PMP Examination Preparation Workshop

5 days

Often managers have the experience required to pass the Project Management Institute’s PMP certification exam, yet are missing that last piece: an accurate roadmap of the items to concentrate on, and a study plan to make best use of the limited time available for exam preparation. This workshop walks participants through the knowledge areas required to prepare successfully for the Project Management Institute's (PMI) PMP Certification.

Organizations that have a number of aspiring PMP’s may benefit from an organizational-level project management training program. This program demonstrates the organization's commitment to its people, while providing a framework for personal development. Include the PMP Examination Preparation Workshop in your training program.

Workshops and Facilitation

We believe that workshop-based training allows maximum hands-on experience of concepts and tools. It also allows you to interact and analyze concepts in a team environment. By working together, participants reinforce each other and become ready to take on challenges.

BrenDaniel consultants are trained in facilitation techniques and excel at idea generation sessions, such as value analysis, gap analysis, process definition, mission/vision statement creation, goal-setting and project kick-off sessions.

Acquire Certification

Upon successful completion, participants earn a Competency Certificate. Participants also receive, from BrenDaniel Productions Corp., membership in BrenDaniel's Leadership Cadre – to gain access to the latest information on leadership trends, methods, and models used throughout the world.

Workshop Outline

Day One

Framework - Solidifying a Success Culture

This session outlines the activities for creating a successful project environment. In this session, learn:

What project management is, and its role in an organization.
How to identify Project Stakeholders.
Different organizational structures and the management authority for each.
Key general management skills required for success.
The repeatable process groups of a project.
The project manager’s role in integrating these processes.

Scope Management - Knowing Your Project

Accurately defining the project, and knowing the success criteria of stakeholders, are major challenges for project managers in the initial stages of project planning. Understanding the roles of the executives and their support for the project plan makes this process more effective. Get tools and techniques to define your projects solidly, including how to:

Document customer needs from functional through technical requirements.
Understand the activities and responsibilities in correctly initiating a project.
Identify your customer’s needs.
Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
Perform complete product analysis.

Day Two

Time Management – Creating a Common Action Plan

Scheduling and maintaining one vision for project success can be challenging. Even though detailed technical problems occur, customer changes arrive, and the organization’s directions adjust, the project manager is expected to maintain a well-defined, committed schedule. This session practices managers in creating schedules and reports that accurately demonstrate their project’s progress. Get tools and techniques to manage project time, including how to:

Understand how activities and events interact.
Discover the interactivity between activities and teams.
Use a PDM to demonstrate the project’s end-to-end vision.
Estimate using historical, top-down, and bottom-up data.
Account for risk within the estimate.
Determine the critical path, bottle and key management concerns.
Schedule compression methods for innovative solutions.
Use charts to get the right message to the right people at the right time.

Cost Management – Completing the Success Metrics

Business success is cost-driven. Often projects are product-driven, such as in meeting a new technology or the next generation of a product. While the project team focuses on delivering the product, the project manager must ensure every technical decision makes business sense. Learn common accounting terminology, and practice applying terms to project scenarios. Get tools and techniques to manage project cost, including how to:

Determine complete life cycle costing.
Plan resources – your key cost driver.
Create a project budget – the commitment to the baseline.
Implement cost control measures.
Use Earned Value Analysis (EVA) – what it tells you.
Employ common methods for collecting earned value information.
Plan adjustments – identify when and how to change the baseline.

Day Three

Quality Management – Defining and Verifying Performance

Defining the quality and performance measurements of a project is not a trivial task. Numerous people and agencies have expectations from the project. Getting these needs documented and making the team accountable are key to having the support of executives when the project runs into problems. Get tools and techniques to manage project quality, including how to:

Determine the roles and responsibilities in quality planning.
Understand the difference between quality assurance and quality control.
Identify the role of the project manager in maintaining quality objectives.
Chart the organization’s role in ensuring quality control.

Risk Management – Understanding What Can Derail Projects

Risk has two aspects – opportunity and threats. While most team members are familiar with the threats that risks bring to the project, getting the team to focus on the opportunities that risks provide is a key leadership attribute of senior project managers. Develop a proactive approach to risk management, ensuring you are in control, even while risks are occurring. Get tools and techniques to manage project risk, including how to:

Identify risk.
Perform qualitative analysis, to focus on key risk areas.
Undergo quantitative analysis, to determine the measurable data for each risk.
Apply response methods for minimizing the risk impact on a project.
Employ methods for recognizing risk threats and opportunities.

Day Four

Human Resource Management – Creating and Motivating Your Team

A key differentiator between leaders and managers is how they developing their project teams. Many times, part of the team is an outside agency, so developing a common team atmosphere is an ongoing concern. Learn human dynamic skills such as conflict resolution, negotiation, training plan development, motivation, including:

Understanding how different project organizations impact project results.
Knowing how to get the right staff for unique projects.
Learning processes that promote open communications and teamwork.
Discussing how individuals and functional teams interact.
Practicing development and motivation methods for retaining the team vision.

Communications – Setting Up an Open Environment

In a global environment, organizations are continually working with outside agencies and development teams may be geographically scattered. The luxury of walking around to the project team is seldom available. Learn to create and maintain a common project objective while keeping the scattered team focused. Get tools and techniques for:

Defining the project manager’s roles as a communications hub.
Employing techniques for distributing information.
Reporting against the baseline plan.
Closing the project documentation.
Using the sender-receiver model.

Professional Responsibility – Code of Conduct

Project managers are in a unique position: they are leading technical teams in creating products, while also being member of the executive/business leadership team. They have access to much information, which they are responsible for communicating to their executives and project teams. Understand the moral responsibilities that you as a project manager hold.

Day Five

Procurement Management – Use Experts to Support Your Team

Outside suppliers and contractors can be essential to ensuring project success Learn how to obtain the right resources, cost effectively, while having a major positive impact on the technical and business success of your project. Get tools and techniques for:

Managing the procurement cycle.
Developing Statements of Work (SOW’s).
Understanding contract types and the project management authority required for each.
Select the best proposal.
Administering contracts and the closure responsibilities of project managers.

Integration Management – Creating Team Interdependency

Managing multiple functional teams as a cohesive unit can be challenging. To do so, you need strong conflict resolution techniques and negotiation abilities. Get tools and techniques for creating team interdependency, including:

Developing Project Plans.
Monitoring and controlling project activities and interactions.
Implementing change control processes within projects.
Defining the project manager’s level of authority for changes.

Case Study/Practice Examination – Measuring Success

Practice what you have learned in the five days, using an in-depth case study. The case study uses real project experiences, in technical environments, to reinforce and practice the concepts taught. After the case study, complete the session with a practice exam. This allows you to measure the success of your time spent, and helps you determine where you need to concentrate your studies for the PMP certification.

Course Registration

To register or for more information, please visit our course registration page or contact us at courses@brendaniel.com.