best serve.

Professional Association Qualifications

These Project Management qualifications are best if you want a long-term career as a professional Project Manager. They give you:

• A qualification. Letters, a label and a status that are widely recognised
• A solid grounding in a robust syllabus, set by experts
• Membership of a professional body
• Access to fellowship, knowledge networks, and research
• Bodies offer ascending series of qualifications, depending on your experience
• Higher level qualifications have real value in the job market

But they do require:

• A set amount of real-world experience - which for PMI's PM is extensive
• Considerable learning commitment
• A cost
• An examination - which is hard
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to maintain them

The PMI's PMP qualification is probably the strongest all-round Project Management qualification. It is demanding and robust. And it is recognised globally.

First Degree Project Management Qualifications

This is ideal if you are a school-leaver or looking to retrain and have not yet had a university education. If you already know that Project management is what you want to do, then you can look for a course that includes it.

There are relatively few first degrees with Project Management as the major focus (and in their tittle). But there are plenty that include it in a broader curriculum. This latter is, to my mind, an advantage. At a younger age, keeping your options open with a wider range of learning is a good thing. Research the university courses in your country, and maybe speak with a representative of your local Project Management professional association.

The advantages are:

• A solid academic grounding
• You should be 'good to go' when you hit the job market
• Many include a placement and real work experience
• An internationally recognized qualification

But, be aware:

• Some academics have book knowledge but little or no project delivery experience
• These courses rarely offer a short-cut to the professional association qualifications

Higher Degree Project Management Qualifications

These take a lot of commitment, and rarely repay their investment in salary bumps. For that, try an MBA. That said, there are some MBAs that do have a strong Project Management component. They are worth investigating.

The primary reason for taking a higher degree is the love of learning. However, a well-chosen Master's degree can be a trigger for a promotion or an access key to a next-tier job role.

Reasons to:

• Fabulous chance to learn
• Opportunity to take on research that is relevant to your career aspirations
• Chance to form a diverse network of smart people
• Great kudos - MBA and MSc are prestigious, and a PhD, DPhil, DSc or DBA makes you a Doctor!

And reasons not to:

• This is a BIG commitment
• And it may not repay the time and cost in salary and opportunity

PRINCE2 and related methodologies

These are all good quality Project management qualifications. But many of them are written with a strong focus on the needs of the UK public sector. Yes, they do apply elsewhere (sector-wise and geographically). But they are less well-known and therefore likely to have a smaller impact on your career.

If you want a career that includes managing substantial UK public sector projects, you need PRINCE2. And likewise MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) and MoP (Management of Portfolios) if you want to advance to those levels.

If you are outside of the UK public sector, these are still good courses if you want to develop your skills, but don't expect them to necessarily have an impact on your salary.

You should if you:

• have a lot of Project experience and Project Management knowledge. PRINCE2 builds on this and makes you think about governance
• plan to work in the UK public sector
• plan to work in companies that work with the UK public sector
• work in a non-UK country where PRINCE2 is widely used and plan to work in appropriate sectors
• can do a course and then the exam over 5 days (Practitioner level) or 3 days (Foundation level)

You should not if you:

• don't have a lot of Project Management Knowledge. PRINCE2 will not teach you Project Management
• can't stand the idea of a highly structured project governance infrastructure
• plan to never go near the public sector as a professional Project Manager

Agile Project Management Qualifications

The PMI has just started t wrap Agile into its core PMP qualification. Axelos has released PRINCE2 Agile. It's hard to see that APM will not follow soon. And PMI also has its own PMI-ACP Agile Certified Practitioner qualification.

There are other qualifications too, like the APMG-International AgilePM® certification. This is aimed at Project Managers who want to combine the flexibility of an Agile approach with more familiar project delivery approaches. It also integrates well, into a PRINCE2 project environment.

The most widely used Agile methodology is Scrum. And the most popular qualification is Certified Scrum Master (CSM). It just needs a two-day course and a 35-question multiple choice exam.

The mood is moving. Therefore, it's important for many project managers outside of the IT sector to learn about Agile principles and methods. Business projects increasingly make explicit use of Agile ideas.  If you are in the IT sector, it is a must.

Why you should consider an Agile qualification:

• There are a lot of jobs in Agile Project Management
• It will show you are moving with the times
• There is a lot in Agile that can improve your Project Management practice
• There are Agile methodology-specific courses that you may need, for certain jobs

Why you need not consider an Agile qualification:

• You work in a sector that would never use Agile methods
• Your experience means you'll get the jobs without it

What are Your Experiences or Opinions?

We'd love to hear from you. Do you have one a Project Management qualification? Or have you chosen not to? What are your questions?

Please contribute below, and we'll respond to every comment.

Credits

My thanks are due to Linda Ottmann of the International Association of Project Managers. Linda sought me out and offered to help ensure that I have properly represented the IAPM's offerings, for which I am very grateful.

If representatives of other professional associations would like to do the same, I'll be very open to your help.

PMP versus CAPM: All You need to Know

PMP^® and CAPM^® are two qualifications issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI^®). If you have started or are considering a career in Project Management, one of these may be right for you. But which one? In this article, we compare PMP versus CAPM, and give you the facts to base your decision on.

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PMP Certification: What You Need to Know [Complete Review]

The PMI is the largest professional body for Project Managers. It’s PMP^® Certification is the most widely regarded qualification. If you are considering a career in Project Management, you also need to consider PMP Certification.

In this extended article, we’ll look at that decision from all angles:

• What does it mean?
• Why should you seek PMP Certification?
• What does it take to become a PMP?
• How to become a PMP
• What do you need to know?
• What sort of resources will help you become a PMP?
• Some brief PMP exam preparation tips

– Updated for PMBoK 6th Edition –

 

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We have a lot to cover, so, let’s kick-off…

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What is the PMI? | Video

The PMI (Project Management Institute) is the largest professional association for project managers.
What does that mean, exactly?

So, what is the PMI?

Dr Mike Clayton is founder of OnlinePMCourses.com.
Here, he answers this question, in under 5 minutes.

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How can You Get the Best from Your Project Management Learning?

OnlinePMCourses is dedicated to bringing you some of the very best project management learning materials. So, this raises the obvious question: how can you get the best from your project management learning? In this article, we will look at different approaches. But don’t think of them as a set of options. They will work best when you can combine as many of them as possible.

Most of us have little or no formal learning since we were at school. And there, few of us were taught ‘how’ to learn. We were just given the opportunities. Some love it, and succeed. While others find learning a stretch.

As an adult, something like a structured project management course is a big investment of your time. So you need to make good use of it.

If you are considering learning about project management, then shouldn’t you be thinking about how you can get the best from that project management learning?

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Are You Doing Everything a Project Manager Should?

Most of the articles on this website are highly practical. They are about how to ‘do’ Project Management. But it seems time to write something a little different… Perhaps something a little more thoughtful. I have been considering what it takes to be a Project Manager.Continue reading…